MIXED MEDIA TUTORIAL - Mini Art Journal #3

Hello friends and Happy New Year!  It's been a year since I have posted.  I plan to get back to blogging this year and will be posting Mixed Media projects, Cards, and Scrapbook Layouts.  Hopefully I will have time to throw a few Altered Arts projects in there as well.  

So I thought I would kick off the year with a layout from my Mini Art Journal.  The pages in this little book measure 3 1/4" x 5 1/4".  I created the book years back in a book binding class.  The pages were thin so I glued some of them together to create a thicker pages /  sturdier surface to work on and then covered all the pages with gesso. 

I also like the size because they are perfect for some of my stamp images.

I like to "build" my backgrounds.  Often I don't know what the end result will be.  I just keep layering until I get a look I like.  And if you do something you don't like, just cover with gesso and start all over.  I started this back ground by stamping a music note background in brown ink, adhering book paper, and then creating that "dreamy" look by dabbing on gesso. 

With this particular background I ended almost completely covering the first couple of layers as I continued to add more layers.  But sometimes that is what gives it great depth.

Next I applies some blue spray ink with a brush and stamp polka dots (Rollograph Wheel with Simple Dots pattern) with green ink.  Anytime I use a product I think might smear with the next layer I either spray with Workable Fixative or add a coat of Mod Podge.

I added more book paper because you could not really see the original paper I added.

I sponged on some gesso to blend and soften the layers then dripped on green spray ink.

More gesso.

I stamped the left page with grid background stamp (Off the Grid - Stampin Up) and the tape measure image.  To get a random look with a background image I either apply all over and the blot some off with paper towel or randomly apply the ink heavily and then stamp it off on waste paper first and then on my project.

I stamped the right page with a bird collage image by Hero Arts ( Timely Bird ).  But I didn't like how faded the bird turned out ... so I stamped the image again on paper and colored just the bird and clocks and cut them out.

I used Lyra Water Color Crayons to color flower, leaves, and branch directly on the page.  Then adhered the trimmed bird and clocks.

Hero Arts Timely Bird (I think I got this one at Michaels)

Thanks for stopping by!

Melisa

You can check out more Mini Art Journal Projects HERE.

You can check out Mixed Media Background Tutorials HERE.

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.