Tag: Painting

Because of its translucency, tracing paper can be an artist’s best friend when it comes to auditioning designs for artwork.

Sandrine Pelissier’s 4 Tips for Trying Out Patterns

Patterns are a fun addition to any design, but they can be very time consuming to create, especially for large projects. Before committing to an idea, it is nice to be able to visualize how a color or a pattern will look so you can more confidently apply it to your work. Here are four…

5 Astonishing Art Techniques from Rae Missigman

Rae Missigman is our Artist of the Month for September, and we’re so happy to spotlight this artist and her unique art techniques. Rae brings so much vibrancy and excitement to mixed-media art, and her work has inspired countless artists—and me! As we celebrate Rae this month, we rounded up some of her most eye-opening…

Total Abstraction: Paint Your Own Abstract Masterpiece

“Summertime is all about the sunshine and the outdoors. It’s our chance to put away the dark palette of winter and pull out some light and bright colors. After viewing an exhibition of Richard Diebenkorn’s Ocean Park series, I was enchanted with his cool and fun palette of colors. In this project I borrow both…

How to Build a Painting

“When I become a hunter-gatherer and seek out unusual materials for my artwork, I discover new sources of inspiration. This project can make cleaning out the garage or storage closet fun and exciting. I love using up leftover products from other projects. I find that they spark my imagination, and I feel more freedom to…

Wave Your Flag, Mixed-Media Style

Mixed-media artists rarely follow a formulaic approach to making art. Give us a tutorial, and we’ll add our own special touches until the finished piece is uniquely ours. That’s what Sue Pelletier did when she attended a paint bar with friends. Instead of painting the Statue of Liberty with the class, she painted a flag; then…

Hand Painted Papers: Stash Building

The other day I was looking for some hand painted papers for a collage project, and was dismayed that my stash was down to next to nothing. Every once in a while it’s a good idea to create a collection of decorated papers; they’re an essential part of your mixed-media art supplies. Nothing comes close…

Diving Into Mixed-Media Abstracts

My fear of the blank page is trumped by my fear of the hot mess stage of artwork. In fact, not wanting to deal with that stage at all is sometimes what prevents me from trying a new technique, especially one that incorporates painting. But I decided to face that fear after reading Jodi Ohl’s…

5 Painting Techniques You Need from Annie O’Brien Gonzales

Annie O’Brien Gonzales doesn’t just love to paint—she enjoys sharing her knowledge and advice with anyone who has the same passion. We’re thrilled to feature Annie as our Artist of the Month for March, and show you her great techniques, projects, and ideas for mixed-media painting. Annie believes that anyone can paint, and she encourages…

Painting Techniques that Make You Trust Your Gut

I’m guessing there is no shortage of acrylic paint in your workspace. Mine either. Since I frequently use paint in my mixed-media art I’m always looking for new painting techniques and ideas, just to make sure things don’t get stagnant. Feeling like I needed to shake up my routine, I opted for a project in…

Creating Layers for Mixed Media with Seth Apter

I’m thrilled to let you know that Seth Apter has two brand new Creative Workshop videos: 10 Techniques for Mixed Media Artists, and 10 Techniques for Painting Layers. If you’ve seen Seth’s incredible artwork, you know that he’s an expert at creating layers for mixed media with tons of depth and texture. Wonder no longer…