Free-Mixed Media Tips and Techniques! Art Journals and More...

Hello! This week I am doing something special for you...I am digging into my personal stash of tips and techniques that I have compiled and sharing them with you so you can try them out! These are tips that ideas of experimental or "non-usual" ways of using different art mediums. I enjoy experimenting and playing with my art supplies, and thought you might enjoy some of these techniques as a break from the ordinary. Here is the book that I made to keep all of my "research" in:

I went to the Dollar Store and bought a bunch of composition notebooks for $1.00 each, and use them for different things like my techniques, my "found poetry" for each altered book I am working on, and for simple collage and gluebook work. These are great to keep all of your work organized! Now, on to a few tips and ideas for you to try, and I will cover more ideas next time:

1. Try oil pastels under watercolors on watercolor paper, etc. The oil pastels will work as a resist.
2. Try using crushed chalk pastels mixed with a bit of water and paint on for a watercolor effect. You can also wet an area first, then draw on with the pastel for a different look. Or draw with dry pastels and then go over with a wet brush. Your results will be nice and vivid and surprisingly different than when dry!
3. To make acrylic paint glazes, mix 2 parts water, 1 part acrylic paint, and 1 part extender or glaze medium. Blend with a baby wipe to take off excess paint when using. This makes a reat distressed art journal background!
4. When using oil pastels on watercolor paper, put down a watercolor wash on the paper first. It will create a little bit better surface for your oil pastels.
5. Tint gesso with yellow ochre acrylic paint to use to mute colors on an art journal or painting.6
6. To save money on expensive gel mediums, use the gel medium for transfers only...Use Mod Podge, glue stick or other less expensive thinned glues for collage. This will make your gel medium go much longer!
7. To keep dry pages and collages from sticking together in altered books and art journals, etc., use a couple of drops of liquid car wax on a cotton rag and buff the pages lightly. Just put one or two drops on the dry, clean rag and it will work like a charm!

Enjoy using these tips and let me know how they work for you! Don't forget I will be adding more tips next week, so be sure to sign up and follow me so you don't miss any! Happy creating!