In the first layer I prefer to have already chosen a 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 work. It can take some practice to discover what works best for you. It’s absolutely ok to throw all the things at your canvas in this stage! Even if you get an awful muddy mess, you’re going to paint over it.
Applying multiple layers of acrylic paint
As long as you are not laying it on super thick you can get away with a lot of layers. I tend to be trial and error , jump in and figure it out as I go along chick ! So I have gotten away with a lot of layers or gesso over whole areas that I wanted to totally re work. Acrylic can take a lot of punishment but if you want to re do a large area, you may be better to just gesso it first. Hope that helps.
That said… I have had paintings lift/bubble where I have been impatient and using thick layers that were not fully dry and piling on more paint. After a time I got bubbles but in all fairness… I don’t think I had even bothered to gesso the original canvas.
I think as long as you primed the original canvas and use gesso if you have to re work large areas … you should be just fine. It’s better to gesso in between rather than try and cover up boo boo’s with a thick coat of paint.
ps. If you are just painting “normally” like adding in details, light , shadow … whatever in multiple sessions … don’t sweat it. That’s no problem.
When it comes to painting … I am just a tool !
March 24, 2019 at 7:51 pm #803696
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Thank you both for your help! Total newbe at acrylics. Last time I painted with them was in high school. That was back in 80′ 81′.
Failure is an opinion. Doing is not.
March 24, 2019 at 7:51 pm #803693
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I really don’t think there’s a limit. I’ve seen paintings that were very sculptural that were a couple inches deep and supposedly were entirely paint. I paint quite thick and in layers and have never had a problem. I do know that the “Open” type of acrylic paints can have problems where they never full set up if you put them on too thick. David
David
March 24, 2019 at 8:59 pm #803690
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I’ve built up many many layers on my ” practice” canvas’s – ones that were early major flops get used for practice & experimentation.. No lifting or separating showing up on those. If you plan to rework one that has sat around for awhile , I suggest a wipe with damp cloth to remove any accumulated dirt/dust before painting .
March 25, 2019 at 6:35 am #803692
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How many layers of acrylic paint can you have? I’m using M Graham and Winsor and Newton paints.
Basically.. infinite… as long as you let the underlayer really dry and do not make them absurdly smooth.
You could in theory pile up layers.. letting the ones dry out before extending many others and end up with a full centimeter thick painting… it would be a huge slab of plastic…. it is useless.. but possible. From all the media (excluding digital obviously).. acrylics are the one with least concerns on layering.
“no no! You are doing it all wrong, in the internet we are supposed to be stubborn, inflexible and arrogant. One cannot simply be suddenly reasonable and reflexive in the internet, that breaks years of internet tradition as a medium of anger, arrogance, bigotry and self entitlement. Damm these internet newcomers being nice to to others. ” “If brute force does not solve your problem, then you are not using enough!”
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 details. In an ideal world I’d move through these 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 details, determined to finish, only to go back to the play stage when it gets too tight.
The importance of play in making a painting with 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! I do this until the surface is covered and has lots to look at.
Play cannot be underestimated when creating paintings in layers, it adds energy and interesting effects 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 so much more life.
The mindful middle
The next stage brings in composition and value and is more thoughtful. This stage can be many, many layers while I respond to what is already on the canvas and determine areas of dark and light. I start to make decisions rather than just throwing paint around! I try to keep things loose but it’s not easy. Especially if I have parts that I really like. It’s true that sometimes these have to be painted over for the painting to work.
Making adjustments
The last stage is the final edit, the adjustments that ensure all the boxes are ticked. Sometimes the smallest mark, a splash of ink or a glaze of transparent acrylic ink 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. It’s amazing what new perspective it offers. 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.
I’ve found it helpful to have some sort of checklist of questions to ask myself.
- 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?
- Do some parts come forward and some fall back?
- What feeling does it give me?
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. I repeat the stages until I’m happy.
How do I know when it’s finished?
