Mixed Media Canvas - Hearts Grow with Love

I think I have found my ultimate passion. 

Mixed media allows me to paint, craft, journal and create in my own style.

Below is my newest art creation,

a mixed media piece on a 12x12 Canvas Board

flowers were hand drawn with my new FAVORITE permaball pilot pen

from the Scarlet Lime mixed media shop,

texture was added with acrylic paint using stencils and bubble wrap on the background

heart shaped flowers, birds and leaves were handcut from scrapbook paper (as the base)

each heart and leaf was covered with acrylic paint

various stencils were used to create pattern and texture over the hearts

the hearts were then outlined with the permaball pilot pen

and some more close-ups of details

Remember to enjoy your family, friends and passions.  Life is too short to dwell on the challenges...

Go enjoy your Friday and your weekend.

Hugs,  Erin

Mixed media 10x10 canvas #2

Inspired by a Christie Tomlinson online tutorial, which can be found here...

Mixed media 10x10 canvas #2, originally uploaded by frenchieredhead.

Be True to my Heart - Finished Canvas's

Here are photos of my creative process...Inspired by Donna Downey's Canvas Create series for February 2012.

The 3 photos below show:  

• addition of water-thinned Indian Yellow acrylic paint (on top of the original Magenta colored base) giving the background a funky orange with deep burnt orange undertones
• then Magenta acrylic paint was added to ridge around the heart and a water-thinned wash over the body of the heart
• then I made a circle template from a scrap piece of paper and painted the circle openings with Blue Green acrylic paint

The next two photos include:  

• the addition of masking tape
• white acrylic paint rubbed over the raised textured areas on the background
• a word stamp with white ink pad
• a flower/heart/butterfly image stamped first with black ink, then a white ink pad

Hmmmm....dislike those circles and the color of the paint in those circles, blah

And......also dislike the image stamp, ugh

In the photo below, I painted over the parts I disliked with a Turquoise acrylic paint mixed with gesso.

I was happier with the Turquoise color but added more thinned white gesso to lighten up the color a bit (see below).  I decided the masking tape looked too plain left untouched so that got a wash of Indian Yellow paint (below).  That made the tape perfect!  And I couldn't be finished there....

To add additional dimension I painted bubble wrap with black ink and pressed it down on a corner section.  Then I stamped the bubble wrap with a white ink pad and added that to each canvas. 

I added Indian Yellow paint over the white ink to one word on each canvas.  Then I added some blue liquid ink on an edge, turned the canvas so it would drip/run but I only ended up with a single line of ink.  Then I remembered seeing a video about blowing air through a straw to move ink around so I tried that (only without the straw - didn't have one) and look what I got....a cool scattered paint blotch.  

I am so happy with how these pieces turned out and am glad I did more than one so these can be sold as a set or separately. I am especially pleased with learning to use molding paste, gel medium, mixing color with gesso, fixing mistakes and how you can use masking tape and bubble wrap in the creative process.

So a big thanks to Ms. Donna Downey......she is a great teacher and inspiration.

Hugs to all,  Erin

Be True to Your Heart - February Canvas Create, Step 2

Be True to Your Heart - February Canvas Create, Step 2, originally uploaded by frenchieredhead.

The modeling paste dried well overnight so I added a base layer of water thinned acrylic paint.

Be True to Your Heart - February Canvas Create Series, Step 1

The new monthly online video class with Donna Downey arrived on 2/15 and I could hardly wait to watch the video.  You can go to her link to find out more about the Donna Downey February Canvas Create Series.  You can also see her final version of the February canvas.  Her version is meant to inspire us and allow us to use different techniques.  So I'm sure mine won't look like hers but I will utilize her techniques and take what I like from her video teaching. 

This month includes use of modeling paste and other mixed media, both of which are new to me so I am super excited to try this out.

Below are three 8 x 8 gallery wrapped canvas, covered in wet modeling paste with patterned paper, hearts hand-cut by me and then pressed into the wet paste.  I did these last night and the modeling paste needs to dry for 8-12 hours depending on humidity.  So later this week (or maybe tomorrow) I will have more to show you as I work through each step in the process.  I haven't done Mixed Media before so this will definitely be an adventure.   Donna's version is awesome so we will see how mine turns out.



"Be True to your Heart" Series

Hugs,  Erin