Michele Usibelli on Layering With Acrylics:
“I view the world in shapes and color notes — not objects, and this is how I approach my paintings as well. In general, I begin a painting by laying in the darks first and then working from the focal point out, painting the negative shapes last to redefine areas of interest.
“When painting in acrylic or gouache, I have the ability to work in layers if needed, versus oil where I must put each stroke down and leave it alone. I love working with acrylics outdoors for this very reason; I can go back and redevelop any area that needs adjustment. Plus, cleanup is simpler with a water-based paint, and traveling with acrylics is a breeze as well.
“The challenge comes with how to handle lost edges with a medium that dries so fast, and how to keep the paints moist on the palette, especially in a dry or windy environment. Other qualities of acrylics that took time to adjust to include the realities that the colors are highly saturated and dry darker.”
Connect with the artist at micheleusibelli.com.
Layering with Acrylics: More Paintings
Michele teaches a variety of painting techniques with these PaintTube.tv art workshops:
The editorial above is part of a series that spotlights the work of an accomplished plein air artist whose work has been featured in PleinAir magazine.
Published bi-monthly, PleinAir magazine is focused on landscape paintings by historical and contemporary artists, art collections, events, and the process of creating plein air paintings. Beautifully designed with rich reproductions on high-quality paper, PleinAir features the top artists and artworks from around the world. Start your subscription here.
Story prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Plein Air Today