I find it useful to remember that a painting is never really finished, sometimes you just have to choose when to stop. Some paintings hang around for months never reaching a point where I’m happy with them. Some just never make it. And there are some that I varnish that haunt me in my photos when I see so many things I don’t like in them!
Some artists “just know” when it’s finished. Others will ask for feedback. Some feel they’ve never finished anything. It’s very personal and only you can decide if it’s done. Try the checklist method to see if that helps you.
What do I need to paint in layers?
Your painting surface needs to be sturdy. I speak from experience of layering acrylic onto heavy cartridge paper thinking it would hold up. Heavy weight watercolour paper can be ok, I’ve found 300gsm or greater to work best but too much water or heavy paint and it’s going to warp. I’d recommend working on stretched canvases or panels as they can take some punishment. I started on free plywood offcuts from a local wood shop but use what you have.
Acrylic paint is readily available but I want to add that throwing in other media into your layers is something I love to do. Try water soluble crayons, ink or paint pens to add interesting marks to the layers.
Painting in layers with acrylic is great if you love to experiment and explore paint effects and those famous “happy accidents”. I’d recommend anyone at any level to try it.
Are there any Differences in Layering in Oil Paint?
Yes, there are a few differences in layering in oil paints. The first layer of oil paint applied on a painting surface is most times different from the next layer of oil paint applied on it.
There are three major rules to follow when applying layers with oil paints which explain the differences in layering. These are:
Fat Over Lean
This means that for each successive layer, a more flexible layer than the one underneath is applied. Start painting the first layer with a thinned oil paint – oil paints are usually thinned using solvents. When this layer dries, it creates a porous surface for the next layer to stay on.
After that, apply another layer of oil paint that has no solvent. Continue with the next layers, using oil paints that have been mixed with oil mediums. Normally, each subsequent layer should contain more oil than the underlying one because the more oil a painting layer has, the more elastic it’ll be.
Thick Over Thin
Oil paints don’t get dry by evaporation as acrylic paints do, but they cure instead, becoming solid by oxidation. As a result, the thin layers have to be applied first because they cure faster than the thick layers.
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It’s not advisable to paint over thick layers of oil paint if it has not been properly cured. Applying a thin layer of oil paint over a wet layer of thick oil paint will create cracks because the thin layer will dry faster.
Slow-drying Colors Over Fast-drying Colors
Another major difference in layering in oil painting is the application of fast-drying colors over slow-drying colors. Some colors dry faster than others while some take longer time to dry.
See also Is It Safe To Paint Indoors In Winter?
Start your paintings with colors that dry faster before applying slow-drying colors on top of it. Fast-drying colors should be used as the underlying layers.
Too Many Layers of Acrylic Paint in Canvas: How to Fix?
If you’ve added too many layers of acrylic paint to your canvas, it can lead to cracking or peeling. Fortunately, there are a couple of ways to fix this problem.
The first solution is to use a palette knife and scrape off the excess paint. This will create an even surface for the new layers of paint that you want to add.
You can also use a heat gun to soften the excess paint and then carefully remove it with a palette knife. This method is especially useful if you want to preserve the texture of your canvas.
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Another solution is to apply clear gesso over the extra acrylic layers, which will help create an even base layer that gives your painting a uniform finish.
Finally, you can sand the canvas to make it smooth and even before adding new layers of paint. Be sure to use very fine-grade sandpaper for this task. After sanding, apply a fresh coat of gesso before beginning your painting.
With these tips, you’ll be able to fix the problem of having too many layers of acrylic paint on your canvas and create a beautiful painting.
Conclusion
Layering is an important part of painting. Whether you’re using acrylics or oil paints, the layering process should be done correctly to achieve a professional look.
For acrylic paints, start with dark tones and move on to light tones. With oil paints, follow the “Fat over Lean” rule and apply fast-drying colors over slow-drying colors. Finally, seal your art to protect and preserve it. Good luck!
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