Paper Towel Rolls Mini Book

With her art style that is fun, whimsy and eclectic Melanie Statnick is a Canadian Mixed Media & Collage Artist creates art daily from her private studio. She has so far learned how to make books and other note pads with recyclable paper towel rolls and bath room tissue rolls. She says that there are many different ways to make and design these and from the example below, you can learn more:

Supplies you will need to acquire include:

• Craft paper or scrap book.
• Paper Roll
• Micron or copic pens
• Hole punch
• Images, letter, word art
• Binder Rings
• Gel Medium.

The following is the process of creating your mini Book.

• Flatten out the paper roll. Cut it in half. Glue the inside of both rolls to create your front and back cover and let dry.
• Measure approximately where you want to have your holes and use the hole punch to punch through. Then measure and cut your craft paper the same size as your roll covers and punch holes in each to match your covers.
• When your papers are cut use four and glue them to your covers front and back.
• When you are finished with your pages use your binder rings to hold the book together.

You can find more ideas on Pinterest and you can also involve your children since the creating is all easy and fun.

Creating a Packing Tape Postcard

Martice Smith II has these stunning illustrations that reveal her love for fashion, typography and wildlife- using a combination of analog and digital techniques. Below she illustrates a quick and simple way of creating image transfers made from packing tape. You will eventually end up with a stunning postcard- worthy of being framed!

Gather your supplies as follows:

• Bone folder
• Scissors
• A bowl of water
• 4×6 inch cardstock paper
• Magazine pages and paper ephemera

Steps of making a packing Tape post card

• Prepare the image transfer then cut strips of packing tape to the size of your image.
• From the center out, use the bone folder to remove any bubbles or creases.
• Trim around your image and place into bowl of water.
• Rub away the paper backing with your thumbs. For a clean, crisp image, make sure you do not scratch the surface of the tape while rubbing off the paper.
• After the tape dries, paper fibers may reappear. If so, re-moisten the paper and gently, rub them off.
• Discard paper fibers from bowl.

You can now go ahead and create your postcard whereby there are many approaches you can use to create an elegant and modern post card.  Happy creating!

Greeting Cards from Recycled Materials

Laura Thykeson has been totally immersed in mixed media art for many years. The excitement was even more when she discovered altered books and art journals about a year ago and have been hooked ever since. While many artists tend to make their own beautiful and original greeting cards for all occasions and from their own creativity, she attempted to write up a tutorials for beginners who have just ventured into this field which she describes as all fun.

Materials Required:

• Blank watercolor card w/envelope
• Bits and pieces of our recycled art, old art journal pages, paint splattered pieces of papers, collage material, pretty paper napkins, stamps (optional), any 3d embellishments you choose.
• Coordinating scraps of “stencil play” pages, scraps of cardstock
• ATC’s in abstract, colorful and textured designs, or even postcards

Instructions:

• Chose your blank watercolor card and glue and layer them on the front page of the card to start your colorful background.
• Once dry, open up your card and spread glue or adhesive all over both sides of the inside pages of the card.
• Add some cool sayings or words on the inside of the card using your choice of stamps.
• Trim all around the edges of the card to give it some interest and texture.
• Cut small strips of abstract, glittery watercolor paper scraps.

This is a really fun and easy way to make a unique and interesting card for any occasion. Use your creativity.

Encaustic Painting for Beginners Part 1

Elaine Brady Smith loves creating acrylic mixed media and encaustic collages. However she would like to help take the mystery out of “getting started” with encaustic painting since she has met a lot of people who are fascinated about the same. There is a lot of information to relay but she would rather start with FAQs about Encaustic Painting:

What does Encaustic mean?

It is a Greek word which means to burn in. this element of heat is necessary for a painting and so to be called encaustic.  Encaustic painting uses numerous techniques to produce a wide range of results.

What is Encaustic Medium?

It is made of beeswax melted with Damar resin with a ration of 5:1 up to 10:1. While is it is less expensive to make your own encaustic medium, ready-made medium is as clean and pure as you can get for clear coverage and bright colors.

What Substrates Can I Paint Encaustic On?

Wax will adhere to a variety of surfaces. The most important thing to remember is that the surface must be absorbent and porous.

What Equipment do I need for Fusing?

A heat gun is more preferable because it can be control the amount of air when fusing layers. It is the best heat source for beginners.

What Equipment do I need for Encaustic Painting?

You will need a palate on which to melt your medium and pigment cakes.

What Other Tools do I need for Encaustic Painting?

You need tools to apply the wax to your surface. Cheap bristle brushes are great for this and can be purchased at the hardware or craft store. Get started in encaustic painting.

Making Handmade Candle Holder

Besides her love of working with mixed Media, Sandra Parés enjoys creating and getting her hands dirty with paint and gesso. The colors and textures leave her amazed. Using the steps below, she was able to make a candle holder with a magic light that would illuminate her summer nights. Keep reading to see how she did it:

Supplies required:

• Wire and a candle
• A stencil
• White tissue paper
• A make up brush
• a star die
• 8”x10” Gelli Plate
• Facetten-Lack metallic platin Vica Deco
• A big shot and a Brayer
• Black acrylic paint
• Hair spray

Steps followed:

Use the brayer to put the black paint over the stencil then press the stencil over the gelli plate.

• Surround your jar glass with a piece of tissue paper which must be large enough. put the tissue paper over the gelli plate to print the texture.
• Open a few holes in our piece of tissue paper with the Big Shot and the star die
• Paste with extra heavy gel medium the tissue paper around the glass jar and leave it to dry then paint the holes with Facetten-Lack to give a touch translucent at the glass.
• Once dried add color and you can paint with the Primary Elements of LuminArte but you will have to spray the entire glass jar with hairspray

The result will be beautiful and shining: a candle holder with a magic light for your most special nights.

