Wondering what Came First?

According to Mixed Media Art, being a crafter is something that you should be proud of because from the many arts available today like journaling and scrapbooking, old techniques of doing so are slowly coming back into the market. On the other hand, there is more description of the primitive tools used in the in the early days as highlighted below and which will depict how the artistic industry has grown:

• The acrylic paint which was used in the late 1930’s is still available today and in this case for many more uses.
• Permanent ink markers have since replaced the ancient Sumi painting
• Encaustic which was one of the earliest Greek arts but has apparently become one of the newest darlings on the art scene. This is because it can be used with embellishments, collage, fiber, papers, and textured or glossy surfaces.
• Oil was carefully prepared in the studios by apprentices. Syringes and pig bladders were considered the early tubes to use then.
• Tools required that you are creative and anything that would make a mark would literally be used.

So far many artists have found themselves using primitive tools and materials to make their artistic dreams come true. Moreover manufacturers have created design labs which will supposedly take care of the demands for more papers, embellishments, texturing tools, paints, stamps, inks, books, etc.

Presenting Creativity with Simple Images of Handmade Creations

Mixed Media art can be addictive, passionate and a pastime activity so is the finding and gathering of interesting paper ephemera and images. This article tends to share with you various inclusions into your artwork that can make it more inspiring and more so your handmade creations. Some of your creations will include:

• Images of vintage Birthday cards with wishes on which you can apply modern twist on and still achieve something beautiful.
• Creative prompts
• Inspiring quotes that will create art journal layouts which will end up giving you some art journaling inspiration. You can get more of them by visiting “ Inspiring Quotes for Art Journaling”.
•  Vintage Christmas greeting cards with ephemera sheet images  that you can turn into handmade greeting cards.
• Gratitude Journal pages
• Letters Home
• The “Numbers have it” cards
• Mother’s Day sentiments
• Cute Easter cards
• Vintage Easter Wishes cards
• New Year’s Reflection cards
• Streets of Rome Cards
• Patterns and shapes that will give you a lot of inspirations
• Gratitude journaling
• Nautical themes
• Driving into the 40s images etc.

All the above are ways you can present your imagination and creation by use of simple images.

Developing your Artistic Ideas with Simple Materials

Susan Walls is a Mixed Media Jewelry Artist with a charm for creativity and art. This is well explained by the jewelry and clothes she had made and wears despite having taken a different pathway after college, that of a restaurant business.

Susan began to make her own jewelry in 1990′s on a part time bases and started playing with resin about 5 years ago while watching the increase in popularity of ICE resin along the way. It is until when she began having kids that she found herself at cross-roads with the restaurant business and immediately transitioned to a stay at home mom, which, as we all know, has its own challenges. She ended up with the artistic business which she began by painting murals. Eventually she shifted her focus and on to the mixed media jewelry.

In her pieces of art, she will include such materials like Resin, metal elements and shrink plastic. Her themes on the jewelry will have humor and words that capture our imaginations. According to her she wants people to laugh and respond. As a result of her obsession of her style of mixed media jewelry, Susan keeps a notebook beside her bed to capture those inspiring ideas in the middle of the night and jot them down so she can remember them in the morning. You too can develop your passion.

Travelling on a Creative Journey

For you to achieve in art, you have to develop a creative journey.  Mixed Media Art brings to you a creative journey travel to advise you on what you need to put in place to kick start on your journey. Tamara Dinius has a way with artistic expression even though she learnt it the hard way.  This is what she says you should embrace towards the road to creative freedom:

• A can do attitude – According to Tamara Yoda was right when he said “Do, or do not, there is no try”. Make and make more art.
• Self Confidence – Believe in the self that all the artistic point of view you have is all yours lest you try to emulate others. You will only be true to yourself if find your own style.
• Patience – It takes time to develop your own style and since you didn’t learn to walk before you crawled, embrace your imperfections and continue to practice your art. It does not matter how many times you fall but how soon you get up.
• Support – Seek support from those whom you are sharing your creative journey with. You could join groups with similar interests as well as appreciate other people’s work with encouraging comments.
• Freedom – Don’t limit yourself in expression using a creative process.
• Your wings that will facilitate your growth.

Now you know what to brig on your creative journey!

Become a Self Creating Artist with your own Creations

If you love artwork creativity, Mixed Media Art has brought to your attention various wonderful gallery Ranger booths from different designers and artists whom in their own creations tried to answer the question of “How do you Distress?” Below are a few artists who displayed their creativity and which caught everyone’s eye:

• Julie Fei-Fan Balzer presented metallic rectangle stack up which was full of color and amazing texture.
• Donna Downey had wonderful 3D poppies with lots of texture and depth. You would have loved to touch this all the way.
• With soft bluey, green background and using stencils and a paint wash, Dina Wakely created gorgeous face sketch of 3D elements.
• Using a range of inks and stamps to frame the central focal point, Richele Christensen created a lovely piece while adding a variety of garden elements to compete the work.
• Vintaj Design Team created gorgeous 3D butterflies which were such a delight with their colours and 3D design. The beauty was enhanced by the tree branch, using a real twig, and leaves.

All the pieces that were created by the above artists and others had a way with inspiration especially with the variety of colours used. This was all courtesy of the Mixed Media Techniques. It is very possible that you will find all styles interesting. Good luck!

How the Concept of Craft Test Dummies was Created

Probably you have no idea what Craft Test Dummies have to do with presentation of beauty and review of products. This is according to Jenny Barnett Rohrs who carries out simple product reviews and tutorials on a remarkable website. Markers will be used on different papers, inks across different mediums and unusual ways will be used to make cards and other crafts.

