Sunday, July 10, 2011

Materials That You Can Use For Mixed Media

By Clara Berta


Mixed media, from acrylic paints to ink to collage, is employed in a variety of artworks that adds texture and body to an artist's home.. Though it can be difficult to start a mixed media item, mixed media is not as hard as it seems, and a number of effects is possible. Mixed media could be as follows:

1) Light to Heavy. Place lighter mediums such as watercolour paints or even acrylic paints on the canvas or board initially before switching to weightier and thicker mediums like wax and oil paints. Create a coarse draft by drawing a graphic in pencil on the support just before laying down your first layer of the work then continuing with every media. Allow each layer to dry up right before continuing to the next. Take care not to make the piece too heavy if you want to hang it on the wall. 2) Pictures. Using both photographs and photo transfers allows you to place text and pictures on your own canvas. Both add a component to your piece that's much more mechanical and defined, for images and textual content are not humanly created but employed in the artwork.

3) Knives as well as Brushes. Making use of knives and various items to produce texture can also add fascinating effects to the artwork. Modelling compound could also be used to make eye-catching visual components in a piece. Large brushes, or those that have rough bristles, can certainly accentuate brushstrokes. Knife tips may be used to produce a dented surface. Utilize a serrated knife to add consistency to wet paint, as for corrugated metal effects. Improve surface textures with the help of gesso, heavy body mediums available in craft and hobby shops, and modelling paste. Allow any kind of mediums not combined with paint to dry completely just before adding other media to the surface area. Utilize sponges to produce numerous textures in paint, like fuzzy colours for backgrounds or in organic forms. Grattage refers to scraping texture in dried gesso, often with a palette or serrated knife. Frottage means method of rubbing a pencil, charcoal or some other drawing medium above an object or textured surface to make an impression of that surface. Frottage can be a helpful way to start a piece by informing the lines and also shapes.

4) Discovered Objects. Found objects like strings, feathers or any other light pieces found in your day to day life can bring an intriguing dimension to your work. These things can be used on top of your piece or underneath it to add substance and texture. They will help add value to your artwork.

The term mixed media art means the use of various media in the production of one work. This can allow for excellent versatility and a rich viewer experience as the eye uncovers the multiple layers that often characterize mixed media art. The character of mixed media plays a role in its popularity within the modern art world, as it can blend well with conceptual visual formulation. The outcome could be less a direct visual statement than a way to give irony into play as a comment on a visual statement. In some instances, mixed media art is frequently utilized to express political views or social statements.




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