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Creating a mixed media collage background is SO MUCH FUN and happens to be the first layer of my signature mixed media process called the Hamburger System.
Recently I received an email from a viewer asking me WHAT materials work best for collage backgrounds. I have hundreds of ideas, but here are my TOP 20 FAVORITES to use on canvas OR in my mixed media art journals! 
Do you love collage or have always wanted to try it in your art, but aren't quite sure how to do it without making a HOT MESS? You need my FREE Hamburger System cheatsheet.
If you're new to mixed media, collage, art journaling, mixed media on canvas - any or ALL of it, my Hamburger System is gonna rock your art world! You'll learn my tried and true process of how to create a mixed media MASTERPIECE every time. It's simple, step-by-step, tells ya exactly WHICH supplies you need, and did I mention it's SO MUCH FUN?!
Click that button above or click here and I'll email my Hamburger System cheatsheet straight to your inbox!
Before we continue, super quick announcement: All product links are Affiliate. I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links but by law there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support.
My Hamburger System series on YouTube has been watched by over 140,000 people and even became a book, available on Amazon.
I LOVE starting my mixed media canvases and mixed media art journal pages with a layer of collage! There's something so simple and relaxing about this process that connects me with my inner child. It's honestly pretty brainless and kinda serves as an art warmup to get my head into a creative space. 
Collage is also one of the BEST things to do to bust through creative block whenever it strikes (and trust me- it hits ALL of us).
Here are my TOP TEN favorite mixed media collage materials. Make sure you scroll down and watch the video to see TEN MORE ideas and watch a super fast mixed media collage tutorial I think you're gonna love!! 
Scrapbook Paper
I LOVE a good scrapbook paper pad. This is the perfect collage material for people who have a hard time picking papers that go together and those who might be in a hurry or feeling lazy who just wanna grab and go!
With scrapbook paper, the work has already been done for you because EVERYTHING in the scrapbook paper pad only features colors and patterns that go together. All YOU have to do is pull out your favorites and start ripping. 
Scapbook paper even tells you exactly what color paints to use for your acrylic layer! It's awesome :)
Make sure you click over to the video to see the mixed media collage examples I show you of how I incorporated scrapbook paper into BOTH the background and foreground of a mixed media portrait on canvas. 
Phone Book Pages
This adorable mixed media fox painting was originally done on an upcycled record jacket I found in a thrift shop. I used the record jacket as my canvas. If you look closely at the pillow I had made of this canvas, you'll see some type in the background. Those are just phone book pages! So simple, right?!
Sheet Music
Sheet music collage is a favorite of mine, super cheap, and beautiful to use in both the background and foreground of your mixed media art.
You can either turn an old book of sheet music from a thrift shop into an altered book art journal or rip old sheet music into collage pieces like I did below. Isn't it beautiful how the music notes peak through the skin tones in the painting? 
If you wanna create the piece above with me, it's one of the projects in my Mixed Media Magic book over on Amazon. Check it out!!
Dictionary Paper
I LOVE a vintage dictionary! The really old ones have a yellow tone to them and rip SO easily for collage. They also have a distressed look to them already because they're old. I think these are fun to have peaking through the background in a mixed media face, or to use strictly in the background. Your options and endless (and SO CHEAP) here!
This art deco mixed media portrait project is available at Awesome Art School as a stand-alone project if you'd like to create along with me!
Masking Tape
Lots of people don't even think of masking tape as a collage element, but it's weirdly a perfect surface to art upon and creates a lovely texture to your art. It also accepts gesso, acrylic paint, and all the mediums you would typically reach for to create mixed-media art.
Look closely at the piece below and you'll see some subtle, horizontal lines from my masking tape collage layer. 
Trash!
You can totally use TRASH as a mixed media collage element. Hilarious, right?! I've enjoyed using beer bottle labels (I love to collect these when I travel), foil candy wrappers (shown below), discarded tissue paper from a gift, you name it!
