AECP: Level 3 – Demystifying Mixed Media

09/09/2021

Hi everyone!

Today I’m taking a break from my usual “clean and simple” design style and showing you my first intentional foray into Mixed Media. This card is my assignment for the Altenew Educator Certification Program (AECP) Level 3 class on Demystifying Mixed Media. This was an awesome class with a wealth of information. I barely scratched the surface with the techniques and mediums I used on this card – but it was so much fun!

I have to say: I took this class as a bit of challenge, hoping to push myself out of my comfort zone style-wise. While I did learn that I’m already doing mixed media in many of my cards (just using more than one medium on the card = mixed media), I really wanted to push myself to do something more along the lines of a collage and use some of the newer techniques and supplies that were discussed in the class. I definitely met that challenge and learned so much along the way!

Instructions:

Prepare your surfaces:

1. Apply gesso to two pieces of heavy white card stock and to a few torn pieces of patterned paper/book print/newspaper and set aside to dry. By applying the gesso to the patterned paper, you will lighten the print – so you will want to make sure you apply a thin coat and apply more until you get your desired look.

Create your distressed flowers/leaves:

2. Use Karin markers with a bit of water on a glass mat to get the colors you want for your flowers and leaves (I used Plum, Cinnamon, and Olive Black). If you don’t have Karin Markers you can use any watercolor medium you have.

3. Use a paint brush to apply the paint directly to the flower and leaves stamps. I used my Misti stamp positioner and re-applied the paint until I had the desired color. This takes a bit of trial-and-error but I found that dabbing the brush on the stamp gave me the best results. If I missed an area, I would just reapply the paint to the stamp and re-stamp it. You’ll want to use watercolor card stock for this since the stamps can hold a surprising amount of water. This process will give a distressed or “splotchy” image.

4. Once you have your flowers and leaves “painted” and they are dry, cut them out with the coordinating dies or fussy cut them.

5. Distress the edges of the flowers and leaves by gently running the sharp blade of your scissors along the edge of each die cut.

6. The die for these flowers puts a score line in the middle of each petal. Use that score line to gently fold the flower petals to give them a dimensional look.

7. Assemble the flowers by gluing them in the center. Be careful not to glue the petals to each other as this will not give you the dimensional look.

8. Add a gem into flower centers.

Create your Background:

9. Once your gesso’d card stock is dry use one piece of the card stock and your butterfly stencil to lightly stencil a few butterflies. I used Antique Linen and Peeled Paint Distress Oxides but you could use any inks for this.

10. Gently tear the right edge of your stenciled cardstock and ink blend a bit of the Antique Linen along the torn edge just so that it isn’t so bright white and set it aside.

11. On the other piece of gesso’d card stock, use Gel Matte Medium to adhere the two torn pieces of patterned paper. You’ll want to make sure to put the Matte Medium on the gesso’d paper and on the back of the patterned paper…and then again, over the top of the whole piece. Set aside to dry.

Assemble the card

12. Once all the pieces are completely dry, you can assemble your card front by arranging your background pieces and your flowers/leaves. Add a bit of gold thread behind your flowers before gluing them to the card front.

13. Use Gel Matte Medium to glue the metal ephemera butterfly to your card front and let dry.

14. Attach your card front to your card base using foam adhesive.

      jd

supplies

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4 Comments

  1. christel Everaert

    prachtig
    grtjs

    • Jean

      Thank you!

  2. Erum Tasneem

    This looks so soft and vintage-y. Love it!
    Thank you for submitting your gorgeous work to the AECP assignment gallery.

    • Jean

      Thank you, Erum!

jean

designer & content creator

I fell in love with card-making many years ago and I’ve been hooked on it ever since. I love trying out new techniques and finding the perfect color combination for whatever I’m creating.

By nature, I am an uber-organizer and a steadfast planner, but as you’ll see, my creations are much more fluid. And while I love color theory, the concept of lights and shadows, and the importance of depth and perspective – these are not things I worry about when it comes to my creations.

I simply find joy in creating and delight in sharing.

I hope that by sharing my cards and other art with you here on my blog I can inspire you to create something you love!

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