The Crafter's Workshop BlogThe Great Ocean Floater Mixed Media Art Decor

The Great Ocean Floater Mixed Media Art Decor by Renae Davis

The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with some product to create this project. The opinions I share are solely my own.

light turquoise acrylic paint layer with a sponge through 12x12 TCW357 Cell Theory Stencil on top of TCW9054 Mixed Media Board 12x12 with blue ombre background — light turquoise acrylic paint layer with a sponge through 12×12 TCW357 Cell Theory Stencil on top of TCW9054 Mixed Media Board 12×12 with blue ombre background

Starting with a blue ombre painted background (Ranger Dylusions Acrylics in Periwinkle Blue, Calypso Teal, Polished Jade) using the Gel Press 12”x12” Gel Plate onto TCW9054 Mixed Media Board 12×12, I applied a light turquoise acrylic paint (Turquoise by Ranger Dina Wakley) layer with a sponge through 12×12 TCW357 Cell Theory Stencil.

dark blue acrylic paint with a sponge through 12x12 TCW554 Butterfly Collage Stencil — dark blue acrylic paint with a sponge through 12×12 TCW554 Butterfly Collage Stencil

Next, I applied a semi dark blue acrylic paint (Marine by Ranger Dina Wakley) with a sponge through 12×12 TCW554 Butterfly Collage Stencil. I placed the large circle in the top right hand corner and some of the smaller coffee stain like circles from this stencil around the edges of the bigger circle. I wanted to go for an ocean movement/bubbles/grungy effect.

light green acrylic with a sponge through 12x12 TCW568 Moving Vines Stencil — light green acrylic with a sponge through 12×12 TCW568 Moving Vines Stencil

I love adding seaweed in an ocean setting and this stencil works perfect for it! I applied a generous layer of light green acrylic (Lime by Ranger Dina Wakley) with a sponge through 12×12 TCW568 Moving Vines Stencil and then used a small paint brush to connect the lines.

slightly darker green acrylic paint through 12x12 TCW918 Seahorse Stencil with a sponge. — slightly darker green acrylic paint through 12×12 TCW918 Seahorse Stencil with a sponge.

In the bottom right hand corner I overlaid a slightly darker green acrylic paint (Evergreen by Ranger Dina Wakley) through 12×12 TCW918 Seahorse Stencil with a sponge.

TCW9005 White Modeling Paste with pink acrylic paint through 12x12 TCW868 Gulf Coast Flora Stencil with a palette knife — TCW9005 White Modeling Paste with pink acrylic paint through 12×12 TCW868 Gulf Coast Flora Stencil with a palette knife

I mixed up a generous amount of TCW9005 White Modeling Paste with pink acrylic paint (Blushing by Ranger Dina Wakley) and applied it through 12×12 TCW868 Gulf Coast Flora Stencil with a palette knife at about and inch or two from the bottom of the layout.

TCW9005 White Modeling Paste with orange acrylic paint through 12x12 TCW868 Gulf Coast Flora Stencil with a palette knife — TCW9005 White Modeling Paste with orange acrylic paint through 12×12 TCW868 Gulf Coast Flora Stencil with a palette knife

I mixed up a generous amount of TCW9005 White Modeling Paste with orange acrylic paint (Tangerine by Ranger Dina Wakley) and applied it through 12×12 TCW868 Gulf Coast Flora Stencil with a palette knife at about and inch or two from the bottom of the layout on the opposite side of the pink coral.

mixing TCW9005 White Modeling Paste with beige acrylic paint

Using the remaining paste mixture from the previous step, I added more TCW9005 White Modeling Paste and mixed in acrylic paint in beige and pale yellow colors to create a sand colored mixture.

sand colored modeling paste on bottom of the board.

I then applied the modeling paste all over the bottom of the board with a palette knife, creating texture on top in a sweeping motion.

Here is the background at this point! I think this would great to leave as is, or maybe add a quote or something in the middle of the circle? I will probably replicate this in an art journal layout now that I know how good it turned out.

TCW9012 Shimmery Goodness on gel plate // TCW9006 Gel Medium Gloss mixed with gold glitter

Two side steps I added before adding the focal point: 1) I applied TCW9012 Shimmery Goodness onto a star/diamond gel plate from Gel Press Faith Impressions Kit by Keri Sallee with a palette knife and stamped a few shimmer stars over the background. 2) I mixed a generous amount of chunky gold glitter in some TCW9006 Gel Medium Gloss with a palette knife and applied a layer over top of the modeling paste sand mixture at the bottom of the layout.

TCW9062 Lime Green Stencil Butter, TCW9063 Ocean Blue Stencil Butter, TCW9070 Terre Verte Stencil Butter, TCW9064 Turquoise Stencil Butter and TCW9066 Orchid Stencil Butter through 12x12 TCW610 Sea Turtles Stencil — TCW9062 Lime Green Stencil Butter, TCW9063 Ocean Blue Stencil Butter, TCW9070 Terre Verte Stencil Butter, TCW9064 Turquoise Stencil Butter and TCW9066 Orchid Stencil Butter through 12×12 TCW610 Sea Turtles Stencil

Now for the focal point… I placed 12×12 TCW610 Sea Turtles Stencil over top of the stenciled TCW554 Butterfly Collage circle to make it look like the turtle was going through a rip current. With a palette knife, I applied various shades of TCW9062 Lime Green Stencil Butter, TCW9063 Ocean Blue Stencil Butter, TCW9070 Terre Verte Stencil Butter, TCW9064 Turquoise Stencil Butter and TCW9066 Orchid Stencil Butter through the stencil.

TCW9061 Chartreuse Stencil Butter through remaining lines

I filled in between the lines left by the 12×12 TCW610 Sea Turtles Stencil with TCW9061 Chartreuse Stencil Butter using a small paint brush. In all honesty, I would have done this step before putting the other stencil butter colors down in the previous step had I known it needed that much contrast from the background. Just a tip (:

For the final touches, I added a few splashes of metallic ink on the edges of the layout and added some 3D shell stickers on top of the modeling paste sand.