Digital Quote Collage with Martice

By MMA Team 2 Comments

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This article was written by Martice Smith II

Digital Quote Collage with Martice

SUPPLY LIST:

Image editing program/software (Photoshop, or a free program like Picmonkey)
Monoprints / collage
White cardstock
Pigma Micron pens, black (05 and brush)
pencil + vinyl eraser

Creative Hand-lettering:

Write your favorite quote on white cardstock.

Have fun with this! Write some words bigger than others to put visual emphasis on them.

Made a mistake? No problem! I like using a vinyl eraser to remove mistakes and accidental graphite smears.

(TIP: place a sheet of paper under your palm to prevent smearing. Saves time on cleaning up your final image!)

Trace over your quote with black Pigma Micron pens.

I traced the entire quote with 05 and a brush pen for a faux-calligraphy look. Add variety to the design of your letterforms. Making the downstrokes thicker will give the letters more visual weight! Finally, erase all pencil lines with a vinyl eraser.

Now, let’s dive into the digital realm of this tutorial!

STEP 1// Scan your monoprinted/collage background and your hand-lettered quote. These should be two separate documents.

(TIP: Adjust the settings so that your image is black and white with high contrast.)

STEP 2// Launch Photoshop. Open your monoprinted/collage background. Duplicate the background layer.

Next, create a new layer.

Using the rectangle tool, draw a rectangle large enough to fit the quote.

Fill the rectangle with a light color. (I chose yellow as my fill color.)

Lower the opacity to 48% or play around with the opacity level so that the monoprinted/collage background barely peeks through.

STEP 3// Select the brush tool then choose white for the brush color. Outline the rectangle with white dots.

Rearrange the layers: Click and drag the yellow rectangle on top of this layer of white dots. (Now the dots look as though they’re behind the yellow rectangle. Cool, huh? 😉

STEP 4// Import your hand-lettered quote into this document.

Set the blending mode to Multiply. (Cycle through the various blending modes to see which one looks best for you.) Position the quote on top of the yellow rectangle.

(TIP: You’ll want the quote to stand out from the colored rectangle, so that the words aren’t competing against the image behind it. Black letters are best to work with.)

STEP 5// Add a layer mask

The purpose of a layer mask is, simply, a non-destructive way to edit an image. It gives you more control over certain parts of an image so that it only changes specific parts.

Take a look at the final image, below. Notice how you can see through certain parts of the yellow rectangle while other parts or more opaque?

To create a mask, just click on the layer with the yellow rectangle, then click the rectangle icon, next to the ‘create a new fill or adjustment layer’ thumbnail, at the bottom of the Layers panel (See screenshot, below).

STEP 6// Select the brush tool. Use black for the brush color.

With this approach, you’re removing color where you don’t want it. Or in other words, you’re erasing the yellow.

Switching the brush color to white adds the yellow back in.

(TIP: You can change the opacity, shape and size of the brush strokes by accessing the brush preset menu. Here’s how I remember which color to use: Black conceals, white reveals.)

Troubleshooting Tips:

Did you remove too much color? If so, change the color of your brush to white. Paint in where you want the color to re-appear.
Vary the size of your brush to get as detailed as you wish.
If you make a mistake, simply alternate between black and white to “conceal or reveal” the color.
Try adjusting the Opacity of the brush to reduce the impact of the adjustment in some areas.

STEP 7// Merge layers and crop!

Merge all layers together. For this example, I gave myself one inch borders on the top, left and right sides and 2 1/2 inches on the bottom for visual weight.

STEP 8// Save and name your document

I hope this tutorial encouraged you to try your hand at digital art making! Feel free to ask questions, if you’re unsure about a specific step. I’m always happy to help 🙂

Happy creating!

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Author bio:

Martice Smith II is creative director of Martice Smith II – Illustration & Design Studio and online boutique owner. As a published multi-medium artist, Martice shares her passion as an educator and design team member for multiple manufacturers, where her tutorial topics range from merging traditional art with digital techniques, to fashion illustration, to creative hand-lettering and more.

Martice is committed to helping you create + live your most soulful, wildest + colorful dreams…to the maxx! Discover more tutorials on her blog and join her colorful museletter

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Techniques Tagged With: collage, digital art, gelli printing, illustrated quote

Color Technique with Sharpie Markers on Tiles

By MMA Team 3 Comments

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This article is written by Kim Kelley

I was looking around on Pinterest the other day and saw a tile that had some beautiful colors on it, that said they used Sharpie markers to achieve it! So I clicked on the Sharpie site and decided to try it.

Here is a list of what I used:

~ 4 2” x 2” tiles

~ Sharpie markers

~ Rubbing Alcohol

~ Stampin’ Up scripture stamp: Romans 12:12 and Philippians 4:13

~ Versamark watermark ink

~ White embossing powder

~ Heat gun

~ Teal and Yellow paint

~ Finishing spray by Krylon

Products

I started out with 4 marble tiles that I had in a kit. They are meant to be used as magnets for the fridge and are only about 2” x 2”.

Tiles and Sharpies

Then I chose a few Sharpie pens and started to color. Not knowing how the marker would react to the alcohol I just scribbled it on, over lapping some of the colors.

My coloring 1

My coloring 2

Then comes the fun part, using an eye dropper I started to drop the alcohol in spots and then cringed! It left dots. So I quickly added more alcohol, but covering the whole tile in one layer. It seemed to smooth it out a bit.

Tiles with the Alcohol 1

Tiles with the Alcohol 2

I let it dry for a few days because to be perfectly honest I was scared to try the Versamark on them. After 3 days I inked up my stamp, added my powder and it smeared, just what I was afraid of. So I wiped off the ink and started over with the markers and alcohol. After allowing that to dry I added a finishing spray by Krylon, let that dry a day and restamped them. This time after adding the powder and using my heat gun it worked.

