Layers Upon Layers: Mixed Media Art

Mixed paper collage backgrounds

by Cyndi on January 9th, 2007

Technique Tuesday!

Yesterday, on Make Art Monday, I shared the piece that I call Margaret. Today, I want to take you through the simple steps involved in creating a multi-layered paper background like the one used in Margaret.

1. Choose a heavy substrate like watercolor paper, canvas, or matte board. Using gel medium, glue down many different types of paper, tearing and overlapping them. Do not wipe up excess gel medium that leaks out from beneath the papers. Let it dry thoroughly.
2. Using ink pads or a cosmetic sponge and thick acrylics, wipe colors over the tops of the papers. Use a fairly dry application so that the paint does not go on evenly. The excess gel medium will also act as a resist and give you more variation. Let the paints or inks dry.
3. Mix up a thin glaze color and apply it fairly evenly over the entire piece to pull all the papers together.

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POSTED IN: Collage, Mixed Media, Paper, Technique Tuesday, Tutorials & Techniques