Expressing your Feelings with Creative Art

Kim Kelley loves to learn and explore new techniques and hopes that any art she creates leads someone to find their inner creative artist. She loves mixed media art because you are free to go beyond your comfort zone, using your imagination and exploring an anything goes mind set.  On the other hand some people will tell you they find themselves in the creative mood when they are happy while some say that their best piece of art came out of their lowest time.

For Kim the more “personal art” she has created over the years, came out of her being at her saddest. This is when Koda, a family puppy got sick with an auto immune disease until at a point when they had to let him go because his white blood cells had dropped from medication and was not improving. She wanted to create something as a result.

She started with a 9 X 12 canvas, cutting a square in the center for her picture to show through. After adding textures and letting them dry, she used some copper, orange and gold sprays to mimic the colors from the photo she was going to use. The inside was painted with brass and black paints and outside white paint mixed with a little bit of stucco for texture.  She added a few metal pieces angel wings, a key, a lock and a dog tag that has “KODA IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER”.

Creating Art Journals: Tips and Tricks

Tamara Dinius is not your usual girl on the streets.  Her love for mixed media is thrilling and has taken over most aspects of her creative journey. She believes mixed media allows for a broad range of styles and anyone can find success in this form of artistic expression. Her two grown up daughters make her creative life more exciting as a result of their overwhelming support. They ground her, embrace her and make her life meaningful. In her own view they are amazing people in their own right.

She has created two videos that show and explain the process of completing an art journal layout start to finish. You will find yourself using supplies such as Dylusion Sprays, Liquitex Acrylic Inks, stencils, papers, gold leafing, as well as other items. The whole artistic creative layout will not take more than 30minutes.  Art with color is all very exciting and relaxing. Tamara is the type to play with colors till they can get something out of it. She more often than not makes art journals. Together with her husband who is also her encouragement they love in the Pacific Northwest.  She says you can be as creative as you may wish. So get imagining and start creating. Happy creating!

Making your Own Magnetic Chalk Board

Gloriann Irizarry loves to sculpt and will never stop creating and she confesses that Art has been a great of being able to express herself. Having been absent minded for some time, she decided to create a piece of art that would help her get a little more organized. She chose to create a Magnetic Chalk Bulletin Board.

Materials used:  

• Creative Paperclay 16 0z
• Cookie baking sheet ( I found mine at the dollar Store)
• Chalkboard Valspar Paint
• Acrylic paints
• Paint Brushes
• Super Strong Magnets
• Fast Grab Tacky Glue
• Leaf Cutters

Steps followed:

• Spray the can of the Chalkboard spray paint all over the back of the baking cookie sheet and let it dry. Two coats of the paint will do.
• Have a big clay sheet manually to a ¼ in thickness that you will roll and cut to start creating the trunks for the trees that will be covering the frame. Draw and create the wood grain effect for the tree.
• Give the over lapping trunk effect to give more interest to the piece.
• Before the completed top wood trunk dry, use the needle tool to pierce the pre drilled holes in the clay and let it dry.
• Roll a Creative Paper clay sheet to a ¼ in thickness to add a nice grass effect to the lower portion of the board.
• Paint to your favorite colors and use leaf cutters to stamp away.
• Let the magnets dry on the magnetic board.
• Once the paint had dry, it is time to glue some of those leaves we had work on.

ART is so rewarding and seeing your creation take form is an awesome feeling.

Use your Own Style to Make an Accordion Book

As a Mixed Media & Collage Artist, Melanie Statnick creates art daily from her private studio. She is said to have fun, whimsy and eclectic style. She advises that creating your own style of journals mini books or according books looks up to your imagination. According to her, Pinterest is full of inspired artists in the present and in the past each with their own style. It can be horizontal or vertical fashion. Here is how to make yours, in a fast and simple way in case you’re making art at the speed of life:

Materials Required

• Ribbons
• Water Colors
• Cardboard (craft) or heavy card stock
• Gel Medium
• Watercolor paper 140lbs cold press
• Stamps and/or other word stickers

Steps to Follow

• Measure your watercolor paper approx. 11”x4”. Measure your cardboard the same to a bit larger 12 x 5”.
• Apply gel medium (glue) to the cardboard piece you’ve cut. This is the cover of your book.  Lay your ribbon down onto the glued cardboard, and then lay your painted watercolor paper on top of your ribbon.
• Fold paper into itself in an accordion fashion.
• You can stamp or draw anything you want to create one long piece of art.
• When you are happy with your end result use the ribbon to wrap around your book if you have cut it longer. Tie it up in a bow and use it for a gift or make a shelf full.

Happy Creating!

Getting Creative Inspiration from your Inner Child

Melanie Statnickis a Published Artist and whose style of art is fun, whimsy and eclectic, creates art daily from her private studio. She remembers having spent many summers enjoying the great outdoors as she grew up. As a little girl she played in the yard, climbed the walls across the street and discovered new things while she watched all her favorite TV shows. Summer was so inspiring for her and it is so good for kids because it is the time they are on summer break from school.  Trying to find something to keep the kids happy and busy can be a job in itself.   It can also suck the creative life out of you.  Face it, kids have high energy and they siphon it from you like little gas tanks.

So where do you get your inspiration over the summer vacation? It is from your inner child. But does it really influence your art?  Doodling and painting all the wonderful things made her inner child feel good.  If you are stuck for journaling or painting this is a great prompt to help you get started. Look through old photos of you growing up, where you liked to play, were you liked to play the most, the imagination you had to play house and make forts in trees, the fun friends you made over the summer. Summer vacation can look a lot brighter when you remember how to play like a kid.