Mixed Media Canvas

Here is the result of my first go at a mixed media canvas. Been wanting to have a go at this for ages and really enjoyed making this. Really pleased with how this has turned out.

I have put a bit of "How to Make" below with some photos I took along the way. Some of the products used were stash from my cupboards and some I have had for years.

Draw around the shaped canvas onto 300gsm card and cut out.

Decide where you want to tears around the edges. 

A spray of water will make this easier and help the card to curl.

Attach the card to the canvas with a strong PVA glue or Mod Podge.

Add some texture to the canvas which can be seen in the gaps with a texture paste.

Use a stencil and Pebeo sand texture paste to add areas of texture.

Use a different stencil and a smooth paste to add further areas of interest.

Cut a heart shape from grey board. Emboss pieces of white card with Crafter's

Companion 3D Regency Swirls folder and attach to the heart in a patchwork.

Add dots of liquid pearls at the joins and secure to the canvas.

Now start to add embellishments. I found some small MDF butterflies and some flowers made from paper clay and silicone moulds I made ages ago.

I have also added some hearts and swirls die-cut from mount board and added dots of liquid pearls.

Finally I have added some different sizes of Mixed Media Artsy Stone in small clumps around the edges. I used quite a lot of Mod Podge to hold these in place.

When you are happy with all the embellishments paint over everything with white Gesso. You may need extra coats of Gesso over some areas such as the MDF to make everything the same colour.

Now for some colour! 

I used a mixture of paints found in the cupboard in shades of blue, purple and pink.

Paint the insides of the tears and the heart in the middle.

Pain the rest of the background with a neutral creamy shade (forgot picture!)

Now add colour to the other embellishments and textured areas. Use the colours lightly on the background and try to blend with the background colour.

 

Add some areas of shadow under the embellishments using a black pen

and pulling out the colour with a damp brush.

Now dry brush over the whole canvas with white Gesso. Use a large dry brush and pick up a small amount of white gesso, work the paint into the brush and dry brush the paint over everything.

Stamp, cut and colour six butterflies using Crafter's Companion Flutterby - Botanical Butterfly and Spectrum Noir Sparkle ink pens. Shape the wings and layer two butterflies together.

Finally make the flowers. I have made these from Flower forming foam.

Die-cut the layers of flowers with various dies and colour with inks then heat and shape. Layer the petals together to make flowers and add to the canvas.

Here are a few more photos of the finished canvas.

Happy Crafting

Marie xx