Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Summer Theme for Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog

If you just stumbled on this blog post - this post is about mixed media art. Every month, I post a new mixed media project in conjunction with the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog, and for those that participate - there are prizes involved via a random drawing.

So - the theme for this month's mixed media project is "Summer Days".



We're SO excited to announce our July sponsor and prize! Our sponsor is the awesome online store Butterfly Reflections Ink .  They are offering an amazing mixed media prize package for our lucky random winner.

Here's my creation. It's 12" x 12" on birch wood. It's mostly patterned papers, but I also used acrylic paint, Faber Castell Big Brush Pens (India ink), waterproof black pen (Millenium or Pitt) and even cardboard.

I started out by putting various patterned papers on wood with matte medium.


Next, I cut out my shapes (water, sun, tree, van) and played around to see where I wanted everything. I had a pencil sketch of my idea, and used it for reference. The most time consuming part is choosing the papers. I outlined most of the shapes with brush pens and black fine tip ink. I toned down the beach "sand" with tan paint so the patterned paper wasn't too distracting.



I love the summer and what better "dream" to have but a retro VW van and the beach.

In order to participate in this challenge - we have the following rules

1. You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post. 
2. You must comment on at least 3 design team members blogs
3. You may combine with up to 4 more challenges


So, get busy creating and link your image up at the July Challenge post at the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!

23 comments:

  1. beautiful canvas - great use of your papers for the background thanks for sharing

    Barb Housner

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  2. LOVE THIS!!!! Your VW van is perfect!!!!

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  3. Ha! I love it!!!that van is perfect!

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  4. I so love how you have managed to use so many patterned papers. It looks really good. Such a fun piece :)

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  5. This is just wonderful. It reminds me of the "Beach Boy Days" surfing and sun and fun music, and I never even went surfing. Just loved singing the songs. Love how you started with all the pattern paper and turned it into a wonderful 12x12 panel. Definitely The Good Life.

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  6. Stunning canvas Melanie loads of texture and love the camper van

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  7. your canvas makes me want to go on vacation ! the van is "top"
    love it :-)
    corinne de france

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  8. I just love this, the van is super!

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  9. Love the collage background, I love outlining my shapes too!

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  10. we have the same name and we both love mixed media i see....so nice your caravan :D

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  11. Love how you pieced together your images with such fun patterns! Beautiful!

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  12. This is such a fun summery project... you did a fantastic job with all those paper pieces- what a great idea to use up all the odds and ends of pretty papers! Love it!! TFS!
    Candy

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  13. What a fabulous and summery collage, thanks so much for sharing it!

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  14. I love all the pattern paper you used on this project. Summer Groove!

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  15. Gorgeous VW bus! Love it, such perfect Summer fun. I love all the wonderful colors and layers. Have a fun day!~kim

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  16. Looking at the before and after is like seeing night and day! What a transformation and SO much fun! Loved that newspaper clipping of the summer sessions in the original...that's kinda fun. :) I would love to have a retro VW van with a surfboard on top. I can't surf to save my life, but it just seems required to drive one! LOOOVE your canvas very much. Thanks for all the inspiration.
    hugs,
    Lisa x

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  17. Your combi van is awesome and really screams out 'summer holidays', thanks for sharing with us

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  18. Ahhhh - LOVE LOVE LOVE this Melanie - I'm smiling BIG. I think I actually had a VW just like that - ehehehehe!! Your colors are SPECTACULAR. Your VARIETY in collage - AMAZING. THANKS BUNCHES for such a SUMMERLICIOUS creation. j

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  19. Oh, i love that you made, it i so lovely and summer time!!!!
    I am going to try something for this challenge!

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  20. Oh! How I would love a camper van! I love how you made the background! Chrisx

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  21. Funky and totally far out design! Love the colors used and the bug is genius! This is a spectacular piece and makes me feel joyful! Awesome sauce! ~Niki

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