Growing in Unity - Day 5 - Mixed Media

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be your Growing In Unity gal this week! Welcome to the final day of this fabulous week - it sure has gone by fast. Be sure to leave comments on my GIU posts each day this week because at the end of this fun week, I get to choose TWO of you to win an awesome grab back of 25 Unity Stamps!

So, I thought Wednesday's post was going to be my favorite from my GIU week, but I changed my mind. THIS one is AND it's my birthday - happy Friday the 13th everyone!!! Don't forget to leave those comments, it could be YOUR lucky day, too!

Today, I created a mixed media piece on another 6x6 wood panel. I saw THIS VIDEO by Donna Downey for Faber-Castell using the Pitt Pastel pencils and was seriously blown away. I have a few of them so I decided to pull them out and do a little experimenting. I already knew I was going to use this You Are Important Unity Stamp by Donna Downey so it was a win-win. That sentiment is perfection in my opinion. No truer words have ever been stamped. ;)

I wish I had some pastel grounding medium or the pastel board like she worked on but I didn't so I just used the absorbent ground medium I do have and applied it on the the board with a palette knife to create more of a tooth for the pastels to grab on to. My process for creating this tiny mixed media board is quite long so I'm going to go step by step as I think that might make it easier to understand how it came together!

1. I picked out two teal colors and two green colors for my color palette and alternated scribbling them on the entire board blending them all together with my fingers. 

2. I created a soft pencil outline of where the stamped image would be and took my palette knife to apply gesso around the edges of the board. Let dry completely.

3. I stamped my image with Tsukinkeo Versafine Onyx Black ink. I let that dry (for some reason it stayed wet awhile longer than usual - I actually hit it with my heat gun to speed that up.) 

4. I sprayed my board with some Helmar Workable Fixative so I could continue adding layers over the pastel pencils. 

5. Using a blend of Faber-Castell gelatos and big pitt brush pens in red, I created the red shading around the flower image.

6. Using a fine tip Faber-Castell pitt pen, I outlined the image in black to make it stand out more.

7. I almost stopped at that point but I kept looking at it and thinking it needed something else...then it hit me, drippage and paint splatters of course! So, I took some LiquitexInk in magenta and dripped it on my board then tapped it vertically on my table to make the drippage. 

8. Using a black gelato applied directly to the edges of the board, I blended with my fingers to frame everything.

There, now it was complete! I sealed my canvas using Helmar Crystal Kote in a glossy finish.

Here is a close up - ahhh, I just love all the ink splatters and this stamp is gorgeous! I will be using it over and over. I also can't wait to try this technique again on some surfaces actually primed for the pastel medium. 

I can't believe this week has reached its conclusion. I want to thank each and every one of you that stopped by and left me the most amazing comments. Each one made me smile as they came through - being a part of Growing In Unity is truly about uplifting each other and I hope you will all continue to follow along as a new GIU gal is introduced each week this year.

Be sure to stop back by tomorrow to find out if you won either of the two grab bags of 25 Unity Stamps!

Thanks so much for stopping by - if you liked my art work today and don't want to miss a post please be sure to follow me by clicking the button below!

Products used:
Unity Stamp Co stamp - You Are Important by Donna Downey
Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black ink
The Artist Panel 6x6 all primed wood panel
Golden Absorbent Ground
Liquitex White Gesso
Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel pencils
Faber-Castell Pitt Big Brush pens
Faber-Castell Gelatos
LiquitexInk