Experiments with layering paper date back to the invention of the papermaking process in China around 200 BC. It later appears in Japanese prints and poems, in the gilded works of Medieval Europe, and gained popularity in the collage work of Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso in the 20th century. These experiments with layers of paints and glazes over collage elements and gluing on found objects create dimension that blurs the line between traditional painting and sculpture.

Image transfers began to appear in the 50s and 60s and at first were done with harsh chemicals and solvents, but many safe alternatives are available today. Colorless blending markers, acrylic mediums and a variety of glues can be used to transfer or apply photocopies, newspapers, magazines, drawings and cut paper. Shapes and images can be made from textured or colored paper to add interest and depth to a piece and any type of paint or drawing medium can be included over, under and around your applied images. Acrylic transfers can be layered on top of one another to create stunning translucent collage effects.

The options with layering are limitless and only experimentation can establish what works for you. Your mistakes will be as valuable to the learning process as your successes, so don't be afraid to try it all.

Click here to see the unique combinations of cut paper and painting by this month's spotlight artist Nate Wragg.

This piece was created by transferring images with acrylic medium, click here for instructions.