Finding Inspiration

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This article is written by Debbie Davis

When I’m at work and on the phone, I usually doodle on a sticky note pad.  Sometimes I bring home my doodles to use as ideas for artwork, or in my artwork.  Recently I was writing on a pretty blue sticky note pad using a red pen.  I realized how much I really liked the blue and red colors together and decided my next project had to be created using these colors.

Molding paste and collage in mixed media painting

Using a claybord, I glued on some pretty blue scrapbook paper along with some text out of a vintage book.  I randomly brushed on some acrylic paint in a blue color that was a little darker than the blue on the paper and also blended the book paper edges into the collage using a bit of gesso.

I love doing quick image transfers on my projects.  The music notes were added by spreading a medium layer of soft gel on the panel where I wanted the image to be.  Next I put some torn out papers with music notes (printed from my inkjet printer) face down into the medium, burnished it onto the collage and then lifted off the paper.  This technique is quick, fun and so simple.

I had never used molding paste before and was excited to try it out using a new flower stencil I just purchased.   I love the molding paste!  It added some great texture.  Once it dried, I painted the petals red and added some of the book text to the center.

I was working on the collage on my kitchen counter and spotted a red mesh bag of potatoes.  The bag was such a pretty red and just matched the red in my flower, so I cut out a few pieces and glued them onto the collage.  I think my hubby thought I was just a little weird.  Ha!

To finish it off, I randomly stamped on some white paint using a piece of cardboard and splattered on a bit of the red paint.

This piece reminded me of a hot summer day.  I decided to create another using the same color scheme with a little sailboat.

Molding paste and collage in mixed media painting

 

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My name is Debbie and I live in Morton, Illinois (USA). I’m happily married and have a wonderful family that includes a daughter, son, son-in-law and 2 of the sweetest grandchildren ever!

What I love most about mixed media art is that you don’t have to be an expert at anything to create beautiful art. It is a great way to recycle found objects. Art is such a wonderful stress reliever. I just wish I had more time to play!

I have a shop on Etsy called Artful Explorations where I place some of the art I have created for sale. I just recently started a In Art Therapy blog having been inspired by others who are willing to share their techniques and ideas.

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A Vintage Valentines Collage

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This article is written by Debbie Davis of Artful Explorations.

I’m not very good at cutting paper to fit a background.  Even with a paper cutter and ruler, I usually manage to cut the edges uneven or smaller than I intended.  Because of this, I have to find ways to make the uncovered area and the paper merge so it all comes together nicely.

There are a number of techniques that can be used to accomplish this.  One of my favorites is to use oil pastel crayons.  I love the water soluble kind, even though I don’t always use water with them.

covering edges with pink pastel crayons

I decided to make a Vintage Valentines collage on a canvas panel.  After gluing the paper down, I needed to fill in the edges with some color.  I thought the oil pastel crayons would work well here because they blend together so nicely.

First I used a pink oil pastel crayon and colored all around the edge and sides of the panel.  I then rubbed and smudged the color into the panel and over onto the edges of the paper with my finger.   The pink color was a bit too bright so I used a white oil pastel crayon to tone it down.  I colored over the pink with the white and blended it with my finger until the color was fairly close to the color of the pink paper.  The paper had a vintage look to it and some distressed areas that were somewhat brown in color.  I thought using a bit of the brown oil pastel might help tie it all together.  I added a small amount of the brown crayon to the canvas edges and lightly rubbed it in until I liked the way it looked.

covering canvas board edges with pink pastel crayons

Next I tore the center out of a paper doily so that I could use the lacey part as a frame for my image.  I used gel medium to glue the doily down and also quickly but carefully applied the medium to the top of the doily.  I let the doily dry and then used the gel medium to glue down the image.  I then added a paper heart, a key, and a few little buttons along with a scrap piece of yarn to give it some texture.

vintage valentines mixed media collage technique

I really like the way this collage came together so I think I will see if I can get a good image of it to use to create some Vintage Valentines cards, and maybe some magnets for the fridge.

Happy Valentines Day!

