"Transform" Mixed Media Painting by ~Donna

Hello my peeps! I love mixed media... I mean, REALLY love it! I love how you get some crazy textures just by applying different mediums in different orders, adding water, adding heat, dry brushing, layering, etc... Texture just makes me happy.

I created this painting over multiple different sessions. The original background took a few hours, then the textures were added with LOTS of different mediums and that took another couple hours. Then I decided that the painting was too dark and had to do a white wash on the whole thing to tone it down which took another hour or so and the final little details took me another hour or so. There was LOTS of love that went into this canvas. I don't have a tutorial for you today... because this canvas is really big (6 feet across) and the step by step photos were too difficult, but I do have lots of close ups and can tell you the product that I used.

This is a handmade canvas that my dad helped me make back when I was in college. This is the 3rd time that I've painted over it because it is such an awesome canvas but my style has been refined over the last 20+ years and if I feel that one of my paintings can be improved... I just add on or paint over it.

I began by painting over the entire background (in small sections) with a thick layer of Liquitex Titanium White paint. I spritzed Smooch Spritz in several colors over the wet paint and then sprayed water over it to make the color and paint blend. I worked in small sections so that I could also use a heat gun to get the background to crackle where the different mediums were blending together. If you try this drippy technique you may want to sit your canvas in a large tray to catch the water and paint.

I wanted to mention that Smooch Spritz isn't permanent unless you add something to act as a fixative. When it mixes with paint and water it will become permanent but I always like to add matte medium or a decoupage medium over the painted canvas periodically. This also helps me to get the crazy layering that my paintings usually have as well.

 In the photo below you can see how the Smooch Spritz and water, dripped into the thick layer of white acrylic paint and made little rivulets. You can also see some of the Art Anthology Dimensional Crystal paint in Champagne that I added through a stencil to add transparent bits of sparkle and color.

 In the photo below I created the textured damask using a stencil that I cut using my Silhouette and Liquitex Natural Sand texture paste. I had to let it dry naturally then it was painted over with Art Anthology Velvet Dimensional paint in Truffle. I white washed the canvas and then added some Art Anthology Dimensional Crystal in Champagne over the top. I wanted to add a bit more color to the raised design so I ran my Mix'd Media Inx CHOX pad in Drifwood over it. I would caution that if you are going to try this at home that you make sure to dab the pad and don't rub it because the texture paste can act like sandpaper on your pad.

 You can see the stenciled brick and number texture in the background as well as the white dripped paint from when I white washed the canvas. The brick and numbers were one of the first things that were added to the canvas using Liquitex Flexible Modeling Paste.

 Below is an even better view of the stenciled texture as well as the areas where I rubbed Art Anthology Velvet Dimensional paint in Mayan Gold over the letters to highlight the edges.

 In the photo below you can see more damask shapes using textured paste and some using the Art Anthology Dimensional Crystal paint. 

 Product used:

Clearsnap/Colorbox 

Mix'd Media Inx CHOX - Driftwood

Smooch Spritz - Sea Breeze, River Mossy, Navy Twinkle, Wood Stain, Caramel Latte

Art Anthology

Velvet Dimensional Paint - Truffle, Mayan Gold

Dimensional Crystal - Champagne

Liquitex

Basics Paint - Titanium White

Effects Medium - Natural Sand

Flexible Modeling Paste

If you haven't checked it out yet... I'm one of 8 instructors who will be teaching during The True Scrap 6 event which is happening on Oct 18th. There is a great video that will give you a quick look at who is teaching and what each class is about on the info page HERE. I hope you can join us!

Thanks for stopping by! Smooches ~D~

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