Do you love that artsy mix of products on your projects? Want to find out a few tips and tricks for creating different effects? You've come to the right place! Today we have two fabulous mixed-media artists with us! Each one created a new layout adding in a touch (or more) of their favorite mm techniques.
First up is this gorgeous Monet-like garden layout bursting with fresh Prima blooms! Adrienne combined clear gesso, stencils, and Color Bloom sprays for stunning background results. Tip: make sure you dry each color before adding a new one. Seal with clear gesso for even better results between colors.
"Spring is upon us and I am inspired by the lovely colors that are cropping up! I am particularly loving yellow this season, and the daffodils are nothing short of bold and beautiful! Prima's new yellow florals make it so easy to recreate a garden masterpiece." ~Adrienne Ford
Prima Products: 962593 Micro Beads Silver, 961541 Texture Paste Clear Crackle, 573799 Color Bloom Spray Mist Vintage Coal, 570019 Resin Frame, 961459 Heavy Gesso Black, 961428 Soft Matte Gel, 960377 Vintage Trinkets, 572051 Wire thread. Other: 12x12 grey board, staples
Prima Products: 847463 Everlast , 961442 Heavy Gesso White, 961466 Gesso Clear, Color Bloom Sprays: 580261 Yellow Mustard, 573799 Vintage Coal, 573898 Cobalt, 573850 Lime Wedge, 573782 Soft Teal; 580377 Butterflies, 579357 SIIC, 892579 Leaves, 565503 Vine, 581879 Lalia, 581985 Freya
Louise's creations are always mouth-dropping! Her ability to create depth and drama with just a few products is simply beyond amazing! Let's jump right in because Louise shares a few of her favorite mixed-media tips below!
Louise has really loved experimenting with the new release mixed-media products to create background effects that are just a little different from what you might expect.
For this particular layout Louise first prepped the background with black gesso. When dry she applied a layer of clear crackle medium, quite randomly, using a palette knife. Louise partially dried this with a heat tool, but allowed some areas to remain still wet (with a slight skin over the surface.) These are the areas that still appear white, the dry areas will become clear was they dry. Louise then sprayed the background with Vintage Coal Color Bloom spray; Louise's words are 'drench the background'. Then dry with a heat tool. This has allowed areas of light grey to show through with the highlighted crackles of the crackle medium. And with the brass metallic undertone of the Color Bloom spray it really takes the crackled pattern from drab to fab!
When you see this close up of the micro-beads it's really hard to imagine that they are adhered, they seem to just float on the surface of the layout, but we promise you, they really are well and truly stuck to the background! What Louise has done is slightly water down some of the fabulous gel medium and applied it lightly to the background, using a soft bristle fan brush, in a sweeping motion. When it is applied in the desired areas, Louise literally upended the whole container of micro beads over the gel medium, and shake off excess beads. Louise then took a clean dry paint brush to gently brush off any beads that were in areas that she didn't want. The result: a gorgeous, multi-layered, dramatically beautiful layout filled with texture and visual interest!
Which mixed-media tips are you dying to try? I'm loving the clear gesso tip by Adrienne AND Louise's background techniques! I even have some of those micro-beads to add to the mix! If you try these out please share them with us!
I love Adriennes techniques and layout!! The colors are awesome and her background techniques with the clear gesso and color blooms are so beautiful!!!
Posted by: Nancy Lorenz | Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 11:52 AM
Stunning!!!!
Posted by: luciana w | Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 02:23 PM
Wow - wonderful. j.
Posted by: Joi@RR | Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 02:55 PM
Love the mystery, texture and depth in Louise's layout. Wow!
Posted by: Seth | Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 04:32 PM
Lovely backgrounds!
Posted by: Danielle | Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 05:58 PM
Such amazing pages!!! : )
Posted by: Ilana Polakiewicz | Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 07:22 PM
Oh Wow! thank you so so very much Seth! :) :) :)
Posted by: Louise Nelson | Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 11:09 PM
The first layout is simply stunning.
Posted by: Betsy Skagen | Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 04:04 AM
Wow! Both of these layouts are absolutely gorgeous. I love the colors and final page of Adrienne and Louise's layout is amazing, her techniques are so unique and produce amazing results, beyond creative!
Posted by: Randi M | Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 08:23 AM
Much 😘 Randi!
Posted by: Louise Nelson | Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 10:17 AM
Wonderful projects!! I am definitely going to try sealing with clear gesso between layers!
Posted by: Helen Tilbury | Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 05:48 PM
what beautiful work
Posted by: Jennifer Snyder | Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 08:16 PM
Oh wow!!!! Amazing works of heART! :)
Posted by: Nicole Doiron | Sunday, May 17, 2015 at 07:06 PM
Totally floored by the ingenious Miss Loolabelles techniques! The one and beautiful Adrienne knows how to capture beauty on a page too! LOVE these! xoxo
Posted by: Eila Sandberg | Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at 08:07 AM