Debbie

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You can see more of Debbie’s work at her Etsy Shop Artful Explorations

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Making It Pop

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This article is written by Debbie Davis from Artful Explorations

When I decided to get back into doing arts and crafts last year, I started doing Google searches to find something that would spark my interest. The Mixed Media Art site was one of the first that I came across and I am so glad I found it. I have learned many techniques that have helped me along the way.

I love scrapbook papers and use them in a lot of art projects. It is fun to sit and sort through the papers while deciding which ones I want to use in a circle tree collage. Once the papers are chosen I tear a few pieces to make “hills” that will fit at the bottom of a wrapped canvas. I trace circles in various sizes and cut them out for the trees. I like to use 2 circles for the larger trees. I’ll play around a bit with the placement of the papers to determine just where I would like them to go.

Before adhering the papers to the canvas, I paint it a coordinating color. Sometimes I will add two colors of paint to a palette that are similar and mix lightly (not completely) with a wet brush. I then add the paint to the canvas in a swirling motion with the brush. Before it dries, I’ll pick up some of the paint with a damp paper towel. I usually paint the sides of the canvas black, or sometimes, paint it as I did the top. Once the paint has dried, I will lightly stamp on some ink or paint in a darker color to create dimension. The papers are then collaged onto the canvas using gel medium. Here is one of my circle tree collages, not yet been outlined with the charcoal.

Mixed media art collage

My favorite part of completing the collage is outlining the papers with a charcoal pencil and then smudging it to create shadows and depth. For some reason, I find tracing around the paper and smudging the charcoal very relaxing. It’s kind of like playing with one of those little Zen sand gardens. Notice the difference the charcoal has made in the second picture. I love the way the charcoal makes the trees and hills pop.

Mixed media art collage

Here are a collection of circle tree collages in different colors.

Mixed media art collages by Debbie Davis

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My name is Debbie and I live in Morton, Illinois (USA). I’m happily married and have a wonderful family that includes a daughter, son, son-in-law and 2 of the sweetest grandchildren ever!

What I love most about mixed media art is that you don’t have to be an expert at anything to create beautiful art. It is a great way to recycle found objects. Art is such a wonderful stress reliever. I just wish I had more time to play!

I have a shop on Etsy called Artful Explorations where I place some of the art I have created for sale.
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Mixed Media Artist – Debbie Davis

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Our Mixed Media Art community is a diverse bunch; from all around the world, with different interests and reasons why we create and a wide range of skills. We love featuring a wide range of mixed media artist. Debbie Davis has come over to play with us this week. She shares her vintage children’s dress pattern on clayboard piece with us.

I’ll let Debbie tell us about herself…

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I’ve always loved art and have been creating arts & crafts off and on for many years.  My most favorite childhood Christmas present was a little box of art supplies.  I recently discovered beeswax and really enjoy working with it because it’s a natural, non-toxic product and it smells wonderful.

I live in Morton, Illinois (USA) not too far from the house I grew up in.  I’ve been happily married for 31 years and have a daughter, son and 2 wonderful grandchildren. Besides art, I love to work in my flower gardens and read.

I think what I love most about mixed media art is that you don’t have to be an expert at anything to create beautiful art.  It is a great way to recycle found objects. Art is such a wonderful stress reliever.  I just wish I had more time to play!

Recently I was shopping at a Mission Mart looking for items to use in collage art.  I was inspired by a vintage children’s dress pattern I spotted in the store.  I made a collage using beeswax to adhere some of the pattern tissue and pattern package to a claybord.  I painted the board with beeswax and then added scrapbook paper, pattern tissue and part of the pattern envelope by painting them on with beeswax and fusing each layer together with a heat gun and mini iron.  I stamped a flower onto tissue paper and adhered it to the collage with beeswax along with some buttons and fabric trim.

Mixed Media Encaustic clayboard

I don’t have a blog but have been thinking about starting one.  Thanks so much for the invitation to guest post.  I really look forward to receiving your emails and love the inspiration I get from them.

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Thanks for sharing your gorgeous artwork with us. I love the vintage dress pattern with the beeswax – they go so well together. And I’m sure everyone here will encourage you to start your own blog to allow you to share more of you work with the Mixed Media Art community.

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