See this project being made in my cereal box art journal or create along with me.
Fabric
I once found this pretty fabric with an adhesive backing to it that peeled off like a giant sticker. I used that to create the background of this fun Bathtub Babe in my cereal box journal. Don't be afraid to think outside the box with the collage elements you choose!
Washi Tape
Washi tape is SO fun to use in mixed media collage. I love how there are SO many fun colors, patterns and thicknesses of washi tape. I use it a lot like how I use scrapbook paper. Sometimes it's strictly in the background. Other times I've used washi tape in the foreground as hair or clothing (like the tutu below) and it looks SO awesome!
Washi tape doesn't always adhere the best, so you'll want to go over it with a sealant to keep it in place.
Maps
Maps are becoming SO old school now, but they can be such a fun way to create an art piece based on a place you visited or want to visit. In this one, I have elements from a map of Inverness, covered them in gesso, and went to town.
Duct Tape
You may not even know this, but duct tape comes in SO many fun patterns now!! I've used this kinda like I use washi tape- in the background or foreground.
In this Mixed Media Retro Girl project, I carved out my entire girl so I could use this fun camper duct tape for her clothes, shoes and hair. So cute, right?! 
Just a quick warning on using duct tape as a mixed media collage element - it's super glossy, so can be tricky to paint on top of. Just make sure you seal it so the paint doesn't peal off when you're done.
This is only HALF my list!!
Make sure you click over to watch today's video to find out what my other TEN mixed media collage elements are. I KNOW there are some you haven't considered yet and just might love!!
Need more resources to get your creative juices flowing?
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON ❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my online art classes @ Awesome Art School ❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON (affiliate links) ❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP
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Today I'm unboxing a brand new set of Faber Castell watercolor markers! I've been in love with watercolor markers for my mixed media art projects for years, but only recently discovered Faber Castell makes a GIANT watercolor markers set filled with 30 colors!
Join me in my studio for a full Faber Castell watercolor markers review. We'll test these beauties against my favorite Winsor Newton watercolor markers, and compare their performance against mixed media artist brand favorites made by Ecoline and Tombow. 
Got a new set of watercolor markers, colored pencils, pens or watercolors? It's SO important to SWATCH your new colors so you know what to expect when each color hits your page!
I've tried to make this process MORE FUN for you by creating a FREE Swatchsheet! Simply click the button below, and I'll send it straight to your inbox. 
LOVE swatching, and can't get enough?! Check out the book I created with my Facebook Group called The Fun Fab Swatch Pad. This playful book will keep you swatching for days!
Before we continue, super quick announcement: All product links are Affiliate. I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links but by law there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support.
So WHY use watercolor markers in the first place? Control. It's a simple as that! Applying watercolors with a brush and water is a lot looser and can feel a bit dicier and unpredictable for tons of artists. Having the precision of a marker combined with the beautiful effects of watercolor is seriously magical!
I've been in LOVE with my Winsor Newton watercolor markers for years. They're a fine art product, so MUCH juicier, and more pigmented compared to other watersoluble markers on the market. They're also lightfast, which means the pigment is museum quality and the color in your mixed media art projects will stay beautiful FOREVER.
When I discovered this giant box of watercolor markers by Faber Castell, I immediately wondered how they would compare with my Winsor Newtons.
Because I've got mixed media beginners all the way to advanced students working with me over at Awesome Art School, I'm also going to test the Faber Castells against Ecoline Brush Pens and Tombow Dual Brush Pens as well because they're a little more budget friendly. Plus, LOTS of my students have at least a few watersoluble markers by one or both of these brands. 
As far as a cost comparison for Faber Castell Watercolor Markers vs Winsor Newton Watercolor Markers, the Winsor Newtons are definitely more expensive, at around $6/marker - if you buy them individually. They do offer a few sets of 12 (check out my Amazon shop), but costs can vary up to $90/set!
