Mixed Media Canvases

I did this canvas several years ago during an online class with Christy Tomlinson

Completed this yesterday

And another, but changing the branches

When I first started doing mixed media, Cathy and I took every single class that Christy Tomlinson offered online. Most of the classes were only $35, and you had hours upon hours of video, Christy talking about products and methods, and whatever else you needed to do this at home.  If you are interested, I think those classes are still available at the Scarlett Lime online store.  She now has some monthly deal with planners. 

In one of those classes, we did the bird canvas. She had us print out a bird image from clipart, or a magazine, whatever, and use that as a base for the canvas. The birdcage was just lines with a marker over painted scrapbook paper. I have had this hanging on my studio wall for at least 5 years, and always loved it. Doesn't look anything like the original that Christy did in class, but it has held it's appeal to me through out the years. So I decided to try my hand at a few more. The canvases are gallery, which means they have the deeper edges. Size is 4x12, and you can buy these at Michael's.  They used to come in a 3 pack in the store, but my local store doesn't carry the packs anymore. I used old book pages, pattern pieces, and Tim Holtz tissue papers to collage. I used a palette knife to lightly apply some gesso, then very lightly added florescent pink and orange from Golden. A little stamping and some rub-ons were added, and Distress Ink pads were run around the edges. 

The blue bird and cages are die cuts from an old Tim Holtz big die. No idea if you can still buy those. The other, smaller bird is a stamp that I put on water color paper, then painted. You don't have to draw to do these. Be creative! I then painted some torn cardboard pieces, put rub-on letters on old book pages, and put everything together with Liquitex gel medium. The bird cages are also mounted on old book pages. 

Onward to more projects today. Have a great weekend.

Linda