Southern Grace with Lori : The Groove Makes Mixed Media a Breeze

Friday, December 18, 2015

The Groove Makes Mixed Media a Breeze

The Groove Tool by ArtC makes mixed media super easy. I'll show you how to create this pallet piece with some of ArtC's goodies. Let's jump right in.

Step 1: Get a mini wood pallet from ArtC and brush a base coat of paint on. I'm using ArtC's Gel Stain/Blue.

Step 2: ArtC has lots of different type of collage kits. This is the Ephemera Collage kit and I'm using the book page.

Rip the page up into pieces and glue down onto the pallet.

Step 3: Paint over the entire surface of the palette with gesso. Don't worry with the help of the Groove Tool we'll see that blue again.

Step 4: Brush green distress ink over the surface and move the ink with water if needed.

Step 5: using the Groove tool from ArtC and the sanding attachment start working the surface to get the blue paint to show through in areas. This is going to give a great distress base.

Step 6: stamp randomly over the surface with a stamp set of your choice.

Step 7: using your finger or a paint brush, or even both...rub areas of the pallet with the blue gel stain.

Step 8: ArtC has some wonderful stencils with adhesives and this is one that I thought flowed perfect with the piece. I mixed some Whipped Spackle with the gold metallic paint from ArtC and then randomly apply over the stencil and let dry. You can hurry the drying along with a heat gun but know it will bubble your pattern. I personally like the bubbled effect but just so you know.

Step 9: Using the ArtC chestnut gel stain rub into the edges and around the stenciled areas blending the paint and having it heavier in some places and lighter in others.

Step 10: Add more paper pieces and then use a baby wipe dap the chestnut stain in areas of the pallet.

Step 11: take a black fine writer pen and line around the edges of the torn paper.

Step 12: add some of the diecuts from various collage kits, here I added the butterfly and some of the doilies. Once they are glued down take the brush attachement for the groove tool and highlight with the chestnut gel stain.

Work with the piece until you are happy. Add more diecuts, paints, flowers and/or layers as desired.

Here is the finished piece and some detailed shots.