The Faber Castell Watercolor Marker Set of 30 isn't cheap by any means, but you get 30 colors for less than $100 (current Amazon price is $94) - so you're getting a bigger bang for your buck!
As soon as I opened the Faber Castells, right away I noticed a skin tone watercolor marker! This got me SUPER excited, because I don't have one of these in my Winsor Newton Watercolor collection. I can't wait to play with that one for one of my mixed media faces!!
I also noticed I've got five gorgeous blues, five beautiful greens , and an awesome set of six grayscale shades to play with. I LOVE my Grayscale Tombow Dual Brush Pens set, so the Faber Castell version will be really fun to try out too.
The first thing I like to do when I'm comparing mixed media art supplies in any category is to see how juicy and vibrant the pigment is. How the colors look on my paper, and how much coverage I can get QUICKLY are both really important features to me.
All of them have decent coverage and the shades of blue I'm testing are all beautiful. But as soon as my Winsor Newton watercolor marker hits the page, I can immediately tell a difference. I felt a similar juiciness from the Faber Castell watercolor marker as well. Both beat out the Ecoline and Tombow brands here, hands down.
Before I tested the watersolubility factor on each of these brands, I decided to dry the page completely with my hair dryer to see how each brand activated with water when dry.
I used one of my favorite Polina Bright watercolor brushes to activate each line with water.
If you're new to Polina's watercolor brushes, you're in for a treat. They hold SO much water and are amazing. They are now the only watercolor brush I use. If you're interested in learning more about these, here is a recent product demo video and full Polina Bright watercolor brushes review. 
If you'd like to pick up your own Polina Bright watercolor brush or set, Polina has offered a 10% discount to my followers, so be sure to use this link when you shop! If you do order anything here- just a quick fyi, Polina is located in Australia so shipping may take a bit more time, but I promise, it's well worth the wait!
If you're new to Polina Bright - her art is simply fantastic, so be sure to look her up to see the gorgeous faces she creates as well. 
As you'll see in today's video, when I activated the Winsor Newton lines on my paper, I got such a rich effect. Plus, you'll notice I was able to fully disolve my original lines once I added water.
Both the Ecoline and Tombow activated beautifully too, but their original lines did NOT disolve as much as the Winsor & Newton and Faber-Castell lines. If this is a feature that's important to you, you might want to skip Ecolines and Tombows. 
I also noticed a bit of granulation in the Faber Castells as well. Granulation is super common with watercolors becuase the pigment is typically made from minerals. This effect is something you won't see in a synthetic, dye based watercolor marker like Tombows or Ecoliners, and is something I LOVE about watercolors in general.
Here's what the brush nibs of each marker tested today look like side by side (above). I have to say they're all pretty comparable. Faber Castell has the widest nib (third from the left), while Winsor Newton's (far right) is both wide and long.
I felt the Winsor Newton nib was most flexible, and therefore felt most like a paint brush. The Faber Castell nib felt more like a felt tip or typical marker, and had zero flexibility.
When comparing the bullet nibs from each of the markers tested today, they're also quite comparable (below). I rarely use this side of my dual brush pens or markers, but if this is something you're curious about, here's what they look like (excluding the Ecoliner, because it doesn't come with a bullet nib).
I hope you found this info helpful. Make sure you click over to the video to see everything in action!
See ya back here next week with lesson six of my FREE #50FunFabFairies drawing challenge!
Thanks for hanging out with me today!
❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON ❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON ❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP ❤️ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM
Mixed media paper is something I get asked about ALL THE TIME by my students! As mixed media artists, we need super strong paper that isn't gonna buckle no matter how many wet, messy mixed media art supplies we throw at it. If you're a mixed media beginner or a seasoned artist looking for answers that won't break the bank, today's video is for you!
Mixed media art supplies can get overwhelming FAST because there are so many to choose from. I've created a FREE 9-page Supplies Guide to explain which mixed media art supplies I love most AND how they perform so you know what to expect right from the start.
