How to Create a Pendulum Painting

Creating the Pouring Medium

The pouring medium is made from:

1 Part Mont Marte Acrylic Medium Gloss

3 Parts Mont Marte PVA Craft glue

1.5 Parts water

Half a tube of Acrylic Retarder

Start by adding the PVA Craft Glue, In my case I have used 405ml of PVA, 135ml Acrylic Gloss Medium and 203ml of cold water.

Once the medium has been mixed it should be the viscosity of pouring cream.

If a larger batch is required then the measurements could be increased as required. By the same token if a smaller batch was required then smaller measurements would be used.

Mixing the Paint for the Pendulum

The paint is mixed to the ratio of :

2 Part Dimension Acrylic Paint

2 Parts Pouring Medium

1 Part water

Once the paint has been mixed it should be the viscosity of thick pouring cream.

Painting the Background.

The first step is to paint the entire canvas with Purple Dimension Acrylic Paint. Use a Heavy Bristle Brush and apply the paint with circular movements so as to create as much texture as possible. Let this dry. Wash the brush thoroughly and allow it to dry.

Once the Purple base coat is dry, squeeze out some Pearl Sapphire, Pearl Purple and Pearl Wine Red Dimension Acrylic.

Use the Heavy Bristle Brush and dry brush the Pearl Sapphire first onto the top left hand corner of the canvas. Work diagonally across the canvas until 1/3 of the canvas is covered with this colour.

Cover the next 1/3 of the canvas with Pearl Purple and the last portion with Pearl Wine Red.

Create a soft transition between the colours so they appear to blend with each other to a degree.

Let the paint dry.

Creating the Pendulum

To make the pendulum we use the bottle of glue that should be empty from making the flow medium. Remove the tip and wash out the excess glue. Cut a semi circular hole at the base. Fit a folding bulldog clip to the edge of the hole then screw the tip back on.

The next step is to fasten a fixing point to the ceiling. If you have a suspended ceiling a length of wire can be passed through the metal supports.

A cup hook can be screwed to a wooden ceiling and a wall anchor can be used in the case of a plasterboard/dry wall ceiling.

Next take a length of string and tie one end to the fixing point. Ensure the length reaches the floor.

Take the canvas and place it on the floor centrally under the string.

Next tie the string onto the glue bottle from the arm of the bulldog clip. Ensure that the tip is 1cm above the canvas.

Fill the pendulum with the paint mixture. 

Using the Pendulum

To start the pendulum on its cycle, pull it back then gently release it and push it to the side slightly. You may have to gently nudge it to start it off on the desired pattern.

To create a pattern inside a pattern quickly block the tip with your finger and pull it away from the canvas. Then start a new pattern with a smaller cycle.