Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Important Things To Learn Regarding Mixed Media

By Phillip Guye

What we know nowadays as mixed media art began in the early 20th century, when painters seeking an alternative to what they saw as hidebound academicism began including items as well as photos that were in no way regarded as being artwork materials in their works. Examples of daily materials being included in ceremonial or visual objects can be found dating back to prehistory, but these were put together having different motives, and functioned a very different social purpose than the objects we consider as "art."

Mixed media art is known as a broad categorical term used to encompass several art and craft ventures. Ventures including sculptures, paintings, collages, 2-D and 3-D assemblages, modified items and book making are just a couple of exceptional ventures to work with with mixed media art. Most objects are used in mixed media art creations, including but is not limited to, paint, papers, found items, adhesive, old jewelry, buttons, nails, bolts, screws, pictures, clays, pencils, pens, markers and more. A basic mixed media project is a collage created from found objects.

When creating a painted or photographed work applying mixed media it is very important choose the layers carefully and let sufficient drying period between the layers to guarantee the finished work is going to have consistency. If many different media are used it's evenly important to select a durable foundation upon which the different layers are imposed. Many interesting effects may be accomplished by making use of mixed media. Commonly, found objects are used in conjunction with traditional artist materials, like paints and graphite, to express a message in the everyday living. In doing this, numerous elements of art become more versatile than with conventional artist media.

The beauty of mixed media art is the flexibility to begin with things surrounding you and expand from there. To get going you will need a substrate or base. This can be a clean sheet of paper, sketchbook, a cereal box or anything else which may be sitting still. After that, in case you are heading down the collage path, you are going to require something to stick with (adhesive sticks are great to start with) and something to stick on (colored papers, newspapers, catalogs, and anything else that grabs you).

Another appealing characteristic of mixed media art is that you don't need fine art or drawing skills. That doesn't imply you are excluded from mixed media art if you have these skills, but it opens up a world of creative imagination for the rest of us who like to create things but can't draw. The relevant skills you need to get started are as simple as having the ability to work with a pen, scissors and adhesive. These skills will expand and develop with more experience, depending on which "branch" you pursue. More complex skills of mixing paints and developing your "artist eye" will occur as you broaden your own creativity. Specific skills for particular media or art types will display themselves as you move into these aspects. As with other areas of life, the techniques and teachers will appear when you're prepared.

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