Simply click the button below, and I'll send it right over. 
Once you understand your supplies a bit better, mixed media art will become SO much more FUN! If you need help with layering check out my signature Hamburger System. When you're in the mood to work with fewer supplies, check out the Hot Dog System!
Before we continue, super quick announcement: All product links are Affiliate. I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links but by law there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support.
When it comes to mixed media projects you want to complete on paper, my advice is to simply use watercolor paper EVERY time.
Are you surprised by my answer?! People usually are. I know there are a zillion papers sold by amazing brands labeled "Mixed Media Paper," but trust me. I've tried them all, and nothing holds water soluble products, watercolors, fountain pen inks, acrylic paints, mod podge, and even collage- like watercolor paper! Take a look... 
See the vintage postcard collage materials above? I glued these all down with matte medium in my Strathmore Watercolor Journal, and did a full on, 7 layer mixed media project on top of it - "Hamburger Style" (see below). This page was FULL of matte medium, gesso, mod podge and acrylic paint!
If you're new to me and my work, I do mixed media art projects on anything and everything. Typically if I'm not working on canvas, I'll do projects in my Strathmore Watercolor Art Journal (above), or on loose sheets of watercolor paper.
To keep things simple, I'm teaching you about 3 main kinds of watercolor paper today:
While rough cut watercolor paper can be super fun, keep in mind, your watercolors aren't going to work exactly the same as they would on cold or hot press paper. It's just different. Here's one of my rough cut watercolor art journals: 
What about cost? You'll notice when you visit your favorite craft store that there's super cheap watercolor paper and crazy expensive watercolor paper.
What's the difference?!
When it comes to the cost of watercolor paper, the biggest factor connected with expensive watercolor paper is the percentage of cotton used to create the paper. The higher the percentage, the higher the price.
Arches is one of the most expensive watercolor papers because it's made up of 100% pure cotton. You can find the cotton percentage of paper on the cover (yellow arrow above). This type of paper typically comes in "blocks," so the paper stays nice and firm, and does not buckle.
If you find a watercolor paper without the cotton percentage noted, you're likely in the right place, and your cost will be significantly cheaper. I love using Canson watercolor paper for doing practice work. It's much more reasonable than Arches.
The second cost factor to watch for when you're buying watercolor paper for mixed media projects is the paper's weight.
At a minimum, I recommend using 140lb. paper, especially if you're doing mixed media work on top and not just watercoloring. Don't use the 90lb. paper because it's just not gonna hold up. The watercolor paper I typically use now is by Fabriano. It's 25% cotton (and 75% cheaper than the Arches brand!), plus it comes in either hot press (smooth) or cold press (textured). This is a very high quality paper. You can work on this and it will be museum quality, is great if you want to sell or gift your work. 
HOT TIP: You DON'T have to put gesso on top of watercolor paper to prime it for acrylic paints - just start painting!
Gesso is well-known in the world of mixed media art as a primer for acrylics, but when you're working on watercolor paper for mixed media projects, it's not needed, so save your money and skip the gesso!
I hope you found this info helpful! Be sure to click over to the video, so you know what to look for next time you head to the craft store on the hunt for mixed media paper for your own masterpieces!
Thanks for hanging out with me today! ❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books on AMAZON ❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON ❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP ❤️ FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM 8 CHEAP & EASY Mixed Media Art Ideas I Haven't Tried Yet! [Stenciling & Stamping Techniques]11/1/2022
Need NEW mixed media art ideas? Whether you're a mixed media beginner, or a seasoned mixed media artist like me, flipping through a gorgeous art book is one of THE BEST THINGS you can do for creative inspiration.
In today's art video you'll get a sneak peek at one of my favorite mixed media art books, followed by a demo of the 8 CHEAP & EASY stamping & stenciling techniques this book inspired me to try for the first time in my own mixed media sketchbook!
