MAGNETIC COLOR
Transform your acrylic colors from timid
to VIBRANT & DYNAMIC!
In this course, you’ll create a series of expressive mini painting studies using bold, intentional palettes - making every piece harmonious and striking through
mixing, layering, and curating hues.
Are your paintings falling flat, with colors that turn muddy or seem out of sync?
Have you ever pre-mixed your acrylics with care - only to watch them dry up before you can fully put them to use?
Do you lean on a few familiar color mixes, but feel lost at finding fresh, unique combinations?
Are you frustrated by a lack of contrast in your work - where nothing pops or grabs attention?
Do you struggle to bridge the gap between traditional color theory and what actually happens on your canvas?
Are you defaulting to safe choices - "blue sky, green grass" - while secretly craving something much more special?
You’re so not alone! Most beginners battle with achieving interesting, dynamic color palettes in acrylics. But here’s the good news - there’s a way to break free from these color roadblocks and transform your paintings without buying every color shade in the store! (Quite the opposite with paint shopping, actually: the most harmonious palettes are achieved by mastering limited pigment combos, and not by collecting endless paint tubes).
The Color Struggles you
might be facing right now:
Bland or Muddy
You blend acrylics and start to paint. Initially they look nice - but as your piece evolves, color loses its nuance. Your palette starts to feel dull and lifeless. Your paintings don’t pop the way you imagined, and you can’t quite figure out why.
Traditional Color Theory FALLS SHORT
You’ve studied color wheels, complementary colors, and all the “rules” of color theory, but when you put paint to canvas, it just doesn’t translate. Why? Because color theory alone doesn’t take into account the specific quirks of acrylic paint and the way pigments interact in real-life applications.
You've had color instruction, but it left out ACRYLIC LAYERING
Most color courses teach you to mix swatches in endless grids. But real expressive paintings don’t exist in perfect little boxes! The secret to expressive color is understanding how layers interact - how underpainting affects the colors on top, how to plan ahead, and how to stack paint effectively.
Your colors technically work, but they are BORING you
You’re choosing colors that theoretically “go together” - and the result feels safe, yet flat, or just too expected. You’re craving something less predictable and more magnetic, but you’re unsure how to take that leap without creating a jarring mess.
The MAGNETIC COLOR method:
Unlike many other courses, Magnetic Color is about more than just mixing paint - it harnesses the real way expressive acrylic color works when layered on canvas. These lessons will have you:
Harmonize colors sets for bold, eye-catching compositions
Keep properties of acrylics in mind with each and every exercise
Move beyond swatches to focus on paintings
Plan your layers in advance so that your final colors shine
Create neutrals that fit right in, without looking like “dirt”
Whip up mini painterly creations from a range of color combo recipes
Price: $155 usd
This course will ALSO be included in the BRAND NEW monthly painting membership, launching the week of July 7! Want to hear more? Make sure you're subscribed to the email list, so you don’t miss the big update!
What You’ll Get in This Online Course:
Foundational Color Theory Refresh - we’ll first cover the core of hue relationships - but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We’ll then move beyond theory into real-world, on-canvas applications that take into account layering and biases.
Acrylic-Specific Insights - you’ll learn the unique properties of acrylic paint: what it’s made of, how pigments interact, why your colors dry differently, and how to use those quirks to your advantage.
Full Supply Guide + Palette Prep Walkthrough - we’ll go through paint colors and supplies one by one, to help you understand their individual role in your arsenal.
Playful but Purposeful Painting Studies - no swatch fatigue here! While we start out new topics with colors samples and gradients, we swiftly move past them to practice color skills in more fun and functional way.
Hands-on Color Harmony Palette Creations - we’ll test harmonious hues in color theory context, but from there build palettes that feel balanced and bold - so you’ll always have a go-to starting point on future canvases.
Exercises in Contrast, Intensity, and Layering - let’s go beyond hue! You’ll learn how to balance value contrast, soften over-saturated pieces, and use layering to build depth and vibrancy.
Lesson on Color in Shadows - discover different types of shadows, and learn why black can flatten them. You’ll then create two small landscape studies to practice expressive cast shadows in action.
A Deep Dive into Mixing Greens - we’ll build a wide spectrum, from vivid spring greens to soft, earthy neutrals.
Mindset and Energy Prompts - these will help you channel your personal connection to color.
A Pile of Dynamic Color Combo Recipes - you’ll paint up a collection of tested color combos that work - each one is a lesson to help inspire your next piece, and flexible enough to make your own.
Bonus: Glazing Practice - you’ll create a fully neutral painting, add one vibrant hue, then have an option of enhancing it with transparent glaze, learning the effect of a subtle veil-like color shift.
By completing Magnetic Color, you will:
Understand how color actually behaves in layered paint (not just in theory)
Know what quirks to watch out for in acrylics and how they can influence your tones
Create dynamic contrasts using only a few hues - no need for a full rainbow
Learn to make color choices that express YOUR language - not just what’s “correct”
Be able to decode pigment composition on paint tubes
Confidently mix colors for expressive shadows, bold neutrals, and values that pop
Learn to balance intensity so your paintings feel bold - not chaotic
Mix intentional custom greens, ranging from vibrant to subtle
Create a whole collection of small, expressive “mini-painting” studies that become your toolbox for larger works
Find your color-seeking and color-mixing artist type, and tailor these methods to YOU
Discover what glaze and varnish can add (color-wise) to your piece
STUDENT WORK:
What students say:
“I have to say how much I have enjoyed this course. I am so grateful I saw that email offering the course and I jumped on it. This course has absolutely exceeded any expectations I had. The presentation was excellent.”
