Mixed Media ATCs with Collage Layers & Stencils

Hello lovelies,

My youtube channel turns two years old this month and I'm quite pleased with the way it's going, although this year I've only been able to manage one video tutorial a month. Apart from the daily errands, I've been busy with preparing for an art exhibition in June (more on that in a future post), as well as re-branding my channel to align with my blog. 

I did manage to squeeze in this fun and easy tutorial. Creating Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) is very satisfying. The surface is small enough to complete several cards quickly, and just like standard trading cards you can exchange them with fellow artists. Who doesn't love to receive happy mail?! 

To fill the background easily I used stencils with a variety of patterns. Create eyecatching effects by using three harmonizing paint colors together. 

In this video tutorial I use tiny paper scraps from my leftovers basket. I tend to keep those scraps that are the negative image that have been punched out with a punching tool or a shape that I cut out by hand. By layering other bits underneath you can create interesting collage art. 

Watch the short art tutorial from start to finish here:

Chunky acrylic paint pens are a playful way to add mark making. I have several colors, some with a round tip and some with a chisel tip. Tiny bits of washi tapes add texture.

This is a beginner-friendly project and very forgiving should you ever glue down a paper scrap in the wrong place (as I did 😉) due to the many layers! 

Thanks for visiting my blog and reading along. Have a great day!

Colorful Mixed Media Art Journal Page

Hi everyone!

This art journal page came together quite spontaneously. I was craving color, so I picked neon pink paint, bright orange crayons toned down with a sooty gray stencil background. I applied the colors in a loose manner, added a few splatters and topped it off with pre-made collage flowers and leaves. 

Click on the short video to watch the whole process:

The collage shows the layering process from stencil background to choosing the flowers.

Here are a few close ups of the finished page:

There's a video in my channel on how I made the collage flowers and leaves. I made these in several color variations and they are great for adding to art journals and cards.

You can watch it here:

Before adhering the focal image I did some background stamping with text, numbers and faux stitching stamps. I find these make the page "come alive". 

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave comments. I truly appreciate them 😊 Have a great week!

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Create an envelope with pockets with one sheet of paper & Make a Mixed Media Tag

Hi everyone!

The title of my blog post is a bit long today - it's because I'm actually sharing two art tutorials. In part one I'm sharing how to make a tag envelope from one sheet of paper using a stencil, and in part two I demonstrate how to create a colorful tag, which can then be stored in the envelope.

* this is not a sponsored post. Studio Light stencil bought and paid for by me.

The stencil I used to make the envelope fits perfectly on an A4 size sheet of paper. You can use craft paper, scrapbooking paper or in my case, a gelli print, with prints on both sides. The reason I printed on both sides is simply so I do not have to add matting to the inside. I like to keep things simple!

After tracing the stencil lines I simply cut out the shape and scored along the folding lines.

I proceed the same way with the pockets using some leftover gelli prints. On this stencil there is a choice of three pockets in various sizes. I went with medium and large. Sorry about the glare on the plastic stencil - it's the reflection of my overhead light.

To assemble the envelope I simply fold along the previously scored lines and glue the pockets in place using a sticky tape roller.

You can watch the full video here:

I love making tags! They have all sorts of fun uses, like gift tags, a colorful addition to journals or if they are larger, used as bookmarks! You can watch me make a tag from scratch in the video above.

I used a pre-cut plain white tag and used distress inks and a floral stencil to create a background design. 

After the ink has dried I adhered bits of collage with gel medium and let this dry again.

Next I added some fun postage stamp images with a stamp set that is coincidentally also from Studio Light. I guess I'm a fan 😀 I also made some marks with crayons.

I added a focal image - a butterfly - and a little sentiment. The envelope easily fits six tags in different sizes. A fun project for a winter afternoon. A detailed supplies list can be found in the description below the video. Check it out.

Thank you for reading along and I hope you have a wonderful day!

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Mixed Media Art Journal Page with Collage Fodder

Hello lovelies!

Today I'm sharing a beginner-friendly art journal page with handmade collage, stencils and stamping plus using one of my ready made collage clusters as a focal point. In the picture below you can see a small selection. These are really fun to make plus you have the added bonus of using up those tiny paper scraps.

I've decided to create this page in my large square journal and I have taped off the edges, as I wanted my finished work to have crisp edges. 

Step One

I started by randomly stencilling a dot pattern and then proceeded to tear up some papers, mostly my handmade gelli prints and some old book pages and sheet music. I always like adding the latter, because the musical notes carry their own unique pattern. I adhered them with gel medium and brushed on a thin layer on top not only to seal the papers, but to prepare them for additional layers.

Step Two

While the collage itself looks pretty, I wanted it to "melt" into the background and unify the pieces. The best way to do this is to either brush on a layer of white gesso or in my case I used acrylic paint in titan buff and a brayer. 

Step Three

Once the paint has dried completely I played with some crayons that matched the collage colors and also added some stamping with black ink.

Scroll down to watch the full video tutorial.

Step Four

Finally, I removed the tape and grabbed some of my collage clusters. I wanted to try out different sizes and shapes before committing to one. 

