Utilizng Readily Available Materials for Mixed Media Art

All along Mixed Media Art has supported creative ideas to the stage of implementing them to success using materials that are readily available in our homes or those that are relatively cheap to buy compared to undertaking the corporate route of specialty with an entire range to choose from and which you are expected to match. This at times can be very frustrating.

Talking of readily available materials, visually textured backgrounds are easily created by use of text pages obtained from old books, magazines, conference proceedings or even knitting patterns. From them you can create a great background art since they are of different paper textures, font’s types and sizes. On these materials you may also find diagrams or sketches that will effectively add to the background layering. Words could also be used to add meaning and create a story

Old books are more preferred than the use of a book of value because from old books you can create many pages and the covers can be used as substrates for future projects. They can also be used as papermache to provide strength by shrining them together as well as creating interest and especially when knitting or dress making patterns are in play.

Tips When Making a Black Altered Book Page

The process and materials for making a Black Altered Book Page are fairly easy but when all is completed, the end product is so beautiful because of the brightness of active patterns and color. The tools and materials used include:

• Bottled American lamp acrylic paint
• 3 – 5 different sheets of origami paper that come into styles
• Scissors
• Small punch like heart, flower or star
• Aleenes Tacky glue or any other white one
• Sakura metallic gellly roll pen

The technique is also a straight forward activity

• Paint your page spread with black acrylic and let it dry
• Cut and punch origami paper and adhere with glue. Thin wood pulp Origami paper work better especially for punches and is less expensive unlike the washi papers that have toothy, fibrous texture and are more expensive. Washi paper is best for the corners and cut papers.  Glue is applied with a toothpick which helps to keep the other parts of the background better surfaces to work on.
• You can be creative and draw a pathway (or several of them) with one of your pens and write a favorite quote, something you want to say, or perhaps about your joy in creating art. 

You will fill the areas with your favorite patterns as you chose to fill the background with stars and symbols. Many great patterns can be obtained online and there is a lot of fun in creating these pages.

Using Cereal Boxes for your Mixed Media Art Projects

There are different ways that you can use cereal boxes and plastic sheets for your mixed media art projects. One excellent way to use the plastic sheet inside the cereal box is to use it as a protective covering for your altered book project to avoid the paint from getting around the edges of your book when painting or creating a layout. You can also use it as an alternative for plastic covers which can be bought in department stores. So instead of spending money for plastic covers, you can certainly use the plastic sheet inside the cereal box as the cover for your mixed media art projects.

And for the cereal box, you can actually cut the edges evenly and by doing that, you already have a cardboard that you can use as a book cover out from a cereal box or you can as well use if for paintings.

Creating mixed media art projects is really fun! While creating, you can actually discover things that you can reuse. Recycling things is a good practice since recycled materials are free, it can save you lots of cash and by recycling materials for your artworks, you are helping the environment.

Start creating and recycling now!

Stuart Morris, a Successful Artist

Becoming successful in anything is really not that easy. You will definitely need lots of patience and perseverance to reach your goals in life. Like with arts, there are some artists who prosper and there are also some who fail.

Let me introduce you to one of the most triumphant artist in the world today. His name is Stuart Morris. Stuart is a British artist based in East Anglia. Being an artist, Stuart loves using natural materials such as wood, rock and sand, whilst his bold use of color is a nod to the Post-Impressionists that captured his young imagination.

Stuart has an entrenched textile printing business and is the top charity fund raising in the UK. His company - "Stuart Morris" flourished through the years with different clients from home and abroad including heritage and charity organizations.

If you want to be successful like Stuart, here are Stuarts's top 5 tips for aspiring artists

Be single-minded and set your sights on what you want to achieve,

Be determined and don’t let anything stand in your way,

Work hard at your craft,

Release your inhibitions and let your personality come out in your artwork,

Be expressive – the best paintings are not necessarily ‘life-like’, but tell a story

Different Ways in Designing an Altered Book Layout

Designing an altered book layout is really fun and exciting since it brings out the artist in you. You can create a wide range of designs using the different supplies that you have to make your layout really beautiful.

When we talk about designing an altered book layout, there are lots of style that you can apply. You can add some borders to enclose the text in your altered book, you can also highlight the words you want to stress, and adding colors to your altered book layout by drawing anything relevant for your layout and many other things that will fit your layout. You are actually free to design the layout as long as you don't over design it.

With that being said, I know that you'll be able to create a fantastic altered book layout that you'll be proud to share with your family and friends.

So what are you waiting for ? Start creating and designing your altered book layout now!

Get that Gloves Off while Painting

Painting is among the famous art work today. There are lots of people expressing their artistry through painting using different techniques that will boost up the appearance of their work. When painting, there are different tools that you can use to paint. You can use a paintbrush, your hands with gloves and some other tools. These tools can help the artist to make his/her painting look good and beautiful.

However, There are painters who use their bare hands when painting. This is actually among the most exciting technique when painting since you can feel the paint in your finger tips and will make you more careful since you don't want your painting to be messy. Using your bare hands when painting is like going back to your childhood days where you just grab a paint, dip your fingers and stroke it anywhere - remembering the good old days which is really fun and exciting.

It is really nice to experiment sometimes. Painting with that gloves off will certainly make you feel free while painting making your artwork more expressive and personalized. Letting go of your inner child to express your thoughts and feelings can be an outlet to create that masterpiece!

What are you waiting for? Take that gloves off and start painting now!

Using Beeswax for Mixed Media Art Collage

Beeswax are naturally produced wax from bee hives of honey bees. It's a great medium that can be used in arts. You can use it as a decoupage medium for sticking papers and objects to different surfaces.  Not only that, It can also be embossed to add surface to your art and polish using an oil pastel to put in color.

For beeswax collage, there are several substrate options available that you can use. You can certainly use Wood, Masonite, Paper, Canvas (small gallery wrapped or canvas panel), Encaustic board, Clay board and Metal.

When painting the wax to your chosen substrate, it is advisable to use natural bristle brush because synthetic brushes will melt. And once you use the brush in the wax, you will not be able to use it again for any other purposes since the wax will harden.

You can buy beeswax over the internet or at craft and hobby stores. When purchasing for beeswax, it can be is sold in one or two pound blocks or in bags that contain small pellets.  It can be colored yellow which is natural or it can be white in color- meaning, it's filtered. You can find beeswax online or at a number of craft and hobby stores.  Prices will vary but I usually pay around $11.00 for a 1lb block.  

Try using this medium now for your mixed media art collage!

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