Greenman Geri - Painting with Mixed Media

To my parents, in loving memory.

P. G.

To my wonderful family, whose love
and support give my life color.

G. G.

A Note on Safety

W ork in a ventilated area when using powders, solvents, or sprays. Read safety information on the packaging, and use caution with combustibles. Due to differing conditions, materials, usage, and skill levels, we disclaim any liability for failure or harm.

Before You Wade Right In

T his book is a celebration ofyespainting, combined with a wealth ofother readily available materials. We present a wide range of excitingtechniques and media, together with drawing, layering, collaging,texturizing, and more. Mix things up! Paint with abandon, discovering mediafusions that stir the imagination and rouse the creative spirit.

This book is meant to assist and inspire not only beginners to painting andmixed media but also those who seek to expand their knowledge and skills, toexplore new vistas. Its for boomers, late bloomers, student artists, experiencedartists, and anyone interested in the countless possibilities of paint combinedwith other media.

Try intuitive play, unconventional techniques, and alternative surfaces. Recentdevelopments in art media have opened up worlds of artistic discovery. Dare tobe inventive and take nontraditional approaches!

We begin with many marvelous materials and tools and a plethora of appealingpapers and other substrates. Every subsequent chapter features a differentpainting medium fused in funky ways with other materials.

Each of those chapters ends with a Float Your Boat Farther section, featuringspin-off ideas that prompt you to take new directions and spur your innovativespirit. To fuel the muse!

We hope youll find the tip boxes throughout these pages to be valuable.Painting Pointers offer artistic advice and helpful hints; theyre little guides onthe side.

And, if youre like us, buying lots of expensive art supplies is beyond yourbudget. So our thrifty tips, Savvy Substitutions, will come in handy.

Green Scene recommendations are eco-friendly, natch. Well show you how tovalue many old itemsfrom rusting kitchen gadgets to broken toysand usethem in a fresh way. Help prevent waste by salvaging serviceable junk anddiscards. As a bonus, this will help stretch your pennies!

Stir up some creative fire with the stimulating Portfolio of Art, a showcasepacked with extraordinary examples by many talented artists. In addition, weinclude a list of vendors and manufacturers of art materials in the appendix.

Bring this book into play (pun intended) as you investigate and experimentfurther.

And now, surfs up! Are you stoked?

T he conventional art materials mentioned hereare categorized broadly. In addition, wevemade lists of ephemera, odds and ends, andhousehold items that can be used to make art. Collageis a powerful tool for any painter. Use it to add texture,personal imagery, memorabilia, and more to yourpaintings. And layering adds a new dimension to thework in several senses of the word!

Spray paint, stencil, tissue, water-soluble pencils,sgraffito (read more about sgraffito on page ).

ODDS AND ENDS

Vintage images, acrylic mediums, and paint.

These common household items likely can be found inthe kitchen, laundry room, or workroom. Find a separatelist of tools starting on page 6.

Acetone	Lace
Beads	Laundry bleach
Burlap	Margarita salt
Buttons	Mesh bags
Cheesecloth	Non-slip rubber
China markers	Paraffin
CitraSolv	Patina solutions
Crackle medium	Petroleum jelly
Doilies	Plastic wrap
Drywall compound	Ribbons
Fabric dye	Rubber gloves
Fibers	Sandpaper
Floss	Spray paint
Foreign coins	Wallpaper paste
Gauze	Waxed paper
House paint	Wire
Kosher salt

Low- or No-Cost!

This flotsam and jetsam is very cheap or (wait for it)free! Ephemera and repurposed items can becomeart.

Bones	Paint chips
Candles	Playing cards
Candy wrappers	Postage stamps
Cardboard	Pressed leaves
Charms	Puzzle pieces
Clock parts	Rags
Clothespins	Receipts
Costume jewelry	Sand
Crushed eggshells	Sawdust
Dictionary pages	Sea glass
Dominoes	Seashells
Dress patterns	Sheet music
Fabric scraps	Shopping lists
Feathers	Small toys
Game pieces	Sticks
Maps	Stones
Metal foil	String
Nuts and bolts	Styrofoam
Old calendars	Ticket stubs
Old keys	Washers
Old report cards	Wrapping paper

Venezia, by Paula. Acrylic paint and modeling paste, inks, fabric, and an original photograph.