Mixed Media

When Helene Metivier of Magenta Stamps comes to Washington to teach, it's always a big event, not to be missed.  In May, when she taught classes at Art 'n Soul in Lacey, one of her classes was on mixed media techniques.  We used cardboard pieces, available from Magenta (and available for sale at Art 'n Soul) that have foam in the middle, which seems to add structure and strength.  It's always hard for me to tell if these kinds of pieces are really finished.  The bird piece is definitely not completely finished; the Butterfly one - not sure; the other two I'm thinking it's definitely time to step away.  

We started by tearing up pieces of patterned paper and sticking them onto the cardboard with Creative Medium by Imagine Crafts.  We painted over the top of the paper with Liquitex Matte Medium.  We added acrylic paint; Silks acrylic glazes; and whatever else we wanted.  The images were stamped onto tissue and added to the piece with Liquitex.

This was actually the first one I worked on.  I want to add more color to the bird itself, and maybe tone down the background colors.  I just don't feel that it's exactly right.  I do like how the patterned paper flower still shows through.

Live Your Dreams
by Dianne Johnson
Stamps by Magenta:  Live Your Dreams 22.047.H and
Bird on Branch 37.285.P
Ornamental Dots 42.097.H

This one is a CASE of one that Helene did.  On mine I used Silks acrylic glazes.  In real life, this piece has some glittery shine.  I'm still thinking it's not finished though.

Life is Art
by Dianne Johnson
Stamps by Magenta:  Life is Art 07.700.G;
Asian Butterfly Large 0621.O

On this next piece, I just love this stamp from Magenta, designed by the talented Ellie Knol, with the large blossom silhouettes.  This is a CASE of one by Susie Tracy.  I love the way the Silks glazes color the blossoms.  In real life, there is a lot of glittery shine on the blossoms.  This time, following Susie's lead, instead of cutting the stamped image out of the tissue and applying it, I applied the entire piece of tissue.  I intentionally left it wrinkly for texture, and I really like how it turned out.  The background colors are from the patterned paper and paint under the tissue.

Blossoming Branch
by Dianne Johnson
Stamps by Magenta:
Large Blossoming Branch Silhouette 48.001.S
Texture with Circles 48.060.I

This last one is my favorite.  I love how the colors of the papers in the background shine through the fish.  I also used Prismacolor pencils on the fish before adhering the tissue to the cardboard.  After adding the "seaweed" I painted over it a little with Silks glazes also.

Fish School
by Dianne Johnson
Magenta Stamp:  Bold Branch 37.266.O
Fish Heads are from Symmetry series by Stampscapes