Follow Your Heart - Mixed Media Art Collage Tutorial

I recently picked up some of the new Graphic 45 papers from their Botanical Tea collection. I really love the variety of this collection which has these really earthy colors and themes that I used for my project, as well as beautiful pinks, greens and creams. Check out the collection here at g45papers.typepad.com

For this project I choose 4 different colored papers which I tore in various sizes. I inked the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink to give the papers an aged look. I tried them out on the canvas until I liked the placement and then I used Matt Modge Podge to adhere the papers to the canvas.

Then I sponged acrylic paint in an antique white to blur and soften some of the graphics and torn edges of the papers.

I also painted the edges of the canvas to match the papers. I had to mix some colors to get the right shade. To match the blue I mixed Payne's Gray with Pale Blue. For the brown I mixed Burnt Umber with Antique White and for the yellow I mixed Yellow Ochre with Antique White as well.

Next I used a Plaid Folk Art stencil and some metallic blue paint to create another layer over the background of collaged papers. I sprayed "Coffee Shop" Glitter Mist and Smootchies "Gold Glow" over the canvas as well to add some sparkle and sheen.

 I also added white pearl stickers to the points of the flourishes and then applied strips of cheese cloth randomly around the canvas. Blue Gems were then added to the cheese cloth for some bling.....

 

and paper dollies in the bottom left and top right hand corners.

 

Then I had to figure out where I wanted to place the words and other pieces to be added.

Once I had my placement figured out I inked the hearts with Tim Holtz Distress Ink and Mix'd Media Inx by Color Box. I really like this ink. It goes on almost like a silky chalk and the colors are really intense.

 I used butterflies that I downloaded from Swirlydoos.com. I printed them out on cardstock and then cut them out.
Everything was adhered to the canvas with Modge Podge Matt Medium.

 

You can see here that I cut the words out all jagged to give them a torn look and inked the edges with Tim Holtz Distressed Ink to age them as well.

Finally I added a little pale blue metallic paint to the edges of the flourishes to give them more depth.
And the final outcome....