A Shade of Art

Mixed-media art is a combination of fabric or metallic objects framed on a wood board and decorated with oil, watercolor or acrylic paint.

This technique can use as few as two media, such as wood and watercolor, or up to six mixed-media items, such as tin, cloth, acrylic, oil, string, and a black marker.

Wood

Not all wood types are created equal. Some art paint does not blend well across some wood surfaces.

Good Wood

·         Brown maple

·         Walnut

·         Birch Plywood

·         Elm Wood

·         Cherry wood

Bad Wood

·         Pine wood

·         Lumber

·         Hickory

·         Green Wood

Extra notes: Latex paint is great for applying a layer of paint over the wood. There, you can add oil and watercolor paint.

The next section will cover the tools you will need for using wood in your mixed media art.

Rotating saw

Use for breaking down big pieces into smaller, workable pieces.

Nail & hammer

Used to merge separate wooden pieces into one masterpiece.

Drill & screws

Help with the workflow for merging wood pieces.

Polyurethane

Help to seal oil and paint.

Sander

Smooth out rough or uneven edges and surfaces.

Brush

A brush is recommended to remove dust and debris from wood before applying oil or paint.

Safety Glasses & Gloves

Safety first! Protect your hands while watching with dangerous equipment.

Measuring tape

Help measuring width, length, or height.

Wood board

A safety board is to leverage weight while cutting wood.

Storage area

Set aside a place for old, discarded wood for later use. If you don’t place it in a designated area, it will pile up and scatter everywhere.

Mixed media art takes effort and patience. However, stick with it, and you will find it very rewarding.

Start creating today!