Canvas Mixed Media Art Journal

Today we are making a very shimmery, bold, canvas, mixed media art journal. Karen Bearse here as a guest blogger. I am trying to make this tutorial simple yet dynamic, let’s see if I succeed!! My goal is for you to have the self confidence to take on this project & realize it to completion.

mixed-media-1-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comHere are a few items you may want to make this book. Feel free to substitute. There is a supply list at the bottom of this tutorial. Canvas Corp Brands makes this project easy with their canvas stitched book.. It is already sewn for you to just start adding color, fabric, paper, whatever you choose to make you book. Glimmer Mist gives this project deep color & shimmer. The Crafter’s Workshop stencils are the perfect addition to this mix.

mixed-media-2-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comThis is the cover of my finished book. It measures 6″x12″ & has a canvas wrap around closure that can be colored using sprays, acrylic paint, inks… the list is endless. There are a total of 4 pages, with lots of room to add in more if you want a bigger book. You can color the wrap if you like.

mixed-media-3-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comI started with a piece of 12″x12″ mixed media Origins paper. This is a very unique cloth like paper product. It is made to stand up to paint, sprays, all kinds of inky wet product. This paper is double sided and amazingly designed. I choose a grungy piece that would allow the pattern to be in the background to add depth for my cover. The back side has a wonderful owl collage printed image that will be my inside cover.

mixed-media-4-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comFirst I like to mist or mask using paper. That way I am not wasting product and can use the paper in other projects. I started by spritzing the cover with Glimmer Mist and a few different TCW stencils. To do this mask off the portions you do not want and the edges to prevent lines. I let this dry but found while the images had a pretty watercolor quality, they were not dark enough to stand out from my background.

mixed-media-5-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comI switched gears & spritzed the cover completely using blues, yellows & greens. You can see the previous images ghosting through because I used lighter colors in some spots- bonus. I dried the Origins paper with a heat gun.

mixed-media-6-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comNext was a large medallion stencil. There are quite a few to choose from! Spritzed again using navy & light brown colors. The key to getting a good image is to move your hand as you spray, and use a light coat of mist. If the stencil gets too wet the color leaks under the stencil blurring the image. Build color gradually. Let dry.

mixed-media-7-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comNow to add bold images. For this step I used acrylic paint on a cosmetic foam. The key to a sharp image is less paint. Put a dab of paint on your palette, pick up a pea size amount on the sponge & dab into your sponge on the pallet. You want a very thin layer of paint on the sponge. Hold the stencil down with you fingers and dab the paint on, keeping the stencil firmly down with your fingers.

mixed-media-8-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comUse multiple images all over your cover. I used black, white, navy and a dark teal acrylic painn. The word Life was done with modeling paste mixed with paint.To finish the project sew messily around the edges of the paper. It you don’t want to sew simply leave edges as is, doodle them or adhere washi tape. Add marks to outline images using paint pens & add a chipboard piece. You can further embellish by adding canvas shapes in a contrasting color. Have fun dressing up your cover. To assemble simply fold the cover in half and mark where the book straps need to go through. Cut a slit and sew edges to reinforce them. After sewing I realized this material is strong enough & will probably not tear so feel free to skip this step! I did it more for the look of the stitching.

mixed-media-9-canvas-journal-karenbearse-blogspot-comThat’s it now you have an canvas book that is ready for what ever use you have for it. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and thanks to The Crafter’s Workshop for letting me play today!!

TCW Supplies: 566 Winged Exploration, 627 Life Remembered, 624 Three Tags, 462 Stenciled Stain Glass.

Other Supplies: Canvas Corp Brands- Stitched Book. Tattered Angels- “Hoot” Mixed Media Origins 12×12 paper, Glimmer Mist & Chalkboard Mist. Southern Ridge Trading Co.-Shine Word. DecoArt- Americana acrylic paint. Posca-paint pens.

 

 

 

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