Craft Test Dummies website was born after Jenny realized that she could not find answers online regarding which markers were suitable to include on her fabric quilts and how long the adhesive she used would take to dry. Since 2008 the website has been growing steadily and attracting like-minded people who want to be online craft – mentors.  The website so far has four other “Testers”, all volunteers.

The success for Craft Dummies website is based on these two key principles:

• “we are provided product to review, but the review will be honest first, and helpful second”
• “Our audience can smell a fake and we will turn stuff down if it’s not right for the blog”.

Jenny and her testers will also provide manufacturers with feedback about their products.  She enjoys a range of craft and will “play with anything”. “Paint, mist, stencil, draw, Zentangles – whatever is at hand”.

She is a working mother and will juggle her family and business. Besides, she has a supportive partner.  Jenny has her passion for all things crafting shines through and her parting shot is that “You need to believe in what you are doing”. 

Making your Own Ribbon Wrapped Journal

Mixed Media Art will always be at hand to help you out with your creativity. We all love to give gifts and MMA have packed a secret for you of a personalized gift; that of a ribbon wrapped Journal.  You will need items like Needle and thread, Ribbon and journal of choice, cutters and markers, Metal D ring, adhesives, Velcro strips and embellishments.

The process of making the journal is as follows:

• Wrap the ribbon 1.5 times around your journal but ensure the D – ring is at the front and Velcro closure at the back. Then sew a seam on both ends of the ribbon.
• Sew the D ring on to one end of the ribbon then, wrap the ribbon around the journal and thread the ribbon through the ring to determine the placement of the Velcro strip. The ribbon should not be twisted and the D – ring should be straight.
• Mark the placement for the Velcro strips with a fabric pen or marker. While the ribbon is still wrapped around the journal go ahead and mark the place for your embellishments.
• Now Remove ribbon and attach the Velcro strip according to package instructions. Using your imaginations and creativity, add your embellishments.
• Once the embellishments are attached to the ribbon, wrap it around the journal again while gluing it to the spine of the journal.

You have finished your journal project!

Gelli Plate Prints for Colorful Backgrounds

Beauty is always good to the eyes and so is the ability that enables you to put your creativity to the best use. However Mixed Media Art have their way of showing you how to do so using colorful prints or jelly plate prints as follows:

• Handmade greeting cards – You can show off your colorful prints by tearing the jelly prints to size, add a little ink round the edges then use double sided tape to stick it to the card while stamping a greeting.
• Teabag folding – Identical prints are preferred for this and more so the Gelli plate prints. Of course you will have to fold them into the right shape so as to have the correct flower arrangement.
• Personalized Envelopes and stationery – Prints that are just lying around can be put into better use by making envelopes. This is besides the Christmas gift wrappers.
• Art Journaling – You can create pre – printed backgrounds of an art journal using excess paint from the stencils and brayer. The color – coordinated prints will in addition add beautiful features.

The above techniques are so inspiring and if you don’t have a collection of these prints, you can still use bought background papers or backgrounds you have made using other mixed media techniques like found object painting.

Using Duct Tapes in making Colorful Flowers

Have you ever thought about the beauty of duct tape flowers what you can make out of them? According to Angee Woodman’s exploration, adding a flower onto the end of a pen or pencil, a skewer or wire would give you great designs. Here are the simple tools that will enable you to achieve the same:

• Scissors
• Skewer, wire or pen for supporting the flower
• Two colors of duct tape regardless of the design

With the above tools you will follow the steps/process below to make your duct tape flowers: –

Step 1:

You begin by covering the base of your skewer, wire or pen while wrapping the same the same with the duct tape.

Step 2:

Make the petals by measuring two inches of duct tape of whatever print of color you want to use.  20 pieces will do for a small flower but you can still add if your feel the flower is not yet full.

Step 3:

Bend one corner so as they look like a boat sail and fold the other edge over. Wrap this around the very end of the pen opposite of the end you write with. The print should be on the outside and the sticky part of your petal should be wrapped around the pen base.

Step 4:

Repeat the process with an objective of putting petals in between other petals as the flower takes shape.

Step 5:

Now add leaves so as to blend with the stem and there you have it.

Artistic Mixed Media Ornaments for Christmas

It is during a festive season that many people tend to show case their creativity especially in art. Mixed Media has not been left behind. In an effort to share their passion Mixed Media Art has been able to put to good use its techniques by making Media Christmas Ornaments using the Mixed Media supplies. Let’s see what they made:

• Cookie Cutter Ornaments – While your creativity in making this will dictate you – whether to be simple or lavish, you will be able to display those lovely ephemera sheets and lovely background. However the gluing part will need a lot of care.

• Paper Origami Flower Ornament – According to Jenn of Origami Twist this involves gluing and folding gorgeous flower ornaments.

• Paper Ephemera ornaments – This comes about as a result of lots of collections which include old book pages, paper ephemera, and painted backgrounds in addition to Gelli prints. You can also add some red ribbon and sparkly glitter to this Christmas ornament.

• Beading Mini Wreath Ornament – Those that are passionate about jewelry, it is in making this ornament that you will be able to apply your jewelry making skills.  You will then need a collection of beads, jewelry wire and some ribbons. To create an interesting wreath, you could mix buttons and beads.

• Button Tree ornaments – This is a must try ornament for those of us that are button fetish.