One of the things I love most about painting in acrylic is the luminosity and lusciousness you can achieve with layering and underpainting. The building up of thin layers of color can create a glow and a depth that is different from working with one or two thick layers of color. And the look of how paint lies over layers of paint is very much more sensual than thin paint just laid over canvas. I almost always start with dark under painting, in a deep purple or pthalo blue or turquoise or, sometimes, black. Although that color may completely disappear from the painting it provides a base that gives the painting depth. Then I work up my colors gradually, in small increments of value, usually with a scumbling technique. This requires patience. It’s also important to remember that acrylics dry a shade or two darker, so you have to go a little bit lighter than you think you want your layer to be. Otherwise, twenty minutes later, you’re back to where you started! To me there’s something magical about having layers of paint underneath that are no longer visible but contribute a luminous richness to my imagery and colors.