-Amy H.
“Thank you for getting me back into getting my hands dirty! I’ve enjoyed thinking about color in a more cerebral verses intuitive way. I went a little larger with these color studies just because I wanted a little more space to play around with.”
- Jennifer M.N. [Analogous Color studies]
“I liked working with the limited palette, sometimes I get overwhelmed with all the color options and mixing choices. Excited to try the other analogous studies!”
- Emily P. [Analogous Color studies]
“I am enjoying the exercise and believe it has made me stretch myself and to move out of my comfort zone a fair amount.”
-Jeffyn P. [Complementary Color studies]
“This was so much fun. I know just following along with the instruction but I felt like at the end I could apply this to another painting I am working on. This was motivating.”
-Amy H. [Intensity exercise]
“Imminent spring inspired me to paint tulips. Fun to use the limited palette!”
-Christine S. [Analogous Color studies]
“I like how when I didn’t use a reference my style was looser and my colors more interesting - not really accurate to nature but “magnetic”. I’m enjoying exploring new techniques.”
-Jennifer M.N. [Color in Shadows exercise]
“This was a tremendously fun study for me! I had photographed a scene behind my house a few years ago and completed a small watercolor of the scene. This gave me the opportunity to convert that idea into a different medium. I like the the things I learned about rendering this in acrylic! “
-Jeffyn P. [Color in Shadows exercise]
“This lesson was extremely helpful to me. I think some of the principles of color mixing and green just sort clicked into recognition in my brain. In the past I have made green charts but I felt like I was mixing at random just to see what I was getting without understanding why.”
-Amy H. [Greens and Neutrals module]
What else makes Magnetic Color different?
Most color courses teach you the rules. And those are a important! But, Magnetic Color also guides you on the feel. You won’t be buried under dry theory, or paint as if it’s nothing but a science project. Instead, you’ll also:
Become observant of your color perception
Check in with your gut and connect color with your memory and emotion
Learn your own color finding personality so you can build a palette finding process that actually supports your brain
Layer paint in a way that allows for both cerebral and intuitive in-the-moment adjustments
Price: $155 usd
This course will ALSO be included in the BRAND NEW monthly painting membership, launching the week of July 7! Want to hear more? Make sure you're subscribed to the email list, so you don’t miss the big update!
FAQs:
Absolutely! It’s never too early to build a strong acrylic color foundation. This workshop will teach you how to strategically assemble your palette and plan your layers, ensuring your final colors are intentional and expressive.
Probably not. While some concepts may still be useful, this course is specifically designed for acrylic paint, focusing on its unique layering, drying, and mixing properties.
Probably not. While color relationships are useful for all styles, this course focuses on expressive color, pushing hues beyond realism to create vivid, attention-grabbing palettes. The beauty of dynamic color in expressive work comes from creating pleasing-to-the-eye balance between “main actors” (vibrant hues) and “supporting actors” (subdued hues).
The course length depends on your personal pace and the amount of time you prefer to dedicate to color practice each week. On average, allow yourself about 2-3 hrs for color sampling and painting studies in each module, with the final module being longer, if you chose to practice all 10 palette recipes that it offers. The material is also designed to be used as a LIBRARY and a REFERENCE GUIDE that you can pull from, when planning colors for your larger paintings later.
All the lessons in Magnetic Color are pre-recorded and available for watching immediately after course sign-up.
If you purchase this course individually - your access to it does not expire. If you get this course as a part of the membership - you will have access as long as your membership remains active.
Canvas sheets in a pad (affordable, yet similar to full canvases). Alternatively, canvas panels, or thick paper with gesso applied, can be used.
Brushes: No strict rules! Use what you have or get 3-4 oil/acrylic brushes (but avoid softer watercolor brushes).
Palette: any type of palette will work, but Sta-Wet palette (for keeping your acrylics moist) is my personal favorite!
10 MAIN paint colors + 5-6 OPTIONAL colors (optional colors can be mixed, but buying them saves palette time).
PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE EMAILED THE PDF SUPPLY LIST AHEAD OF COURSE ENROLLMENT
Please watch the video above for a preview of the whole course! While a few modules do start out with swatch / color test creations, we quickly move past them and into mini studies and small practice paintings, focusing on color application and layering techniques. These small pieces may resemble abstract forms, landscapes, or botanical shapes, but will serve as building blocks for your future larger expressive works. Some students choose to work on larger paintings from the get-go, when diving into the course exercises.
If you purchase this course individually, you can “try it on” risk-free. This means - if within the first 48 hours of purchase this workshop does not meet your expectations, please reach out for a refund. (After 2 days post-purchase, we are not able to offer refunds - thank you for understanding!)
Reach me anytime with questions by emailing: paint@amakart.com
Grab a paintbrush!
...and let's make your acrylic colors MAGNETIC!