Embossing Powder

Upon looking them over I decided I did not like the look of the edges, just too messy. So I choose a teal and a yellow orange color to paint the edges.

Tile edges 1

Tile edges 2

Painted edges

After painting the edges and letting them dry for a few days I noticed they had a dull finish. I know I should have left it, but any one who knows me, knows I can never leave well enough alone. So I added another layer of the finishing spray hoping it would make it shine…but if I am being totally honest here, I love the bold color this technique gives you but trying to add a stamp or ink to the top of it may be a bit much. Because after I added the finishing spray the stamp part, which was a white embossing powder ended up a bit yellow. Doesn’t look bad, but not exactly what I was going for.

Final project 2

Life is short, do something creative every day!

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Kim Kelley is borderline obsessive about her crafting and her art. She loves mixed media art because you are free to go beyond your comfort zone, using your imagination and exploring an anything goes mind set. Kim loves to learn and explore new techniques and hopes that any art she creates leads someone to find their inner creative artist! Sites: itsallaboutcrafting.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/kimscraftyconcepts

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Techniques Tagged With: markers, Sharpie, tiles

A Little Scrapbooking Inspiration

By MMA Team Leave a Comment

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This article is written by Kim Kelley

This last year has completely passed me by and given me whiplash as it did. Because of that and the holidays sneaking up I have not had the time to finish my latest project. So I decided to go a different route.

I am going to show you some the scrapbooking projects that I made but for whatever reason did not make it here or to my blog.

The first two are of canvases I made using my daughter’s prom picture. The first one is a 5×7 that I used texture medium, flowers, rhinestones, and brick chipboard pieces. The second is 10×8 and I used all the same stuff but also added netting and lace.

5 x 7 canvas

10 x 8 canvas

These next few are what I call fram-age pieces. I came up with the name by combining a framed piece of art and a scrapbook page to create a scrapbooking layout. All three are 12 x 12 and can be framed, hung on the wall or added to a scrapbook. The first one is pretty simple with just a minimal amount of stenciled on texture paste. Used red flowers for a pop of color rather than any spray or paint. The second I used a sheet of canvas resist paper, lots of spray mist and again stenciling with a heavy gel. The third is probably one of my favorites. I used a stencil and crackle gel to get the diamond pattern. Then I added just a touch of ink getting some of it in the cracks of the gel. I like the dimension that I got using this technique.

Red Love Fram-age

Colors of Love Fram-age

Cherish Fram-age

This is one of the first and only trays I have made. I purchase them when they are on sale and then hadn’t gotten around to making anything with them. When my neighbors daughter graduated last year I thought it was the perfect time to try a small tray out. I used the colors of her high school, added the year and she can add 4 pictures.

6 Spot Tray

And last but not least I decorated a 12 x 12 mirror that I bought at ikea using mostly metal flowers and metal bits. Then using luminescent paints in purple and green I painted the heck out of it. Problem is with all of the shine of the paint I had a heck of a time getting a real good picture.

Dark Purple Mirror

I hope you can forgive me for not completing and showing my latest project and maybe, just maybe find a little bit of inspiration in these other things I have completed!

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season, lots of love and happiness in the coming New Year.

Life is short, do something creative every day!

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Sites: itsallaboutcrafting.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/kimscraftyconcepts

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Techniques Tagged With: 12 x 12 mirror, scrapbooking layout

Turn your Gelli Prints into Inspiring Framed Gifts

By MMA Team Leave a Comment

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This article is written by Michelle G. Brown

Mono-printing with GelliArts Gelli Plates has become one of my favourite mixed media art techniques for creating backgrounds (you can see some of my first attempts and step-by-step guide here and once you get into the swing of things, the prints pile up quickly! So I decided to take a second-hand photo frame and up-cycle it into an inspiring piece of mixed media art.

Materials

– Background papers or Gelli prints

– Photo frame; here I used a 5” x 7” frame

– piece of cardboard to fit frame

– glue; PVA or Gel Medium

– Washi tape

– Black Marker; here I’ve used my Golden Black pen Montana Marker with Golden Fluid Acrylic

Create your Framed Gift

1. Gather your materials and a few pieces of background paper in colors that work well together

2. Take the back off your photo frame and use it to cut a piece of cardboard to size so it will fit into the frame. I used a piece of cereal box cardboard. Check that it does fit into the frame and trim if needed.

3. Use the cardboard to cut a piece of background paper to size.

4. Use a piece of scotch brite or sandpaper to rough up the cereal box cardboard. Then stick the background paper to the cardboard. Flatten out any wrinkles.

5. Cut two contrasting background papers into strips and thin triangles. Stick these to the background piece. Leave to dry and trim the ends to size.

6. Add a strip of Washi tape and write in your inspiring quote with the black marker. Seal with Gel medium or varnish. Leave to dry.

7. Place your mixed media art into the frame, replace the back and your gift is ready to give!

(I forgot to take a final photo of my piece in the frame but here it is finished!)

I hope this has inspired you to get out those Gelli prints or dive into your stash of background papers and put them to good use!

Happy creating,

Michelle

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Michelle G. Brown is passionate about mixed media art and enjoys sharing her knowledge and techniques with you to allow you to express your own creativity. Michelle understands that many of us have an inner need to create. By learning a few basic techniques the amazing world of mixed media art is accessible to everyone!

Michelle lives with her husband and two boys in Melbourne, Australia. When she is not creating or on Facebook, she’s at karate training. Just to make sure she’s properly busy, she has also adopted the From Picture to Page Scrapbooking and Papercrafts Show

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Techniques Tagged With: collage, Gelli Plate, Gelliarts, Handmade Gifts, inspiring gifts, monoprinting, washi tape