How to paint eyes using acrylic pour

Follow along as we pour and paint these two eyes! In this tutorial, we’ve used acrylic pouring paint, glitter paint and acrylic paint pens to add detail and make the eyes pop. Get started with our step-by-step guide and video below.

Dragon Eye:

To get started, squeeze some Gold Satin Acrylic paint onto the canvas and use a large paint brush to cover the whole surface. Leave to dry before moving on.

Once dry, press three thumb tacks into the back of the canvas to act as a stand. Flip it over and place on your workspace. 

Next, mix the glitter paints together by pouring each colour into a small cup. We used Dark Blue, Dark Green, Red and Gold to create a hologram look. Layer the colours on top of each other until you fill the cup.

Hold your canvas face down over the cup and then flip them both over. Take the cup off the canvas and let the glitter paint spread across the canvas. Twist the canvas to pour the paint evenly across the canvas.

Once the glitter paint is dry, apply a layer of Clay Gloss Varnish using a wide, soft brush. This will smooth out the texture of the glitter paint, make the colours pop and give a smooth base the next steps. You can let the varnish dry naturally or use a hairdryer to speed up the process.

Next, take a medium brush and paint around the edge of the canvas with the Lamp Black paint. Paint the sides of the canvas too. Try to blend and fade the paint around the edges to create a dome shape for the eye. Leave this to dry before moving on.

To create the pupil shape, fold a piece of paper in half and draw a crescent moon shape. Cut this out and use it a template.

Place the template in the centre of the canvas and trace around it using the Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Pen in Black.

Use the medium brush and Lamp Black to fill inside the shape.  

Take the black fine tip pen again and draw a series of thin lines flowing from the pupil.

The next step is to add more line detail using the fine tip paint paints in Yellow, Red, Orange, Blue and Red. Draw a series of squiggly lines coming out from the pupil, but not touching the black edge of the canvas.

Take the Titanium White paint and the medium brush to create a white highlight in the top right-hand corner of the eye. Add a touch of water to the paint to dilute and create a translucent look. 

Once the highlight is dry, apply varnish over the whole canvas using a wide, soft brush and you’re done!

Blue and Green Eye:

Start by covering your workspace to catch excess pouring paint. Then, press three thumb tacks into the back of the canvas to act as a stand. Flip it over and place it on your workspace. Move on to mixing your paints. We used Deep Cyan, Turquoise, Monastral Green, Turquoise, and then Titanium White, but choose any color scheme. Once you’ve picked your colours, pour them into four separate cups. For this tutorial, it’s best to keep the paints a bit thicker. So, stick to a ratio of about 1 part paint to 4 parts pouring medium. Give it a good stir. 

Once all the paint is mixed, pour the Deep Cyan over the canvas and spread it out to make a consistent thickness over the surface.

Follow by pouring some Cerulean Blue, Monastral Green, Turquoise and then Titanium White. Pour them in a circular motion following the round shape of the canvas.

Once all the paint is on the canvas, create a series of lines by dragging the palette knife from the edge of the canvas into the centre.

When the lines are created, lay a rag or napkin over the top of the canvas and gently lift it from all four corners of the canvas. It’s best not to touch the canvas and just leave it to dry. The drying process can take 3 to 4 days.  

Once the canvas is dry, you can start to add detail. Paint a line around the edge of the canvas using Deep Cyan and a medium paint brush. Try to soften the inside edge to suggest a shadow and create a convex look.  

To create the pupil, lay a roll of tape onto the canvas to use as a template, and go in with the Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Pen in Black to trace around the outside of the tape. Create a series of small lines emitting out around the profile line. 

After the lines have been created, squeeze out some Lamps Black paint and fill in the pupil.

Next, create a series of lines extending from the pupil using the Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Pens. Go in with Titanium White and then Turquoise to add detail. Leave this to dry thoroughly. 

To suggest a shine on the eyeball, take the White Fine Tip Acrylic Paint Pen to add highlights. To create a translucent finish, soften it with a damp brush. Add a small white circle in the top right corner of the pupil to highlight.  

As a finishing touch, resin can be used to add a glossy look to pour paintings. However, you can also use our Clay Gloss Varnish. Although this varnish is designed for clay, it is a co-polymer acrylic and works perfectly on several surfaces. Pour some of the varnish directly onto the canvas and spread it out as evenly as you can and leave to dry.

We can't wait to see what you come up with, so #montmarteart or tag us on Instagram or Facebook @montmarteart!