Mixed Media Crosses

I did this fun craft with the women at my church.  It was super easy. Just trace, cut and paste with mod podge. Stickers were used on coordinating paper for the center of the crosses. We used chalk pastels to shade the edges. Everyone had a great time getting creative!

Mixed Media Portraits - Kids Art Class

This was one of those projects that took me longer to prepare than it took the kids to complete.  I took photos of my students and edited them using photoshop prior to class. I am still a novice with photoshop so it took longer than it probably should have!  I changed the photos to black and white, then went to greyscale, adjusted the contrast and highlights, then applied the halftone effect.  The edited photos were then printed onto transparency paper.

In class, I had my students cover their canvas panels with scrapbook paper using mod podge. Then they glued the transparency over the top of the papers. In my photos you can still see the wet mod podge through the transparency, but it will eventually dry clear.
I had originally planned on using a transfer technique with the transparencies, but when I tested it, the paper was tearing, so I improvised.  It probably saved a lot of headaches!

We had about a half hour left in class so I used our remaining time to teach them how to draw a simple face.

Here is a link to the original post where I got this idea from:  Christine Adolph Designs

Hot Air Balloon Mixed Media - Kids Art Class

My art class did a great job with this project. It was a little tricky (lots of cutting and careful placing) so I don't think I would attempt it with younger kids again.  My students are aged 8-13 and the youngest ones needed a lot of help.
 

I had them use rubber stamps with permanent ink on their blank canvas panels.  Then we painted over everything and added effects with bubble wrap and other textures.  Stamping before painting caused a cool washed out effect in the background. Then I had them draw and cut out templates from cardstock and use them to trace and cut patterned papers.  Mod podge was used to adhere the paper balloons and clouds. We also added real string for the basket ropes.  I wish they had been able to add outlines to their balloons but we ran out of time (class runs 1 1/2 hours).

I got the idea for this project from Pinterest.

 

Mixed Media Journals - Summer Art Camp 2013

I started out the week of our summer art camp with a mixed media journal project.  The girls used stamps and scrapbook papers to create a mosaic tile pattern on the covers.  Then they embellished with buttons, flowers, ribbon, brads and fun objects.  It was a great project.  The girls really enjoyed personalizing their journals.

 

 

Rustic Birds - Mixed Media on Wood

This was a fun and easy project done the week of Mother's Day.  We started with raw 2" x 6" wood pieces (cut into 7 1/2" & 4" lengths).  I had the kids paint the front side of the board with white gesso.  While it dried, they used bird templates to trace and cut bird shapes out of scrapbook papers.  Then I had them use sandpaper to rough up the edges and bring out the grain of the wood.  We then "stained" the wood with liquid acrylics (rubbed in with a damp cloth and then removed, leaving the stain in the cracks and edges).  The bird wings were hand sewn by the students with felt and fabric then cut out with pinking shears.  Finally we adhered the birds with mod podge and the wings & button eyes with glue (the photos were taken while the glue was still wet so they look white but will dry clear).  I am sure there were a lot of happy moms that week!