If you’re new to painting, looking to improve, or just want to learn a new skill, glazing with acrylic paint is an ideal technique to master.

In this video, Studio Wildlife breaks down the process of glazing with acrylics into five easy steps. The key to creating a canvas where the subject comes to life really boils down to color saturation and shadowing.

First, you want to paint the background and the key visual (in this case, a parakeet) with transparent acrylic. Look for the word “hue” on the paint tube to make sure it’s transparent. You can also thin your paint with water or a glazing medium.

Check out the video to find out the rest of the steps.