Working in layers is easy with acrylic paint. Acrylic is quick-drying and can be layered up fast. It can be applied in various thicknesses and transparencies and mixed with textured mediums. Using layers in a painting adds richness, history and depth.
How I start with acrylic layers
The first layer will not always be visible at the end so there is permission to break the blank canvas with random marks, scribbles, loose washes or even words without fear. It is safe and exciting to experiment on the canvas at this stage.
I prefer to have chosen a colour palette and tools (to keep me on track) but this is not necessary. Many artists do not limit themselves this way when creating abstract or representational art.
Apply colour to the surface however you like. There is lots of flexibility here, so use your acrylic paint in a way that feels good and fits the painting you want to create. It might not be one layer of paint either, you might keep this stage going through several versions until you get what you want. This layer may not be visible later on but it will affect the painting.
Things to consider when painting with acrylic layers
You might want to think about:
- colour saturation
- opacity of the paint
- the size of your brushes or tools
- warmth or coolness of your colour palette
- any compositional ideas you already have
Many artists creating non-objective artwork will be very intuitive or loose in this layer which can be very freeing, fast and fun.
If that’s not your style, go in with a plan to block out your design or use a single flat colour that’s been chosen to create the energy of the painting. In a class I took, one painter used a neon pink solid background to work on.
It can take practice to discover what works best for you so it’s ok to try things on your canvas in this stage. Paint over wet or dry acrylic marks, blend colours on the surface, add water or mediums and use different tools.
Keep going until your surface is covered and has set the mood for your painting. I hope you don’t get a muddy mess that you hate, but if you do, acrylic paint means you can paint over it with great coverage when its dry.
Why create layers that won’t be seen at the end?
While it’s true that much of the base layer will not be clearly visible in this method I believe they do have an impact.
- The early layers can set the tone, temperature or energy of the final art.
- It’s an opportunity to warm up and start moving paint around without worry.
- It gives me something to work with in the next stage.
- These layers become the depth of the painting, it adds a bit of history and makes it more interesting.
- Some glimpses of the early layers may still be visible or will affect later layers of colour and texture.
Three stages of layered paintings
I tend to use three stages in my layered paintings from loose base layers, more structured middle layers and final adjustments.
In an ideal world I’d move through these stages easily and effortlessly. Of course that rarely happens and I often skip backwards and forwards through these steps. Many times I’ve hopped into adding small details too quickly, only to go back to the experimental stage when it gets too tight.
The importance of experimenting in early layers
The first layers are playful, loose and unintentional and I have no idea what will happen. Sometimes I like the results and sometimes not. It’s probably better if I don’t because I have to paint over it.
Play cannot be underestimated when creating paintings in layers, it adds energy and something unexpected to a finished painting. I find it too easy to get controlling and detailed very early in a painting, so keeping things loose, lively and unintentional is really important for me. A painting with lots of play in the early stages has much more life.
The mindful (or messy) middle
The next stage brings in composition and value and is more thoughtful. It can also be quite ugly.
This stage can be many layers while I respond to what is already on the canvas and determine areas of dark and light, texture, shape and colour. For this stage I’m clear about what the painting is about. I know the mood or feeling I want to create, the colour palette, possibly a clear composition, (although sometimes this comes late in the process when I see something in the painting that everything else hangs off of as I go).
Things to consider:
- What mood or feeling are you trying to create now?
- Have you chosen your colour palette?
- What tools and marks will help you get the result you want?
- How can I use the whole surface?
Keeping intentional but loose and flexible
I try to keep things loose and intentional but it’s very easy to get pulled into details too early in the painting.
Sometimes parts I like have to be painted over for the painting to work. Other times I don’t like any of it and just have to keep painting until it works. Being open to the painting changing a lot is really helpful.
Painting into wet layers will give you different effects but acrylic dries quickly. You’ll need to work very fast or use a retarding medium mixed into your paint if you need more time to work. Personally I prefer to work on dry layers.
Making adjustments to finish
The last stage is the final edit, the adjustments that ensure all the painting is working. Sometimes the smallest mark, a splash of ink or a glaze of transparent acrylic is the finishing touch. I love this problem solving part and it’s often slow and thoughtful.
Taking photos of the painting at this stage can be really helpful, offering a new perspective. Reducing the saturation to black and white is a great tip for checking the balance and composition. Some artists load the photo into an art app like Procreate and make digital changes to see what’s needed.
Try a checklist approach to finishing
I’ve found it helpful to have some sort of checklist of questions to ask myself when I’m deciding if a painting is done. These can help guide my adjustments as I discover things I have missed.
- What feeling does it give me?
- What do I notice first and why?
- What areas of the painting am I not looking at?
- Is there a clear focal point or composition?
- Which parts come forward and fall back?
- What contrasts am I seeing and do they enhance the mood of the painting?
- What’s missing? Does it have a spark of something interesting to draw the viewer in?
I tend to have a spray bottle of water and a rag handy for this stage. I work on a dry surface and try things to finish the painting. If I can see straight away that it’s wrong it gets wiped off and I’ll try something else.
How do I know when it’s finished?
I find it helpful to remember that a painting is never really finished because we are always learning. Sometimes you just have to choose when to stop, unless you have a very definite goal to judge it against.
Some artists “just know” when it’s finished, some will ask for feedback. Others feel they’ve never finished anything. It’s very personal and only you can decide if it’s done. Having a goal for your painting does help with this, even if its just the mood of the painting.
If you struggle with finishing, keep a checklist of things you want your painting to “do” when it’s finished. This might be to accurately represent something but could also be to have a calming energy or to include signature elements, for example.
What do I need to paint in layers?
Your painting surface needs to be sturdy. I speak from experience of layering acrylic onto heavy paper thinking it would hold up. Heavy weight watercolour paper can be ok, I’ve found 300gsm or greater works best but too much water or heavy paint and it’s going to warp and be more difficult to work on.
I’d recommend working on stretched canvases or panels as they can take heavy layers. I started on plywood offcuts from a local wood shop but use what you have.
Acrylic paint is readily available but I want to add that using other media in the layers is something I love to do. Try water soluble crayons such a Neocolor II, ink or paint pens to add interesting marks to the layers. (It’s good practice to check for lightfastness.)
Painting in layers with acrylic is great if you love to experiment and explore paint effects and “happy accidents”. I’d recommend anyone at any level to try it.
Read more about my creative process in How I create a series.
