Artist Shares Hypnotic Process of Creating Mesmerizing Fluid Art

With its stunning spirals and psychedelic swirls, fluid art (aka paint pouring or Dutch pouring) is a hypnotic art form that an artist known simply as Maike may have perfected. By using watery acrylic paint, the artist is able to pour and manipulate the direction of the liquid. This allows her to somewhat dictate the composition of her seemingly spontaneous abstract paintings. Despite the ultimate abstraction of her paintings, there are clear influences from nature in her design; floral inspiration is particularly evident. Some of Maike's paint pours are also reminiscent of the long, glowing oral arms of tropical jellyfish.

The Germany-based fluid artist starts every piece by covering her canvas in a base lather of acrylic paint. Then, she carefully pours colored paint on top of a canvas, creating wavy lines and swirls. Before it can dry, Maike uses a hair dryer and blows over the paint, causing it to spread out and form a marbled look for the final product. The artist normally mixes solid colors with metallic ones, especially gold and silver, giving many of her paintings a shimmering look.

Each finished painting is a stunning amalgamation of color, skill, and time-sensitive labor. Equally as impressive (if not more so) is the technique behind Maike's portfolio of work. Lucky for us, she shares her creative process through videos on Instagram. It is mesmerizing to watch her projects from start to finish, especially as the different colors of paint dance across the canvas, bleeding into or moving beside one another.

Scroll down to see some of Maike's most spellbinding pieces and be sure to follow her on Instagram for even more.

Germany-based artist Maike specializes in swirling acrylic paint pours.

Using runny acrylic paint and a hair dryer, this fluid artist is able to create gorgeous abstract paintings that often look like floral designs.

Her paintings are equal parts elegant and psychedelic as the paint swirls around the canvas and blends together.

Each painting that Maike creates exudes a level of elegance and beauty while being entirely a one-of-a-kind piece.

Maike: Instagram

Related Articles:

1,000 Lines of Colorful Paint Pool into Mesmerizing Puddles at the Venice Biennale

Energetic Drip Paintings Imagine a Future Where Cities and Nature Are One

Fluid Art: How to Start Acrylic Pouring & Create Psychedelic Abstract Paintings

Sarah Currier

Sarah Currier is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Based in central Iowa, she is currently enrolled at Iowa State University and is working toward a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in English. She loves all things creative, and when she’s not writing, you can find her immersed in the worlds of television, film, and literature.
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