10 Marvelous Mixed Media Techniques

Class Preview

Bring new energy and interest to your work. Learn inspiring mixed media techniques for working with a variety of acrylic paints, mediums and dry materials.

Applying Grounds

Meet artist Bonnie Cutts and preview the wide range of techniques you’ll learn to enhance your mixed media paintings. Gain familiarity working with acrylic grounds as Bonnie shows you how to apply them to paper, creating a variety of textured surfaces. Plus, see how to tint them for a lovely effect.

Raised Stencils

Add dimension to your work by creating raised textures and patterns with stencils. Learn Bonnie’s simple technique of stenciling with molding pastes and gels, building up colorful and intricate layers of interest that will pop off the page.

Flat Stencils

Continue developing your stenciling techniques, using fluid acrylic paints to make vibrant patterned backgrounds. Paint along with Bonnie as she demonstrates her method of applying stenciled designs to a blank page — or an existing image — for stunning results.

Combining Paint Formulas

Delve deeper into the world of acrylic paints! Practice using fluid and high-flow paints to add movement and free-form patterns to your pieces, and discover Bonnie’s method of creating a watercolor effect. You’ll also see how sealed and absorbent grounds respond to each type of paint.

Creating Gel Skins

Open up the door to more creative possibilities with Bonnie’s innovative gel techniques. Get step-by-step instruction on constructing richly colored gel skins, layered with striking patterns of all shapes and sizes. Then, learn how to create gorgeous marbled designs using tar gel and high-flow acrylics.

Collaging With Gels

Take the gel skins you created in Lesson 5 and transform them into eye-catching landscapes and abstract collages. Bonnie walks you through each important step, from adhering and arranging the skins for the most visual impact, to brushing on acrylic paint to complete the look.

Drawing Effects

Channel your inner child as you punch up your artwork with water-soluble crayons, high-flow markers and watercolor pencils. With Bonnie’s guidance, you’ll learn effective techniques for applying each medium, achieving the maximum effect every time.

Mix Drawing & Painting

Pull from the skills you’ve learned in previous lessons, combining watercolor pencils, water-soluble crayons and acrylic paint to create stunning works of art. Bonnie illustrates what’s possible by demonstrating several easy-to-learn layering techniques. You’ll be inspired by the results!

Sgraffito

Expand your repertoire to include sgraffito, a lovely effect created by drawing into wet materials, revealing the colors below. Learn how to apply light molding paste to paper and etch in intricate designs. Then, discover techniques for adding vivid layers of paint and crayon to the incised surfaces.

Micaceous Iron Oxide

Want to take your work to new heights? Bonnie shows you how with three creative ways to use micaceous iron oxide in your paintings. Then let your imagination run wild as you practice applying it as a ground, using it to make a textured relief piece, or creating striking sgraffito effects!