MIXED MEDIA - Mini Art Journal #2

Hello mixed media fans.  Today I am sharing 2 more pages from my mini art journal.  Each page is 3 3/8" 5 1/4".  I love that it is small enough to feature some of my favorite stamp images.  Today's project features "Fly Fairy" by Red Rubber Designs.  I also used the script image from the upper right corner from "Vintage Background" and one of the phrases from "Be Happiness".

1.  Cover pages with Gesso.  I applied several coats.

2. Stamp image with water-proof ink (Palette Noir Black or Staz-On).  I used Momento Tuxedo Black and heat set it with my heat gun.  Fold the book covers / pages back allowing you to place the page you are stamp on over a hard surface.  I used my Speedball Linoleum Block from Michaels.  I know some people use a soft surface to stamp .... but I like to use a hard surface and it works especially well for stamping on the page of a book. 

3.  Use the end of the sprayer to sprinkle "Party Pink" Glimmer Mist Spray. 

4. Stamp script and distress dots (from Fly Fairy) images with Momento's Lilac Posies. 

If you don't like the results ... wanted more of a dreamy look, then you can pat on some gesso randomly.

5. Stamp corner images and some distress dots (from Fly Fairy) with black ink on the Speedball Linoleum block.

6. Watercolor image with Lyra or Neocolor Watercolor Crayons (I used #'s 010 028, 100, & 180).  I did use my Niji Watercolor brushes on this project because I wasn't trying to be so precise with shading on this project. (not sure how they compare ... but I noticed RRD has a sale on their watercolor brushes HERE)

7. Stamp sentiment on left lower page and "fly" randomly with black ink.

8.  Create a tag from watercolor paper, spritz lightly with water, then Glimmer Mist Turquoise Blue spray ink.  If you spray too much, blot off with a napkin to you get a mottled / distressed look.  While the tag is still wet, stamp with same script image used on background above, with black ink, so that the ink bleeds / fades a little.  Ink edges with black ink, doodle around edges. Tie ribbon at top of tag

9.  Create the sentiment flag from watercolor paper.  Apply yellow pigment using a watercolor crayon / Niji Brush keeping it a little darker around the edges.  After it is dry, stamp with black ink.  Ink edges with black ink and doodle around edges.  Adhere to tag.
10. Adhere tag to page.

Hope you are inspired to start an art journal of your own to create in.

In case you missed it last year ... here is a photo of the outside of my larger mixed media art journal.

You can check out all of my Mixed Media Tutorials HERE.

Have a fabulous week!
Melisa

MIXED MEDIA - Mini Art Journal #1

6.5" x 5.25"

Hello crafters.  I have a step by step mixed media tutorial for you today.  I have had this little book I created in a book binding class years ago.  1 page in this book measures 3.25" x 5.25".  So I decided to prep all the pages with gesso and use some of my favorite stamp images to create some mixed media pages.

I wanted to create a page using this gorgeous peony  from Red Rubber Designs "Lovely Peony" stamp set.  So I decided I wanted to work with yellow and purple.

1. Stamp image over gesso'd background.

If I had waited and stamped the Peony over the background then it would have shown through.  After stamping the peony over the gesso, I stamped it again on "Masking Tape" and trimmed it out.  I covered the image with the trimmed mask.

2.  Cover with a stencil and spray with ink.  Heat set.

The stencil I used reminds me of a lattice fence.   I picked this one up a few years back at a local craft store.  It's made by Plaid.  I didn't have a purple spray ink that I liked, mine were really dark.  So I decided to mix my own.  I used Tattered Angels and mixed "Tattered Rose" and "Fully Purple".  My stencil had some brown on it from the last time I used it so it smeared when I sprayed it.   

3. Use a sponge to pounce on some Gesso randomly.

When you do this it gives some of the area's a dreamy look.  It also allows the next layer of images to stand out more in some area's.   I ended up trying to cover the brown and used a little too much.  I wish the purple spray showed up more in the finished project.

  4.  Stamp more images in green. 

 I used the music score and hand writing in the upper right corner of the set "Vintage Background" by Red Rubber Designs. I used "Pear Pizzazz" ink from Stampin' Up.  Pounce on more gesso.

5. Remove mask.

6. Spray with yellow ink.

I wanted a bright yellow spray so I used "Yellow" by Dr. Martin's Bombay - Hobby Lobby.  I squirted some full strength from the Bombay jar in to a Stampin' Up mini sprayer.  I knew I was coloring the peony yellow so I wanted to balance that color our by spraying more on the left page.

7.  Spray both pages with a light coat of Krylon "Workable Fixative" if you are concerned with the inks on your background "running" when you apply water color over the.  That's what I did.  You can pick up Workable Fixative at local craft stores.

