Mixed Media Tutorial

Each member of the 7gypsies Design team was asked to create something for the new release using one of the new papers.  I picked the paper, 'Balloons' that has the silhouette of a girl. Some of the new "Off the Wall" collection paper really screams mixed media or at least that's what came to mind when I got the paper in the mail.  Here's how I created it....

Cut a piece of plywood 7 x 10"

Paint the entire piece with Gesso, let dry.

Once dry, smooth it out with sandpaper.  Use a tack cloth to get rid of excess dust.

Use acrylic paint in some bright colors (don't worry I haven't lost my mind), let dry.

Next, cover the colors with Titan Buff.

NOTE: I added a bit of water to the paint I had squeezed from the bottle so I could still see the paint underneath.

Now a bit of white, let dry.

Once dry, I sanded it back to bring out more of the colors underneath.

Now to start layering...first a vintage library card.  I chose this one on purpose because of the name of the book, "Neat and Scruffy".  I used Claudine Hellmuth, Multi Medium to adhere all the ephemera. 

I felt the library card needed to be knocked back a bit so I used the same watered down white paint I used earlier and a large brush to add a white wash layer.  

Next, a ripped piece of a ledger was added.

I cut out the silhouette of the girl for layering on the library card but there was so much of the paper left that I decided to rip the top the paper with the word Sunlight so I could adhere it to the top of the wood.

Next, the new 7gypsies Alphabet...love it.  I always use Archival Ink because it is fade resistant.  I learned the hard way since my first pieces, on which I used Staz-on, have faded away.  Not good.

People ask me if I write on the board first but I don't.  Sometimes if the phrase or quote is very long I will plan it out on paper just to see the spacing but for the most part I just eyeball it and cross my fingers.

After the lettering, I adhered the black balloon to the piece and circled it with a thin Sharpie.  The string is just red sewing thread that I dipped in Multi Medium and then manipulated to look as natural as possible.

The last steps include adding the ruler to the bottom (I drilled a couple holes in the ruler so I could add the brads to each ends) then hand drawing little flowers along the bottom.  The orange and green color comes from watercolor crayons (Caran d'Ache).  The words "tell me what you seek" was cut from a book.  Funny, it usually takes me a while to find words I want to cut out but this time I quite literally opened the book and saw the words.  I personally think it was a blessing from heaven since I had so much on my plate the week I was working on this.

This is definitely one of my favorite pieces I have made in a while.  In fact I wish it was still hanging on my wall instead of in the 7gypsies office!  I guess when the paper is finally released I can make a similar one.
Cheers to all!

paula