Acrylic Layers Online Workshop Resources

Welcome to the Acrylic Layers Workshop Resources Page!

Welcome! I am so excited you are joining me on this creative journey of exploration and creative freedom!

This Acrylic Layers Workshop Resource webpage is designed to be your “hub” for this Acrylic Layers journey with all of the information you need to make the most of the workshop mini-series and the resources available to you.

The Acrylic Layers process consists of working with physically distinct layers in developing a painting, creating actual dimensionality, seeing through physical layers to see what lies beneath, hiding some things, discovering other things, all creating exciting possibilities.

I developed and refined the “Acrylic Layers” process as I created my “Equine Layers” and “Fleeting Glimpses” Series. People want to know how to achieve these unique effects so this workshop became the vehicle to share my discoveries.

This Online Workshop takes the material covered in the original 2-Day Intensive Acrylic Layers Workshop I have conducted for several years and adapts it for sharing online via live ZOOM sessions. Spreading the material and activities over five sessions allows ample drying time between layers when working with the acrylic gel medium.

In addition, this format allows you as participants the space between sessions to digest the material, identify questions, explore further on their own, and nurture the ideas and inspirations which inevitably emerge!

You will have ample opportunity to explore the variations of under-paintings, gel layer techniques, and art media layer (paint, drawing, collage, etc.) techniques presented.

The only constraints and limitations with this acrylic gel medium are ensuring complete drying of the gel (to prevent cloudiness, impacts thickness of application decisions) and you cannot use oil based media until the VERY END as the very last art media layer (if you choose to do that your finishing process would have to account for the oil based medium)

Workshop Supplies

Since participants from varied backgrounds and experiences participate in this workshop, I have organized the supplies information into the BASIC supplies and the OPTIONAL supplies.

Acrylic Layers Workshop Students at Work

The supplies list is organized into three sections: Workspace & Miscellaneous, Basic (Minimum Needed), and Optional (The Fun Stuff!)

The Workspace & Miscellaneous portion addresses setting up your space to make your workshop experience as effective (and easy clean up!) as possible.

To get the gist of this process you do not need a ton of supplies. In addition, the flexibility you have in adapting even a minimal set of supplies to your mixed media applications is endless. I have captured the basic set you need for the workshop in the “BASIC” list.

I have also prepared an “OPTIONAL” list for you… What has been hugely fun in these workshops in-person has been allowing participants to try supplies they might not have in their own supply selection. So, if you are feeling adventurous, see if you have any of the optional supplies in your stash. If you do not, I would recommend picking at least one or two to purchase and play with during the workshop from the support and art media categories. You will be exposed to several you can refer to through the demo at your convenience when you decide to invest more!

Download the supplies list by clicking on the icons below. I’ve prepared two versions for your convenience. The “clean” list with no hyperlinks and the version with hyperlinks to many of the items on the DickBlick.com website should you want to see the items I’m referring to and order them.

I’ve created this supplies overview video to help you determine what you already have on hand and what you may want to invest in.

Workshop Schedule

The ZOOM Links for each session will be e-mailed to you prior to each session!

Here is an overview of the schedule of activities for what we will be doing together throughout the workshop.

Each Four hour session is organized in the following pattern:

Session Welcome & Introduction
Module #1 (Demos & Creating)
Short Break
Module #2 (Demos & Creating)
Short Break
Module #3 (Demos & Creating)
Session Wrap Up

Workshop Format: Since there is the significant drying time required for each gel layer, we will be working on several small pieces throughout the five sessions. That means we will have multiple pieces in progress at the same time! This is fun but can also become confusing if we don’t keep track of what we are doing along the way! The schedule and handouts are organized to help us keep track of where we are on each piece along the way! Trust me! If you follow my lead I won’t let you get lost, PROMISE!

Each Session has a focus objective and will build upon the previous session. The overarching pattern of Under-Painting, Gel Layer, Media Layer, Gel Layer, Media Layer, and so on will become clear!

Here is a brief summary of the focus for each session:

Session #1 ~ Review of supplies, Overview of Acrylic Layers Process, Under-painting and Gel Layer variations
Session #2 ~ Complete Under-painting and Gel Layer variations, begin Media Layers and next Gel Layers
Session #3 ~ Complete Media Layers and Decision Making
Session #4 ~ Mindset… “Just do it” and “What if I…”
Session #5 ~ Finishing and Other Applications/Tailoring to your own process

Go to “Printables” section below to download the “Schedule at a Glance” with more details!

Workshop Preparations… Before We Start…

Let’s get ready! So as not to surprise you on day one of the workshop mini-series, I want to provide some hints for preparing your art-making space and your mindset for what we will be doing over this five week workshop mini-series!

First, Prepare your Space…
You will need a space to work AND a space to set up as a “Drying” station for your works in progress.

Your Work Space

- Table covering (plastic of some sort: drop cloth, plastic trash bags, etc.) to protect your work surface from the gel, paint, and other media we will be working with.
- Plenty of natural and/or task lighting
- Connectivity
  - - Hard wired to the internet is ideal
    - Computer is best for Zoom in order to watch the demos
    - Chargers for your devices
    - Extension cords if necessary

Your Drying Space

- Floor Covering: Drop Cloth, cardboard, plastic to protect your “drying” surface (table, floor, whatever!) This is where you will place your pieces to”rest and dry” after you GEL them.
  A fan can help in the drying process, especially if you want to work on your pieces between sessions!
- NOTE! Be sure this spot is somewhere that the kids, pets, and fellow residents won’t literally stumble upon! (Unless you want “spontaneous footprints, hair, and impressions!!!)