If you're new to the world of mixed media art, and not sure how to layer your supplies for success - you're in the right place! Beginners are my specialty.
Make sure you download my FREE cheatsheet outlining my signature mixed media layering process calledThe Hamburger System. It tells you exactly HOW to layer your mixed media art supplies so you can make a masterpiece, instead of a hot mess! Simply click the button below and I'll send it straight to your inbox! 
When you're done with today's video, I've got an awesome YouTube series to go with this cheatsheet, so look for that link at the bottom :)
Real quick, before we continue- All product links are Affiliate. I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links, but by law, there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support! 
Today's mixed media art book review is of 101 Mixed Media Techniques, by Walter Foster.
This book is jam packed with 128 pages of mixed media art techniques. It's an excellent addition to any art book collection and will definitely get your creative juices flowing.
What I really love in this book are the "Artist Tip" boxes that you'll find scattered throughout. I actually think these little pointers are better than most of the book content!
Each chapter of 101 Mixed Media Techniques is written by a different artist so you can really get some unique perspectives. The tip below came from a section in the book about stenciling and stamping techniques. It got me thinking out of the box, motivated me to take a little field trip around my house looking for new mixed media ideas to try, and inspired today's entire video!
I easily found eight random objects lying around my house just waiting for me to experiment with in my mixed media sketchbook.
The first item I decided to test out is actually the inside squeaker of a dog toy that was headed for the trash! How funny is that?!
Check out the whimsical polka dots I created when I ran this ball through some acrylic paint and upcycled it into a stamp! 
The next item I decided to try as a stamp was a shot glass!
Lots of mixed media artists have done videos using empty toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls to stamp circles onto their canvases or art journal pages. What I don't love about these empty rolls is they can bend, and don't make perfect cirlces. I decided to try stamping circles onto my art journal page with a shot glass. Look how great that turned out!! 
Simply grab a glass from your kitchen that you don't care about, or pick one up at a thrift shop, and turn it into a mixed media stamp for yourself!
Ages ago, I bought a spongey toilet scrubber from the dollar store and set it aside to try as a paintbrush or stamp. Today was the perfect day to bust it out! 
I dabbed the scrubber into 2 colors of acrylic paint and stamped it as hair around an old face doodle in my art journal. Look at how amazing THIS looks!! Total win!!
This next object I decided to try was a slotted spoon. I tested out a couple of ways to turn this into an upcycled mixed media stencil, and love the effect I got when swiping over the negative space with a sponge covered in acrylic paint. 
As I mentioned, I LOVE creating the look of polka dots and circles. I have a zillion of these utencil holders from Ikea (below), and the bottom of each just happens to have the perfect pattern to try as a stencil.
I like how that worked, but still might love bubble wrap even more! I'll show you that technique at the end of this demo.
While I was in my kitchen, I noticed my napkin holder could be a two for one win as a stencil, with the unique patterns on the bottom and the sides!
Check out how amazing this looks (bottom right corner) when I added two colors of acrylic paint to a sponge, and swiped that sponge through the side of my napkin holder! 
Another object I tried using was a fragment of the pouch my clementines came in. I tried it this material as both a stamp and stencil, and found I really loved the subtle effect it created as a stamp the most.
HOT TIP: Whatever you do - do it everywhere so it looks intentional.
My last stamping technique wasn't necessarily inspired from today's video because I've been doing it for years, but in case you haven't tried this before - you've GOT to save the next sheet of bubble wrap that comes through your door!
