Embracing Acrylic Layering (Online Workshop) Fall 2026 w/ Wayne Jiang

October 18 to November 1 (Fridays), 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time

**All sessions are live and will be recorded, students do not have to be present. All recordings will be available to students for 3 months after the final session, after 3 months the recording will be deleted.

Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite. Our business hours are 10:00 AM through 5:00 PM. All course information and email correspondence will be sent during business hours. If students purchase a course, workshop, demo or recording outside business hours or during the weekend the course information or recording will be sent the following business day.

DEMO:

Workshop Description

This workshop is for anyone transitioning to acrylic or has been painting acrylic for a while. Learning acrylic layering techniques can take your acrylic painting to the next level.

This workshop will start with the basics by learning how to take advantage of acrylic’s fast drying time with wet on dry layering techniques. We’ll then explore how to create better colors and more refined details with a combination of transparent washes, color glazes, and opaque layers.

In the workshop you will learn:

The sequence of acrylic layering to achieve vibrant and translucent colors;

How to create subtle colors and fine details with underpainting and overpainting layers;

Color glazes to adjust color hue and saturation, soften edges and details, while strengthening and shifting focal points;

When, where, and how to apply and combine transparent, semi opaque, and opaque acrylic layers;

How to build up layers using acrylic medium and varnishes;

What subject matters are best suited for which layering technique.

Workshop Outline

Week 1 -

We’ll go over the basics of acrylic layering techniques. This includes:

The difference between opaque painting and transparent/semi opaque painting;

How to choose the right acrylic materials for different acrylic layering techniques according to your own sensibilities.

We’ll do a quick study of 3 different layering techniques so you’ll get a good overview of the different ways of layering in acrylic.

Week 2 -

We’ll create a painting with vibrant colors in a dramatic scenery using my transparent acrylic layering technique. The technique was inspired by the paintings and illustrations of Maxfield Parrish and is great for anyone transitioning from watercolor to acrylic as the first few layers are quite similar to watercolor.

Week 3 -

We’ll learn the Dutch Master acrylic layering technique. I developed this technique after studying the works of Baroque painters like Peter Paul Ruben and Vermeer. By using the same color layering techniques as the old masters, you’ll learn to create a painting with subtle and nuanced colors and detail.

Workshop Materials

Vine charcoal

Charcoal pencil

Conte

Putty rubber

Mechanical rubber (or a sharp hard rubber)

Heavy weight cartridge paper (230mg or thicker)

Stanley knife or scalpel

Sanding block

Soft graphite (6B or darker)

Drawing sponge

Pastel sponge

Make up sponge

Masking tape