Mixed Media Art | Tutorials & Videos

Anatomy of a Mixed Media Canvas

Alicia Redshaw21 August 2012

I created this 6″x6″ canvas on Sunday night with a few of my favourite supplies and colours.

I spread some Matte Medium over the base to collage some dictionary paper, tissue paper and washi tape to the background.  I also brushed a quick coat over the top too before leaving to dry for a few minutes.

I spread texture paste through a template in random patches and left to dry for a few more minutes. (If you are impatient like I am you can carefully dry with a hair dryer or heat tool, however you must be careful as too much heat will cause bubbling and bad behaviour from paints, pastes and mediums)

I used my fav painting tools to add colour to the canvas, including the heart which is very thick and took a little time to dry.

My fav painting tools!

I painted in the edges of the heart with black drawing ink and left to dry for a minute or two.  I added some detail and highlights with some Neocolor 2’s (watercolour crayons) in a scribbling fashion, and then spread it slightly with a water brush.

I then dribbled a small amount of Artists Ink onto the canvas and moved it around with my fingers, a waterbrush and some paper towel.

I added some white paint (with my fingers again) through the dot mask in a few random areas.

Once the paint, ink  and Neocolors were dry I used an Archival inkpad to lightly ink the raised areas, and also stamp on some of my fav script stamp.

I chose some lettering to convey my message and stuck them down with matte medium.

At the end I adhered some beads with a heavy layer of matte medium and left to dry overnight.  The next day I signed my canvas with a permanent pen and gave it a coat of gloss medium/varnish, which I will repeat two days later for a longer lasting clear finish.

I really love this piece and the textural depth it has ended with…as well as the colours and message.

I wanted to note that I always like to paint the sides of the canvas as I go, and even give them a hit with the inkpad too.  I like to do this as it creates continuity and doesn’t raise any questions as to why the sides are different or unfinished.

I have to say that I love my new Palette Paper Pad and the convenience it gives me when I am painting.  It is also small enough not to occupy too much space on the table when I create, or end up with my arm in it either.  I am actually going to re-use the page now that the paint is dry and flat.

Supplies used:
Reeves Acrylic Paints – Titanium White, Rose Red
Golden Fluid Acrylic Paints – Manganese Blue Hue, Hansa Yellow Medium
Atelier Interactive Acrylic Paint – Cobalt Turquoise Light Hue
Art Spectrum Artists Ink – Turquoise, Phthalo Blue
Black Drawing Ink
Jo Sonja Texture Paste
Liquitex Matte Medium
Atelier Gloss Medium & Varnish
Caran d”Ache Neocolor 2’s – White, Cobalt Blue, Turquoise Blue, Emerald Green, Yellow, Yellow Green, Purple, Black
Ranger Archival Jet Black Inkpad
Darkroom Door French Script Background Stamp
Crafters Workshop 6″x6″ Templates – TCW246S, TCW273S
Palette Paper Pad (5″x7″)
Palette Knife
Fine Paint Brush
Beads
Tim Holtz Tissue Paper
Dictionary Paper
Washi Tape (Teresa Collins)
Copic Multi-liner 0.3 Black (for signing)