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Mixed Media Canvas: Creating with Feeling

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This article is written by Kim Kelley

Have you ever thought about how you are feeling when you create your art? Are you happy? Sad? Grieving? Excited? Some people will tell you they find themselves in the creative mood when they are happy, some say that their best piece of art came out of their lowest time.

For me, the more “personal art” I have created over the years, came out of me being at my saddest. And this, my latest canvas, came from this.

To give you a little insight into the canvas I have to tell you a story:

10 and half years ago a little 3 week old Akita puppy chose us for his parents. Koda was the most adorable little guy and we fell head over heels in love with him. He was a perfect addition to our family. We also rescued a 4 year old female Akita, named Zilla about 8 months after bringing Koda home.

Koda got sick in 2007 with an auto immune disease. He would have a few bad months, and then would slip back into remission. Doctors informed us he was in no pain…just itchy…needed medication and to stay out of the sun. That was the hardest part; I mean we live in Arizona!

May 29th we had to take him to the animal emergency room, his white blood cells had dropped from medication and were not improving. So we made the decision to let him go. Even as I am writing this the tears are starting to fall.

OK Back to the task at hand…

I started with a 9 X 12 canvas, cutting a square in the center for my picture to show through. I have never done this before and after completing the project I thought I might change it a bit and add a pocket under the canvas so that I can change the picture out if I want.

I added texture with some Golden’s Gel in Semi-Gloss and the Burlap stencil from Tim Holtz. After letting that dry I used some copper, orange and gold sprays from Lindy’s trying to mimic the colors from the photo I was going to use. I added some brick chipboard pieces, filling them with stucco, painting the inside with brass and black paints and outside white paint mixed with a little bit of stucco for texture.

I added a few metal pieces; a heart (because he will always be in mine), angel wings, a key, a lock and a dog tag that has “KODA IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER”. Then attached chipboard gates that I heat embossed and have bumped up a bit to look like they are open.

This is the canvas I created celebrating Sunrock Kelley’s Kajita Tama:

We lost Miss Zilla to bone cancer in May of 2013; needless to say May has been a bad month for us!

I created this canvas for my husband of Zilla…

Thank you for allowing me to share a bit of my life. Happy creating.

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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!

You can see more of Kim’s work at her blog itsallaboutcrafting.blogspot.com and via Facebook

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Collage Tagged With: canvas, photos, scrapbooking

Canvas Pen and Wash: Zentangle Style

By MMA Team 1 Comment

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This article is written by Jean Mullins (Stevenson)

Supplies Required

Small canvas
Pencil
Fine liner permanent marking pen, Small paint brushes
Paints, can be whatever you wish. I used acrylics and
inktense sticks
Spray sealer or hair spray

If you make a mistake, wet a cotton bud with windex and rub gently.

I love doing pen and wash designs, I started out many years ago, painting pen and wash designs on china that were then fired in a kiln between each wash of paint lots and lots of hours work. Since then I have created paintings pen and wash style using both oils and acrylics. (separately, as we all know oil paint cannot be used over acrylics.) The technique remains the same, draw or pencil design, go over with a permanent fine line pen, spray seal the design, then add subsequent washes of paint.

Don’t gesso the canvas or you will find the paint will clog your pen, as well as change the ink colour slightly.

Draw your design on the canvas using a pencil very lightly.

If you aren’t a confident drawer you can always trace a design.

Using the permanent pen draw over your design, alter the pressure for thicker, thinner or lighter, darker areas. If you rest your hand on a tissue this will save ink marks being transferred where you don’t want them onto the canvas.

Tip: Pen all the main design lines in first and let it dry before you fill in the tangle patterns.

When you are happy with your canvas, Let it dry for a couple of hours or overnight if possible then spray thoroughly with hair spray or a sealer. Give it 3 coats drying between each one. Drying time will depend on the weather but generally it dries quickly. Suggest you do this outside as sealer is pretty smelly.

For the painting, use liner brushes or small rounds for applying the paint, the ribbon areas are best painted with a small angle shader.

Definition of a “wash”is a very pale watery mix of paint, to achieve this, rather than using too much water I used a “flow medium” which I loaded onto my brush before loading with paint. Too much water changes the paints “sticking” formula.

The idea is “no stressing, just have fun and create a pretty painting”.

Zentangles (trademark Zentanglesinc.) or tangles is all about meditation or attaining a meditative state of mind while “tangling or doodling”. I facilitate a meditation group for U3A where I am a volunteer tutor. Any form of meditation is a wonderful stress reliever.

