Happy 2019! It's been a minute but I feel like I'm finally getting my craft mojo back. I've been working on a lot of mixed media projects lately and rather than shove them all into one post, I thought I'd section them off into some sort of categories.
In this post I'll be showcasing several wood pieces just like this one:
I start with a clean slate - plain wood with no paint. I happened to find a bunch of these little birds on clearance at one the big box arts and crafts stores and I couldn't pass up the opportunity because I saw this vision in my head.
My next step is to choose the embellishments. I have to add that I've really gotten into making my own embellishments using air drying clay and decor moulds by Iron Orchid Design. So in theses projects I used clay molds, wooden embellishments, metal embellishments paper flowers, old pieces of jewelry and even words made of wood. I position the embellishments where I want them on my project and then adhere them to the wood using either hot glue (if I'm in a hurry) or Prima Marketing Finnabair Art Basics Super Heavy Gel. Once the embellishments have bonded with the wood, I proceed to painting!
TIP: Prime your project before painting using gesso, it will make the painting process much easier and your project will look flawless. I used Prima Marketing Art Basics Heavy Gesso in black.
Ready for some magic? For the projects I'm sharing today, I used a three step painting process using these babies right here:
This is the Art Extravagance Rust Paste Set by Prima Marketing for Finnabair. From left to right we have Red Rust, Gold Rust, and Brown Rust. This paint is made for creating rusty textures and really adds dimension to your project so it's not a flat paint by any means. My first step in the painting process is to paint my project all over with the Brown Rust Paste. When I say all over, I mean ALL OVER, don't forget about the nooks and crannies! I did not let my Brown Rust Paste dry completely before I moved on to the next step.
In step 2 I started adding in the Red Rust Paste. I did not paint over the Brown Rust Paste completely. Instead I just blended the Red Rust Paste in here and there. TIP: Don't be afraid to spritz water on your project to help with blending.
In step 3 I used the Gold Rust Paste to highlight my textures. I used a brush on some of my projects and on others I used my finger. There is no wrong way. Again, step 3 is for highligting so I just hit the tops of the embellishments and the edges of my projects. TIP: There is no wrong way to apply these pastes, if you think you added too much of one color, let the paint semi-dry and then add a different colored paste. Let your fingers do the walkin'.
Once the paint was completely dry, I added the final touch of magic by applying Finnabair Art Alchemy Antique Brilliance Wax in various shades. The wax consists of beeswax-based paste and has a permanent finish. It will give your projects stunning color! TIP: Cover a project with black gesso, let dry, add various brilliance wax colors for a dramatic finish. To learn more about Antique Brilliance Wax, check out this tutorial.
So there you have it, a quick blueprint of how I made all of these gorgeous projects below. Please feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions. In my next blog post we'll explore the Art Extravagance Patina Set.
That's all I've got for now. Thanks for stopping in. Until next time...take flight!
xoxo
Ms. Ruin
