I have another fabric mixed media for you today. I am feeling like I need some spring, so I created this hibiscus flower fabric mixed media canvas.
It was so good to get back into my fabric mixed medias and this one turned out great.
I just used pink and green fabric as my base, this canvas didn’t need a lot of fabric colors to make it work.
Hibiscus Flower Fabric Mixed Media
The bold flower in the center works great with the green background. And the gold beads in the center off set the flower perfectly.
Hibiscus Flower Fabric Mixed Media
I love all the texture and interest you get when using fabric. It makes the flower come alive.
Hibiscus Flower Fabric Mixed Media
If you want to recreate this canvas here is the photo I used as my reference, you are able to use it as a reference photo only.
Hibiscus reference photo copy write Take Time To Create, LLC. Subject to terms and conditions of reference photos.
This has gotten me inspired to create new canvases, I can’t wait to show you what I decide to do next!
Affiliate links:
Liquitex black paint- https://amzn.to/2IpHGiz Liquitex gloss gel https://amzn.to/2Z84W9M Liquitex heavy gloss gel https://amzn.to/2ID2ti2 10 x 10 canvas- https://amzn.to/2GfGISq palette knife https://amzn.to/2V2QVed Folk Art Metallic https://amzn.to/2V7Cq8Y Finnabair brushes https://amzn.to/2IzGFUo
My local art museum has an annual charity auction and this year I got to participate! The auction is actually in April, but I had to turn my mask in earlier than that, lol.
I really love the challenge of working on a mask, rather than a flat canvas. It was fun to see if my technique for creating landscapes could be translated to a mask, and I think it was a success!
I used a photo that I took of a sunrise over my local city as a reference photo. Here the photo I took, it is a few years old but I really love it and I thought it would be perfect for this project
The colors really spoke to me and I want to recreate it.
I found that the biggest challenge was to make sure everything stayed adhered to the mask while it dried. Since it is not a flat surface things had a tendency to slide, lol. But I was patient and everything worked out in the end.
This project has encouraged me to look at other object to apply fabric to. Nothing is safe from my fabric, lol
Christmas is fast approaching and now is the perfect time to make some new Christmas decor!
I found this chipboard tree at my local creative reuse center and I knew it would be perfect for a fabric mixed media project. It is a Paper Studio brand, I think you can find similar items at your local craft stores.
The first layer is paint. I wanted to make sure the tree was green just in case the fabric didn’t cover it all. Then I added the fabric layer. This added a lot of texture and interest.
Once the fabric was dry it was time to start painting. I have found that these fabric mixed media projects work best if you let the fabric dry overnight rather than using a heat tool.
Once the fabric is dry it is time to add paint. I dry brushed on a few of the Finnabair Metallique and Sparks paint. Then I added the decorations. I used items I found at the Dollar Store and adhered them with hot glue.
Once that was all dry I flicked paint on with a toothbrush. I love how it turned out! This was a lot of fun to create and it will look great in my home. What decor projects are you working on?
Affiliate links:
Liquitex super heavy gel- https://amzn.to/2Px3flj
Liquitex Heavy Gel-https://amzn.to/2RXTQ2O
Gloss Mod Modge-https://amzn.to/2PZxr7R
Corks-https://amzn.to/2zfepkg
Finnabair sparks-https://amzn.to/2DHSq9F
Finnabair Metallique-https://amzn.to/2DHqjXX
Finnabair Paint brushes-https://amzn.to/2TjbgrZ
It is no secret how much I love Disney and visiting Disney World is one of my favorite things to do! When I began my journey into fabric mixed media I just knew that I would need to create some canvases that paid homage to Disney World.
So I created these 4 canvases celebrating each of the 4 parks at WDW.
The first is a pretty pink castle, this is for the Magic Kingdom. It is hard to tell in the photo but there is a lot of glitter and shine on the canvas, especially on the white background.
Then there is EPCOT with an image of Spaceship Earth. This is one of my favorite rides, probably because it is slow and relaxing with lots of air conditioning, lol. Perfect break in the middle of a hot day in Florida, lol
Then we have MGM, no I am sorry Hollywood Studios, lol. I think I will always call it MGM. And I loved the giant sorcerer’s hat that was in the middle of the park for the longest time. I know they removed the hat, but I loved it so much and that reminds me the most of the park, so I thought I would use the hat to depict MGM.
Last but not least is the Animal Kingdom. I love going to this newer park and I have to say the new Avatar section is amazing!
Overall these were so much fun to create and reminisce about going to Disney and I am eager to start my next canvas!