What happened with my little painting of Athena. Looking closely at the pictures, particularly Athenas hair, you can see that the pen has bled when I used the sealer spray. This is interesting as the same spray, same pen but maybe not the same brand canvas was used. If you want to test your canvas, pen something, your name, title of your painting, anything on the back of the canvas where it’s secured to the frame, then spray with your sealer. See what happens

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Author bio:

Jean Mullins lives in Caboolture, Queensland close to beautiful Bribie Island. Not only a mixed media artist, Jean is also a craft teacher, teaching many different mediums, including book making, crochet, patchwork and quilting, ceramics, porcelain doll making, sculpting in clay and mold making. Pattern designer and author of the books, “Dolls Clothes in crochet”.With a lot of knowledge gathered over the years she considers it a pleasure and privilege to share. Being a member of the Caboolture Artisans Guild, Bribie island Community Arts Centre as well as a tutor for U3A and a pet rescue foster “mum” life is busy and fun.

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More about Jean can be found at:

www.jeaniesartyplace.blogspot.com and www.nannasworkroom-stitcheriesandsuch.blogspot.com

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Painting Tagged With: canvas, paint, pen

Graffiti Charm Bracelet

By MMA Team 2 Comments

This article was written by Martice Smith II

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with creative ways to incorporate more color into my wardrobe and accessories. I shopped around my local art store’s jewelry section and I had a serendipitous moment: why not transform my art into ‘wearable art’? I grabbed up some fun-sized, canvas ATCs and some basic jewelry making supplies and imagined infusing them with my own, signature style…vibrant splashes of color and of course, graffiti flair!

Simply put, this tutorial is the perfect way to show off your artistic side when you’re on the go! I’m sure your Graffiti Charm Bracelet will serve as a unique statement piece and will strike up a conversation in no time…let’s get started!

Gather supplies and tools of your choice.

Note: ATC Canvas sheets measure 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches

**Not pictured: 12″ chain ; makes approx. 2 chains

Jump rings; start with 10-15 pieces

1. Paint the front and back of the canvas ATCs with your favorite media.

Set aside to dry.

TIP: If you used any water-soluble media, make sure to varnish!

These canvas ATCs will be very light. For my bracelet, I glued two sheets together for a little more sturdiness.

2. Cut canvas into pieces.

Narrow shapes, squares, ovals, and irregular shapes will add more interest and variety to your design. These will be our “charms”.

Feel free to add extra layers of handwriting to some of the charms.

3. Seal the edges with black acrylic paint or a gold leafing pen.

4. Using an awl, pierce through each piece of canvas, 1/4″ from the edge.

5. Insert jump rings.

Use needle-nose pliers to slowly open the jump rings.

Attach a jump ring through each of the holes in the cut out canvas pieces, using the pliers.

TIP: Try layering several pieces of canvas shapes together.

Also, think about pairing up a few complementary colors to give your bracelet’s color palette more contrast.

6. Measure around your wrist with a flexible tape measure or a piece of string, add 3/4″ to that measurement, and then cut the chain to that length.

Next, take your chain and attach the jump rings, however you wish.

I found that skipping every other link accommodated the number of canvas pieces I had without being too overwhelming.

7. Finally, attach a small lobster clasp closure to finish the graffiti charm bracelet.

Other variations to try:

For a more feminine look, weave a silk ribbon through every other link in the chain. Secure ends with a double knot.

I rarely throw away leftover paper or fabric scraps from my previous projects. To clear the stash, I could also glue those bits onto the ATC canvas, before cutting. Got washi tape scraps? Use them for this project, too- they’d be perfect!

Have fun and don’t be shy to strut your beautiful artwork!

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Author bio:

Martice Smith II is creative director of Martice Smith II – Illustration & Design Studio, based in Kansas City, Missouri and owner of Uneek Art Boutique. She established herself as a freelance Illustrator and graphic designer after receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Martice also contributes as an article writer for the Creating Mixed Media Art website.

You can see more of her work via her Facebook page or her blog. She invites you to join her monthly newsletter, Uneek Art Letter, for art biz tips, advice and free digital goodies!

