Welcome to Mixed Media Arts

By 12 Comments

If you are looking for inspiration and great mixed media ideas, then you have come to the right place!

Mixed Media Arts covers such a range of topics and techniques:

Have a look around and feed your inner muse – you never know when inspiration will hit. And remember; everyone can create!

To receive regular updates, special offers and freebies, join the Mixed Media Art community by entering your name and email over on the right to join our mailing list.  As a special bonus, you will also receive the free report on the Top 10 Tools and Materials you need to get started with Mixed Media Arts.

Happy Creating!
Mixed Media Art Team

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Filed Under: Mixed Media Art Tagged With: , , ,

What is Mixed Media Art?

By 8 Comments

The term “mixed media art” is a broad definition that covers many arts and crafts, including collage, assemblage (both 2D and 3D), altered objects, including books and boxes, handmade greeting cards, artist trading cards (ATCs) and tags, art journalling and book making.

Hanging Art

Hanging Art

The “mixed media” used includes paints, papers and board of all descriptions, glues, buttons, fabrics, found objects, photos, metal bits, fibres, things from nature, inks, pencils, crayons, markers, pastels and polymer clays, to name a few.


What materials do I need to get started?
The beauty of mixed media art is the flexibility to start with things around you and expend from there. To get started you need a substrate or base. This could be a clean sheet of paper, sketchbook, a cereal box or anything else that may be sitting still.  Then, if you are heading down the collage path, you’ll need something to stick with (glue sticks are fine to begin with) and something to stick on (coloured papers, newspapers, catalogues, and anything else that grabs you).

If you are heading down the drawing / painting path, then once you have your substrate, you’ll need something to make a mark, whether its pencils, paints, crayons, markers or pastels.

Any or all of these are all you need to get started. Just use the things you have around you

What skills do I need to get started?
Another attractive feature of Mixed Media Art is that you don’t need fine art or drawing skills. That doesn’t mean you are excluded from mixed media art if you do have these skills, but it opens up a world of creativity for the rest of us who like to make things but “Can’t draw”.

The skills you need to get started are as simple as being able to use a pencil, scissors and glue. These skills will expand and develop with practice, depending on which “branch” you follow.  More complicated skills of mixing paints and developing your “artist eye” will happen as you expand your own creativity. Specific skills for particular media or art types will present themselves as you move into these areas. As with many things in life, the techniques and teachers will appear when you are ready.

…

Technorati Tags: , , , , ,

Filed Under: Mixed Media Art, Static Page Tagged With: , , , , ,

Creating layers in Mixed Media Art; Rub Ons

By Leave a Comment


Rub-ons are wonderful embellishments for our mixed media painting. They are commercially available and no longer limited to the letters of the alphabet I remember as a child.  I love rub-ons because they can easily be applied to many surfaces. They can be positioned accurately before being applied and repositioned if you want to try different locations.

Creating layers in Mixed Media art with Michelle Brown

 

“Rubbing” on the plastic front sheet releases the rub-on from the sheet onto your artwork. You need to hold if firmly while rubbing, If you look closely, you can often see the rub-on looking a little lighter and this is where it is moving away from the sheet. Before fully removing the sheet, lift a corner and check it is all removed. If there is still part of the design attached, put it back into place and rub a little more in that area. Check again and remove sheet if design is all attached. To check it is well stuck done, I like to place the backing sheet back over the rub-on and press further with the back of my finger nail.

creating layers in Mixed Media

 

The variety of alphabet rub-ons make adding personalise wording to any artwork easy. They come in many colours but I prefer the versatile black and white. If you find the white is too stark for your grungy work, you can carefully sponge a little sepia ink over the lettering once in place to take some of the whiteness away. Using alphabet rub-ons is a brilliant way to add names to really make your gift special.

Mixed media art journal with Michelle Brown

 

Rub-ons now also come in fantastic patterns, borders, swirls and images – these are great to add to your mixed media painting too and once they are in place, there is very little around the image itself, making sure your gorgeous background shows through. The rub-ons can provide a more solid and detailed image as compared to the other layering techniques we have mentioned, without having to worry about blending.

Mixed Media art journal by Michelle Brown

 

I hope you keep an eye out for these Rub ons and build up a collection.

Happy layering!

art journal by Michelle Brown

.

 

.

.

 

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Filed Under: Mixed Media Materials Tagged With: , , ,

Creating Layers in Mixed Media Art; Stencilling

By Leave a Comment


Stencilling is another way to add interesting shapes and dimensions to your mixed media art collage or painting. As with dry -brush gesso’ing it can take a little practice to perfect your technique, so practice before applying to your master piece.

To add a layer in stencilling, you need a stencil, some paint or ink and a brush or sponge. The key here is to go slow and steady (not always easy when you’d prefer to be throwing layers down). Add only a little paint to  your brush or sponge, and test is first to check it isn’t too globby. Hold the stencil firmly onto your work surface and move the brush /sponge in a circular motion, from the edge then across the stencil then move back again before you stop.  Check your results – if it is too feint, then apply a little more paint and repeat. Adding too much paint will cause the stencil to “bleed” where the paint runs our from under the stencil and your design will be lost.

Mixed Media art journal with stencil

With mixed media art, the feint stencil shapes can add a subtle layer of texture, so start slowly and build.

There are many different types of stencils available:

- make your own; there are lots of ways to do this – use a photo, punch holes in a piece of cardboard or cut out a shape. You can use cardboard or plastic sheet. The plastic is harder to cut but will be more durable. Paper stencils are easy and quick to make but will slowly absorb paint and become unusable as a stencil. These paper stencils can be left to dry and added in as another layer. you can also use your punches and cutting systems to create your own shapes and patterns

Handmade stencils for mixed media layering

- punchinella; you can buy sequin scrap and it works well as a template. While they tend to be circles, I have also seen start and hearts.

- bought stencils; of course, there are many commercially available brands available. Tim Holtz has his Masks; Michelle Ward has her stencil range.

Don’t feel you need to buy stencils when looking to add layers to your mixed media art piece – there are many simple ones you can make yourself!

Happy layering!
.

.
.

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Filed Under: Mixed Media Art Techniques Tagged With: , , ,
« Older Posts