Affiliate Links
Liquitex heavy Gel- https://amzn.to/2DDcWbp
Liquitex gloss gel- https://amzn.to/2JZRSfq
Finnabair Sparks https://amzn.to/2DDkJG2
Finnabair Metallique https://amzn.to/2qJbRGn
Micro beads-https://amzn.to/2DD9opK and https://amzn.to/2B3KjSj
8×8 canvas https://amzn.to/2B3KmgX
Fabric roll (similar) https://amzn.to/2DCF1zF
Have you ever found something at a thrift store that you knew you could make into something new? That is how I felt when I saw a sun shaped mirror, in my mind I saw it as a fabric sun mixed media project. I had the perfect fabric and element to put on it!
I had the perfect fabric in reds and yellows to use as the base. I love how the fabric gives the piece texture and movement.
Once the fabric was dry I was able to layer on more goodies. I wanted to keep my composition centered and build from there, but I did add some elements to the edges just to keep it interesting.
To top it all off I used my favorite Finnabair paints and waxes. I just love how her products add shine and interest to my projects. They are always the perfect touch for any mixed media project I do.
So what item have you reimagined as a mixed media project?
Affiliate Links
Liquitex Gloss heavy gel https://amzn.to/2xW9qVb
Liquitex Gloss Gel https://amzn.to/2xSlwi3
Red and orange Fat quarters (not the same as I used, but similar) https://amzn.to/2QxsgsH
Finnabair Sparks https://amzn.to/2DTS6pd
Finnabair Brass Hardware https://amzn.to/2DUuz7n
Finnabair Wax https://amzn.to/2zOVE84
Finnabair Star Mechanicals https://amzn.to/2xZDE9F
Have you ever finished a project and thought you were done only to realize that you weren’t? Well that is exactly what happened to me with this Blue Mixed Media Fabric Frame.
A little while ago I created the fabric frame and I thought it was pretty cute as is. If you missed that blog post you can catch it here: Fabric Frame
And the original frame was really cute and I did love it, but as I thought about it I thought it needed more. And by more, I mean a lot, lol. So I embellished it, and painted it some more. I love how it turned out and it is a personal choice how much or how little you add to your frame.
As you can see the original just has fabric and paint, but the embellished one has flowers, pearls, metal elements, and more added to the frame.
I clustered 2 groupings on opposite corners of the frame. I added a variety of elements to create interest and texture to the frame. If you know what photo you will be putting in the frame you can tailor the elements to the photo, I think that would look amazing.
After the gesso was all dry I painted over everything with Finnabari Sparks and Metallique paints. They were the same colors as the original frame and I thought that would help make it all cohesive.
The last step was adding splashes all over to really blend the original and the new elements together. I wanted it to look like I planned it all at once, lol.
I really like how this all came together. I love adding new elements on top of project I thought I had finished.
What project did you think you finished but went back later to add embellishments to? Share in the comments.
Affiliate Links (similar product if actual one can’t be found)
Sometimes an experiment turns out really cool, and this just so happens to be one of those times! I did a class at ArtVenture in January of this year that taught us how to watercolor on fabric. Not quite like this example, but it got my creative juices flowing! I really wanted to explore this method and develop my own technique, and this is what I came up with- A Fabric Watercolor Landscape (actually the ocean, and it is abstract…. lol)
As always the video goes over all the steps, and it is a good companion to the blog post.
To start prep your canvas by painting it a light color, I used a slightly off white and painted the top and sides.
you will need a light gauzy fabric for the base layer. I had some in my stash, so use what you have, as long as it is a very light fabric. Take a Heavy gel and spread that all over the canvas, then coat each strip of fabric with a gloss gel. (this is the same procedure that I use on all my canvases) Once the strip is coated adhere it to the canvas. Add as many wrinkles as you want and create the texture you are going for. (I have to say I really like this stage, in fact I almost stopped here because it is so pretty, an all white fabric canvas. I might have to make one and just leave it as is. Some thing to think about, lol)
Once you are done with the fabric, let is step dry. I usually leave it over night just to make sure.
After it is dry it is time to start watercoloring! gently spray the canvas with water (this allows the watercolors to move freely on the canvas) and then start watercoloring! Slowly add colors and see where they go and blend to create new looks. You can dry in between layers if you want and just keep building until you get the look you are going for. I wanted to create a sunset on the water, it is a little abstract, but that is ok, I really like how it turned out.
Once the watercolors are dry you can start adding in texture. I added some iridescent micro bead to add some more shimmer and shine to the water. Just apply some gloss gel and pour on some beads. Let it dry over night before removing the excess beads.
Once the beads are dry you can add even more shimmer and shine by adding Metallic watercolors. I thought this would be the perfect way to add some more details. It is a little hard to see in the photos, but up close the metallic really added that perfect final touch.
Let everything dry completely and then spray it with a spray protector.
I really like how this turned out and I can’t wait to try this technique on another canvas! What should I try to watercolor next? I love experiementing with my supplies and I would love suggestions on what to do next!