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Filed Under: Tutorial Tagged With: ATC, bracelet, canvas, graffiti, jewelry

Mixed Media Artist Christine Marshal

By MMA Team 1 Comment

Christine Marshal was born in England and now resides in Boston, and is a self-taught artist. Here she is to tell us a bit about herself – take it away Christine …

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I am a self-taught, abstract artist, originally from Manchester, England but been living in Boston, Massachusetts for almost 11 years working with teenage youth with learning disabilities/mental health problems. Qualified as a Reflexologist in 1999 (no I don’t have a foot fetish, but I do believe in holistic therapies:) Also enjoy black & white photography and I’m a crazy “MANCHESTER UNITED” fan. My friends call me Rooney’s Girl :p

I started painting in Jan 2013 when I couldn’t find a wall art that I liked for a big wall space at home….I thought, “I bet I could do one myself”! I practiced on small canvas and discovered a talent I didn’t realize I had and I absolutely love, love, love it now !!!!. I’m constantly thinking about my next projects and it’s keeping me awake at night. agghhh. My friends nicknamed me Picastrokes (hee hee)

Although a perfectionist, art has given me the freedom to embrace and enjoy my mistakes in a fun and exciting way. I’ve always loved texture and shimmering objects so you will see these in lots of my artwork. I especially revel in metallics, gel mediums & embellishments that add structure and interest. Many of my favorites include:-

Jewelry
Mica
Beads
Metal
Wood
Words/Lettering
Thick gel mediums
Glass beads
Broken ceramics
Steampunk
Candle wax
Sequins
Driftwood
Glitter
Buttons

I never ever plan what I am going to make. I just like to experiment and see where it takes me. I have a large selection of paints, embellishments and found objects surrounding me ready to throw in the mix… I like to call my work “creative accidents”

This year (without any experience or help) – I created my first online gallery shop on Etsy, called “Key2MyArt” as well as creating a Facebook page “Key2myart – Christine Marshall“. Please feel free to post your pictures of YOUR art on my page…Would love to help independent artists share and sell their work!

I was also very happy to sell numerous mixed media art at my first ever arts and craft show at ASSEMBLED in Somerville, MA. (with no experience in this field at all). This is all very new to me, as is learning about all the different art techniques available. I’m so eager to dabble in everything, but right now I’m hooked on mixed media and can’t absorb myself enough in all the beautiful art that I’ve viewed on so many websites recently. There are so many unique artists out there. I’d love to own a large castle to display all of YOUR work!!! I hope you enjoy my art as much as I enjoyed creating them for YOU !!

The Butterfly Effect- Used acrylic and metallic paints with gel mediums on deep gallery wrapped canvas and threw in some glitter and tiny beads to add sparkle & more texture. Finished with 3d gold foil adhesive butterflies.

Gimme Some Lovin’ – Acrylics on deep canvas. Ink stamped with love and face motifs. Adhered 2x glass beads and silver sequins to add a little bit of glitz.

Tealing Earth – This canvas art is painted in a teal and metallic bronze acrylics. I then carefully glued the following embellishments to the canvas:-

TURQUOISE and JADE STONES from a broken necklace,
OLIVE GREEN RIBBON
METALLIC OLIVE painted PEARLS
GOLD GLITTER PAINT
TEAL SEQUINS
FRAYED YARN
BURLAP
PENCIL WOOD SHAVINGS .. Yep I will use anything and everything in my art work if I think it will work 🙂

Mr Blue & Mrs Bronze- – Coated the canvas in turquoise blue acrylics and once dry added a copper metallic paint with a few dabs of titanium white. I then adhered buttons, tiny beads, sequins, broken ceramic, broken jewelery, blue glass, tiny square mirrors and copper colored foil from a chocolate wrapper.

Birds In Chaos – I wanted to create a modern crazy, mish-mash of shimmering embellishments with a mixed media 3D effect that would capture the viewers eye and pique their imagination with this shiny collection. I like to view this art as an exciting waterfall of objects that blend together perfectly and looks stunning when natural light captures it. I first covered the canvas in a very thin layer of gel medium and then dropped handfuls of embellishments upon it. Some objects need to be adhered securely with glue. When dry I dabbed a little black with metallic gold and copper acrylics to add more color, then drizzled some fluid paint across the whole project. Finished with a gloss sealant to add more shine and protection. Look closely to find all the embellishments. Can you find the birdies?? 🙂

Gallery canvas = 16x20x3/4
beads, buttons, metal and mirrors
shimmering mica
Metallic acrylic paints
gleaming broken jewelery
two purple ceramic birds
gold and red foil
sequins
stones
pearls

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Artists Tagged With: bronze, canvas, etsy, self-taught, teal, turquoise

Mixed Media Canvas: Creating with Feeling

Canvas Pen and Wash: Zentangle Style

Supplies Required

Graffiti Charm Bracelet

Mixed Media Artist Christine Marshal

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