Hello today I am happy to be sharing a canvas I did for Visible Image a while ago using some of their new 2018 stamp releases and a couple of items from existing designs. Thus combining the old with the new.

I was fortunate to have this piece appear in the March 2018 issue of Craft Stamper magazine as part of a team feature.

The design also appears on the introductory page of the Visible Image catalogue.

Links for the products can be found here:

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/create-your-calm/

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/organics/

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/dare-to-swim/

https://visibleimage.co.uk/product/fibres/

I wanted to create a multi layered piece to give the impression of an underwater mirky depth. I did this using a variety of mediums and masking tricks.

I masked using a combination of heat resist embossing for the sea horse and some of the foilage and fluid masking through the stencil. When colouring I used a combination of brusho powders, Spectrum Noir sparkle pens and acrylic paint.

To create dimension and light  I payed particular attention to the placement of the dark and light colours both for the foilage and the background water. I also concentrated a fair bit on the finer details- the colouring of the seahorses, gelli fish and the bubbles.

I decided to use the reverse of the canvas to create a box frame. I used texture paste through the stencil and embedded art stones for extra bubble like texture. I wanted to mirror the scene inside the frame. I painted the inside of the frame using the aqua colour to reflect the light and highlighted the stones using gilding wax and glitter kiss.

Finally the rusty wire around the frame as well as adding texture in a similar shape to the stencil it also depicted a metaphoric contrast- the calm scene as against life’s stresses on the surface.

Here’s a closer look :

Well I hope you like it!

If you are interested in finding out more about creating mixed media pieces check out:
https://members.mixedupmag.com/join/mum/9/
For tutorials, videos practical tips and techniques- with loads of weekly inspiration.

Lisa xx