You can get the most gorgeous pattern from applying acrylic paint to the corner of some bubble wrap, and turning it into a mixed media stamp. Click over to the video to see my favorite places to stamp with bubble wrap! Thanks for hanging out with me today! Don't forget to grab my FREE HAMBURGER SYSTEM CHEATSHEET. Once you print it out, join me on YouTube for my Hamburger System Series, and I'll explain everything you need to know about mixed media art supplies, and my simple mixed media layering process! ❤️ CHECK OUT ALL MY ONLINE ART CLASSES & Art Clubs ❤️ CHECK OUT ALL my art books ❤️ MY FAVORITE ART SUPPLIES on AMAZON ❤️ MY BELOVED FACEBOOK GROUP
Today I'm trying 5 watercolor moon painting techniques out to see which ones create THE BEST lunar effects! Check out what happens when I test naturally granulating watercolor by Daniel Smith vs adding granulating medium. Plus- how does regular table salt compare with kosher salt watercolor painting? And- how does the texture of my favorite Fabriano watercolor paper change the effects when I paint on hot press vs cold press paper? Click over to today's video to find out!
Before we continue, super quick announcement: All product links are Affiliate. I may earn a small commission if you choose to order through these links but by law there is never any additional cost to the consumer for doing so. I thank you for your support.
I've drawn 5 moon circles on each page of Fabriano watercolor paper. On the left, I've got 140# hot press (smooth) watercolor paper, and on the right- I have a sheet of 140# cold press (textured) watercolor paper.
I love granulating watercolor (this means the color separates a bit and you can see tiny particles in it, like in the pic above). The first granulating shade I chose to work with is lunar violet by Daniel Smith.
I coated this entire circle with plain water first, then applied the color.This technique is called wet on wet watercolor. 
For fun I decided to add a few droplets of rubbing alcohol using a pipette to see if this would give me the look of moon craters. Above is how it looked on the textured, cold press watercolor paper.
As you can see, wherever the alcohol droplets were added, the watercolor dispersed. Click over to the video to see how the wet on wet watercolor technique looks on the hot press watercolor paper.
I tried the same alcohol watercolor technique to see how this looked on the hot press watercolor paper, and so far I'm loving how this looks.
For the next "moon," I used the same wet on wet technique with rose of ultramarine by daniel smith. While it was still wet, I sprinkled some table salt over this one because salt watercolor painting can give you some gorgeous effects!
Isn't that beautiful?!
The next color I'm testing out is shadow violet. This time I used the wet on dry watercolor technique, and tried adding a few extra droplets of plain water to see what happened. At first I kinda hated how this looked- but after it dried, it started to look a bit more "planetary." For my fourth watercolor moon, I decided to use cascade green (also by Daniel Smith). I mixed this off to the side with about 50% granulating medium because I really want to see how this separates the colors of this gorgeous blue green. 
I just love the way the colors immediately separate in my palette, but it doesn't transfer to the paper in the same way like I expected it to, so that's a little disappointing.
The final color I wanted to test out today is imperial purple (another granulating watercolor by Daniel Smith). It separates into pinks and purples and reminds me a lot of the effects I love getting from activating my elegant writer! It's so pretty (bottom right corner, below)!
For this one, I tried adding one more medium - an irridescent medium, and just becuase I love salt watercolor painting effects, tried sprinkling kosher salt on top.
Once dry, the irridescent medium doesn't do very much to create that shimmery look I was hoping for, so again - I'm feeling a little disappointed in this medium.
Today's test has definitely shown me that the mediums I tried aren't really worth it, and we're better off just getting a set of irridescent, metallic or granulating watercolors if these are effects we enjoy. Thanks for hanging out with me today! Make sure you click over to the video to see each technique in action and decide which one YOU like best! |
Karen CampbellFounder of Awesome Art School. Mixed Media Artist. Author of 18 Instructional Art Books!    
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"Karen is flipping hilarious and she's very real...I like the way she teaches in a way that really gives you confidence, whether you're a beginner or advanced there's always something new to learn!"
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What Fans Are SayingKaren, you are absolutely fabulous! You make me feel like I can draw anything. I have recently retired and finally have the time to do some of the art that I have loved since I was in school. I am really at the beginning of my art journey and I hope to learn as much as I can. Thank you for all you do. |
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