I went with the bird cluster, as I felt the colors harmonized well with the background. I also added a little sentiment. Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed this simple collage work and if you watch the video, please kindly give it a thumbs up ♥

Click to watch the YouTube tutorial:

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Fun & Easy Messy Art in my handmade Junk Journal

Hi lovelies!

It's been so grey and rainy these past few weeks, that I was craving some color. I wanted to make some easy art, that I could fit in between my chores :) That's where my handmade junk journal comes in handy. Since the pages are made with leftover papers, underpapers, junk papers etc. they mostly already have some color or marks on them. A good starting point. For this project I actually used my fingers to "paint". Basically, I chose a couple of my favorite paint colors and randomly smeared them on the page. I guarantee this is so much fun! To see the entire process, scroll down to view the video.

There are not many tools required for this art page. Any journal will do, if you don't have a handmade one. Then pick your favorite paint colors, a couple of wax crayons, and maybe a stamp or two. For my focal point I picked one of my pre-made collage leaf images. If you are interested, you can watch this short video on how I made these.

Fun "finger painting" process below.

Step One - Use your fingers to spread the paint on the page.

A pea-sized dollop of paint will do.

Step Two - I sometimes scratch into the still wet paint to reveal color beneath (optional).

Step Three - Making marks with a crayon.

Step Four - Stamping.

I simply adhered the focal image and a title to the page with a glue stick. Another finishing touch I like to make are splatters! I made some with white acrylic ink on this page and I think they add another layer of interest to the page. Thank you for reading along and I hope my art page has inspired you to try this yourself. Enjoy!

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Bold & Beautiful Art Journal Page

Hello lovelies!

I was going to post a step-by-step tutorial for this art journal spread, but I was so in my element creating it, that I totally forgot to take photos! Sorry about that! However, you can still follow the process in my video here:

Happy Sunday 💕👋

DIY - Easy Valentine's Day Gift Tag

Hi everyone!

I'm back with a cute DIY idea for Valentine's Day. For me, this day has always been about spreading kindness, joy and love to all my family and friends. It's never been about just couples. While I endeavour to be kind all year round, I like the idea of a day dedicated to love. If you are thinking of gifting the special people in your life, why not embellish your gift with a handmade tag? Here's how:

Gather your supplies. You'll need a piece of white card stock or mixed media paper. The size depends on how many tags you intend to make and the type of tag punch that you may have. Alternatively, you can simply cut rectangular tags to your preferred size. Mine are 2.5 " (6,3 cm) wide and 4.5 " long (11 cm)

You will also need:

• a heart stencil

• super heavy white gesso

• a scraper (or old credit card)

• red acrylic ink

• spray water bottle

• alphabet stamps

• red stamp pad

• red ribbon

• scissors

If you have a tag punch, go ahead and make as many tags as required or alternatively cut rectangular tags. Next, line up your stencil on the bottom part of your tag and using the scraper thinly apply the heavy gesso. Make sure the hearts are filled in. Carefully lift off the stencil. This needs to dry completely. It will take a couple of hours, but you can use a heating tool to speed up the process.

 

Once dry, add a couple of drops of red acrylic ink onto the raised hearts and spray them with water. Move the tag from side to side to make the color spread. I placed some used copy paper underneath, so as to not get any paint on my table. Mop up any excess ink with a paper towel. Then set the tag aside to dry.

Now grab your alphabet stamps and red stamp pad. I have a set of silicone stamps, which I use in many of my mixed media projects. I placed my letters on acrylic blocks. If you have wooden stamps you can forego this step. I chose to stamp my word three times to the top part of the tag.

And finally, cut a piece of ribbon and loop it through the hole in the tag. If you have cut your tag into a rectangular shape you will need to punch a hole with a regular hole punch first. And now your tag is ready to attach to a gift! I hope you have as much fun to make these as I did ♥

Relaxing Art with Stencils & Collage

Hi everyone,

I'm back with another mixed media art tutorial. My tutorials are oriented towards those who are just starting to explore the world of mixed media and are curious about all the different techniques. Of course, seasoned artists are welcome too! What I love about mixed media is you don't actually need a lot of stuff to get going. A good quality art journal or pad, your favorite paint colors, some brushes, your favorite stencil and stamp, and a couple of pens/pencils. All of these can be student grade except the surface. It's the same principle as in sewing. The fabric might be a bargain, but the thread must always be high-quality. So, be it a journal or paper pad - make sure you buy heavyweight paper atleast 200 gsm. Because if the paper is cheap, your work will look "off" and you'll be very disappointed at the result. That said, let's get to it:

For this tutorial I grabbed my square journal and taped off the edges, which you can skip. I just like the clean finish when the tape is removed. To ged rid off the blank page I stamped my postcard stamp in two areas. Then wet the page and dropped in some Sky Blue acrylic ink. Using the mop brush I spread the paint until it resembled a cloud like finish.

I layered a stencil on top using three acrylic paint colors. Remember that each layer needs to dry before adding the next layer. You can use a heat tool to speed up the process.

For the top layer I glued down bits of collage paper - tissue paper, vintage-style paper and gelliprints - from my stash. I usually rip the pieces by hand to make them blend into the page better. I then added my focal image and the title for this page. Would you like to see the whole process from start to finish? Watch it here:

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below or on my channel. If you liked this short video tutorial please give me a thumbs up. Thank you and have a beautiful day ~