7. Color peony image.

I used water color crayons.  I LOVE my LYRA water color crayons and if I had known they were creamier ... I would have purchased more of them instead of trying the Caran D'Ache Neo-Color Crayons.  The Neo-Color crayons were attractive because they had so many different shades.  Now you can get the Lyra water color crayons in 12, 24, or 48 sets.  So if you are just getting started .... I would consider the Lyra crayons first.  You can actually purchase individual Neo-Color crayons to fill in what you are lacking in the Lyra set.  If you are not sure ... You can pick up a 12 count set of the Lyra crayons at a local craft store for 40% off and try them first.

I used Lyra yellow and light green from my 12 count set.  I used a couple of Neo-Color crayons to add depth - I used #59 brown to add dimension to the petals and #249 olive green to add dimension to my leaves.  I know a lot of people love the "Niji Waterbrush's", and they are really cool, I have them myself.  But I have a hard time controlling the amount of water with these.  So especially with a small image, I use regular brushes / water.  

8. Journal.

I hate my hand writing so I had this idea that I would print my journaling using a cool font, lightly transfer the journaling to the page using transfer paper (sorta like carbon paper), and then use those guidelines to write my journaling with a black pen.  In theory is was a fabulous idea.  But my journaling was way to small, and it was hard to transfer the journaling as well.  I'm wondering if carbon paper would be easier?

The next problem was finding a pen that would write on the pages.  The surface is irregular because of all the coats of gesso / inks.  So it was hard to write smoothly.  The best pen I found to write with on this type surface was the Prismacolor Premier pen.  I used an 01.  

Hope you are encouraged to give this technique a try!!

hugs, Melisa

You can check out more of my Mixed Media Background Tutorials HERE.

You can check out all my Red Rubber Designs Projects HERE.

Watercolor Tutorial #2

Good Morning.  Today I'm sharing a watercolor tutorial with you using "Nature's Postage" by Mark's Finest Papers.  This set was discontinued but the technique could certainly be used for some of their other beautiful floral sets.

Let me start with some general information that I had posted previously with my other watercolor tutorial last year.  You can check out the entire post and step by step photo's HERE.

"I used Lyra Watercolor Crayons (12 set), Ranger Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass, and Derwent Watercolor Pencil #51 Olive Green. I got my watercolor crayons a few years back at a local craft store with a 40% off at a Joann's. I'm don't know who carries them these days, but what I have noticed online is that they have 24 set now. I had so much fun doing these that I'm considering finding a good deal on the larger set.

In general I brush on water to the area I'm going to be adding color, before adding the color.   Wetting the paper first helps the color flow. So I want continue to mention that, but make sure you do it. The crayon color are very concentrated, so a little goes a long way. You can always add more. I leave the crayons sitting in the tray they come in, wet my brush and then pick up a little color by brushing over the crayon. Keep a paper towel or napkin handy so you can remove unwanted color.. Just re-wet the area if needed, and blot if off with a paper towel. A couple of times I ventured outside the lines and was able to clean it up a little blotting the color off. Each crayon has a ID # on it. I used green (67), yellow (07), orange (13), and brown (99). Let's get started. "

The colors are the same for this tutorial except I didn't use the green.

After completing this one, I decided that it is better to do your lighter colors first.  Then it doesn't matter so much if you get out of the lines.  So in retrospect, I would have done the butterfly before the flower. 

Sky : Brush water on the sky area. Apply a little Tumbled Glass Distress ink to a plastic surface or acylic block. Wet brush and begin picking up the blue and painting your sky. The distress ink is not as concentrated. I tried to make it a little darker around the edges / corner.

Flower : Brush water over petals. Wet brush and pick up orange #13. I start out light, adding color from the center of the flower outward keeping some area's darker as shown above.  Then I went back a second time and add more concentrated orange to create shadows.

To create move depth, I added some brown mostly next to the flower center, but a little on the area's that have "lines" for shadows. I think you can see the difference in the previous photo and this one and tell where I added it.   I didn't worry about trying to blended it, because I knew I was going over it again with orange.

Add more orange to get the look you want. I also added a small amount of yellow along the very tips of the petals and brushed it inward toward the flower center, bleding it with the orange. That really highlighted some area's and made it pop.

I used brown and a little yellow in the flower center.

I used yellow on the butterfly wings, keeping the color bolder toward the butterfly body.  I added a little brown, very lightly (watered down) in most area's, especially along the outside edges of the wings.

Lastly I added a little orange inside the spots on the wings.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and are encouraged to get those watercolor crayons or pencils out!

hugs,

Melisa

You can view more of my Watercolor Tutorials HERE.