Next, Prepare Yourself!
What on earth? Quite honestly, our attitudes and mindsets set the stage for our progress or sadly our frustrations as we embark into new territory with our art. So I encourage you to take a moment and do a quick inventory of where you are in your mindset as we embark on this creative journey together.

You can use the form provided to capture your goals and mindset inventory for the workshop

Here is a checklist to assist in checking on your attitudes towards yourself, your art, and art making process

Our attitudes related to ourselves as creatives and towards the results of our creative efforts sets the stage and trajectory for our creative pursuits… We all get to choose our mindset!

In this workshop, I want to help you embrace the creative process as a place of wonder, exploration, joy, and revelation!

Other than physical media limitations, the sky is the limit in this workshop… we will embrace the “I could try… ” and “what if I…” from a place of wonder and joy!

Workshop Interaction Game Plan

In the online ZOOM environment it will be really important to ensure workshop participants are able to learn, interact, raise questions, and have them answered. Our approach to this will include several strategies as follows:

During Workshop Sessions:

During teaching/demonstration portions of the sessions, we will take advantage of the CHAT function within ZOOM to capture questions which I will monitor throughout the demos to address.

During the open/working portions of the sessions, we will operate less formally and you can simply un-mute yourself and ask your question verbally!

In Between Workshop Sessions:

E-mail – As questions occur to you in between workshop sessions, simply e-mail them to me! I will answer and if it will be helpful to the group, may include the answer in the introduction for the next session for everyone’s benefit and the FAQs!

Facebook Group – Membership is one of your bonuses! You can share your questions with the entire group through the Facebook Group. This will be especially useful for discussion generation if you want to know what others’ experiences are.

Live Q&A Sessions – This is another one of your bonuses! I schedule ZOOM Q&A sessions during the week (Monday evenings 6:30 – 7:30 pm Eastern) following each workshop session to address questions along the way (download Workshop Calendar below.) There is also a PRE-Workshop Q&A Session scheduled to address questions prior to the first Workshop session.

FAQ’s – I will capture and document questions and answers in FAQ section below here on the Resources Webpage:

Click Icon Above to Go to Our Private Facebook Group

Click Icon Above to Download the Workshop Calendar

Workshop “Printables”

Doing this workshop over ZOOM makes it especially important to make sure you have all of the materials and aids needed to help you navigate along the way!

Normally, I could run to your table to assist and guide you. Based on the sorts of assistance normally provided, I’ve identified the following aids for you to refer to during the workshop sessions and in between. You can download these files and print them out for reference, we will go over them during the first session to clarify how each is intended to assist you.

Acrylic Layers Workshop Schedule at a Glance

Schedule At A Glance ~ I have summarized the entire workshop on ONE SHEET OF PAPER! This overarching view captures the primary objective for each session along with the specifics planned to be covered… We have a lot we will cover and there is plenty of room to flex if needed.

Process Overview Handout ~ This is a package I developed describing the process end to end that I will walk you through during the first session. It is a handy guide to refer back to as you work on your multiple acrylic layer pieces.

Process Sequence Table ~ This is a one sheet summary of the overall process you can use to track your progress on each piece you are working on. It will be extremely helpful to track where you are on each piece and record any notes as you go.

Layer Variation Options ~ This is a little cheat sheet I created for you which lists the Under-Painting, Gel Layer, and Art Media Layer options we will be going over throughout the sessions. You can use it to refer to as you proceed with adding additional layers to your pieces and to start additional ones if you are feeling adventurous!

Collage Paper “Printables” ~ In case you don’t have a stash of collage papers, I am capturing some interesting designs for you to print out and use.

Sample Acrylic Layers Progression Examples ~ Examples are always helpful aren’t they? I wanted to share the progression for several of my Fleeting Glimpses pieces with you to help you envision the possibilities for starting and proceeding through the multiple layers to achieve a variety of results.

Robyn Ryan's Eight Points ALWS Progression

YOUR BONUSES!!!

Your bonuses for participating in the Acrylic Layers Online Workshop include:

Downloads (Click the Cover Images to Download the Files):

Three Illustrated Quick Reference Guides Summarizing the Variations for Under-Paintings, Gel Layers, and Art Media Layers
Creative Inner Dialogue & Perspective Aids for keeping you motivated and on track!
Tutorial on how to make your own stamps to emboss your gel layers!

Under-Painting Variations Quick Reference Guide

Gel Layer Variations Quick Reference Guide

Art Media Layer Variations Quick Reference Guide

Creative Inner Dialogue and Perspective Aids

Create Your Own Stamps Tutorial

Interaction, & Opportunity:

Membership in the Acrylic Layers Workshop Alumni Facebook Group (Sharing works in progress, inspiration, and support as you are adapting the Acrylic Layers Process and techniques into your own work)
Live Q&A Sessions to answer questions arising in between workshop sessions and after!
Complimentary 30-minute One-on-One Consultation Session with Robyn!
Notification of future Acrylic Layers Workshop related events with Alumni Discount!

Click Here to Schedule your complimentary One-on-One consultation!

Access & Watch:

Continued Exclusive Access to THIS Acrylic Layers Workshop Resources Website
Exclusive Alumni Access to Workshop Demo Videos during & after the workshop (Links will be posted below)
Exclusive Alumni Access to Workshop Q&A Videos during & after the workshop (Links will be posted below)

Workshop Session Videos