How To Make A Mixed Media Canvas – Enjoy the Garden

So you love the new mixed media art you are seeing, but have not taken the leap and tried it for yourself yet, well here is a great step by step that might just help get you started.  

Here are a few rules to follow when creating mixed media art:

1. There are no rules

2. Create with what you have, search for found objects, choose craft supplies you are drawn to – anything goes

3. If the color is not right, change it

4. If you don’t have a canvas, any surface will do, old record album, piece of wood, repurposed canvas

5. It is ok to get a little messy

6. You cannot mess up, just paint over it and start again

7. Choose any theme that speaks to you, your art, your way

8. Have fun with layers, that is what makes it fun

9. Try new things, experiment, make mistakes (sometimes these are the best results)

10. Watch videos and search for great blogs there are so many great ideas out there that will jumpstart your creativity.

So there is Crew Member, Kimberly’s “Enjoy the Garden” Mixed media Canvas.  She shows off some great techniques and also inspires you to think outside of the box, starting with turning her stretched canvas backwards, creating an instant shadowbox for her project.  No worries if the edges are a little frayed or the back is not perfect, all the better. 

I’m here today to share a fun way to use the mixed media origins papers in your mixed media projects!  I would love to inspire you to try mixed media if you haven’t already – it’s so fun and addicting .  Gather up some of your favorite little finds from outdoors to add to your canvas, such as small sticks pine cones, moss, little rocks, etc.

Supplies Used:

• Canvas Corp – 6×12 CCB Stretched Canvas
• Canvas Corp – The Watering Can Sayings on Ivory
• Tattered Angels – Mixed Media Origins Paper – Nature
• Tattered Angels Decor & DIY Paints: Crystal & Tan
• 7gypsies –  Lace
• Garden finds: mini pine cones, moss, sticks

Tools Used: Markers; Glue; Paint brush; Scissors

Step 1:  First, you will want to color your Mixed Media Origins Paper, then fussy cut the pieces you want out – set it aside.  You can color the Origins papers with markers, watercolors, watercolor pencils and more.  The paper loves water and finishes just beautifully.  If you are on the move however, markers are a great alternative and you can color on the go. So just like you used to grab the crayons and coloring book for the kids, grab your markers and beautiful papers.

 I took two small pieces of bubble wrap so I didn’t mix my paints.

The exposed edges give the canvas extra personality.

Step 3:  Now take your lace and glue it to the inside of canvas before adding anything else to it.  No worries if it is not the perfect size, just glue it into place, this is a great way to use found lace, lace from old clothing or a big of lace picked up at a vintage store, it might look like a mess in the bag, but looks great in a piece like this.

Step 4:  You can fiddle around with your different cut and colored pieces to get the desired look you want before you glue each of them down. I made some small slits into my different pieces to slip some flower cuts in, so it would look like its growing. Now glue everything down.

 Now this is when the picture really starts to take form – when you add some of your finds from your yard, etc.  Add a saying like “enjoy a little garden therapy”  You will find great sayings papers in a wide range of themes from Canvas Corp.

 

So now that you see how easy it can be to create a simple mixed media project with supplies and goodies found around the house, a few paints, a few papers and your creativity.

Happy Creating! 

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