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Acrylic Level 2: Light, Colour & Atmosphere (Thu eve, Feb 2027)
£155
Booking is through our sister studio, The Art School Chester. Pick your date when you book.
If you have already completed Level 1: Acrylic Painting Foundations, or you have some basic acrylic painting experience, this course will help you build confidence and develop your work further. You will move beyond the basics and begin exploring how artists use light, colour, contrast and atmosphere to make paintings feel more expressive, balanced and alive.
Over 6 weeks, you will be guided step-by-step through a range of acrylic techniques, from improving your colour choices and brush control to creating glowing light, soft backgrounds, dramatic shadows and atmospheric depth.
Each week includes tutor demonstrations, practical exercises and guided painting time, allowing you to develop your skills in a calm, supportive studio environment.
What you’ll learn
Creating stronger compositions before you begin painting
Using light and shadow to add depth and drama
Understanding warm and cool colours
Creating atmosphere through colour temperature
Blending skies, backgrounds and soft transitions
Building up layers without overworking your painting
Adding texture and detail with confidence
Creating a more developed final acrylic painting
Week by week
Week 1
Refresh & Develop
Recap essential acrylic techniques and begin improving composition, planning and colour choices.
Week 2
Creating Light
Learn how to paint highlights, shadows, reflected light and glowing areas to bring your paintings to life.
Week 3
Colour Temperature
Explore warm and cool colours and discover how they can completely change the mood and depth of a painting.
Week 4
Skies, Backgrounds & Blending
Practise smooth blends, soft transitions and atmospheric backgrounds using acrylic paint.
Week 5
Landscapes, Interiors or Still Life with Atmosphere
Apply your new techniques to a more developed painting, focusing on depth, balance and mood.
Week 6
Final Atmospheric Painting
Bring everything together in a finished acrylic painting using light, colour, texture and atmosphere.
What’s included
Tutor demonstrations every week
Practical exercises and guided painting time
Materials included, unless stated otherwise
A completed final acrylic painting
A Level 2 Acrylic Painting Certificate
By the end of the course you’ll have improved confidence with acrylics, a better understanding of light, colour and atmosphere, stronger brushwork and blending skills, and a completed final painting.