Basic DIY layers and texture!!

Hello everyone, it's me again! :) I will admit that I slacked with my blog last week...boo! :( BUT, don't fret because guess what, I'm back!  Today I'm sharing a little bit about how YOU can create two of my faaaaavorite parts of mixed media art...layers and texture!!

Layers and texture are such a huge part of creating art because they're what make the art come alive! They're what give art it's depth and take away that feeling of a 'blank boring canvas'. And that's exactly what attracts me to mixed media so much...you can make it come ALIVE!!

There are so many different ways to add different layers and texture to a piece of artwork...some more intricate and others extremely simple.  For today, I'm going to stick to sharing some of the simpler and more basic ways I add my layers and texture to my artwork.

Warning: Please please please try these at home!!! May produce beautiful works of art to be formed!!!

1. Paints and washes
One of the all time easiest ways to create some depth to your art is to use...paint!  Whenever I choose to use paint as my layering tool, I usually start with one color and completely cover my canvas.  Then after that base is dry, I'll choose a darker shade of the same color and water it down.  This new watered down paint (you can also just buy liquid washes at an art store) is used to add a second coat of paint wherever you want some texture to show.  This time however, instead of letting it dry, take a paper towel and wipe off some of the watered paint from the canvas.  This will cause some areas of your canvas to look darker or deeper then others. There is no right or wrong way to do this...just a way to add some texture!

2. Stamps and Stencils 

Stamps and stencils are some of my favorite things to use in the whole wide world!!! I'm not exactly sure why I'm so drawn to these simple little beauties but I absolutely love working with them and don't think I could ever own too many!  When choosing these for your art, go to what you like!  If you think a stamp is pretty...get it! There's no way to have a bad stamp that's not usable and in fact the more you have, the better! When I use stencils and stamps for layers and texture, all I do is simply choose
one and use it in a few different areas and then choose another and do the same.  Continue experimenting with different designs in different directions and places and find what you like best!  Overlapping is also fun with these. Get creative

3. Glue, paint, and credit card

Glue is something that everyone should have at home! If not, please go out a buy a tube of glue for me...I promise you'll be glad you did!  When using glue to create texture, I use it to draw on my canvas (sometimes I'll even add some paint in the glue to give it some color).  Draw your heart away using the glue as your paintbrush and when your done, make sure it can sit and get completely dry.  To finish, take a piece of hard card stock or old credit card and dip one of it's edges in paint.  Take your card and run the painted edge over all of your dried glue.  Up, down, side to side...it doesn't matter how you run it by!  The paint from your card should mostly stick to your raised glue designs, but some of the paint will also land on random parts of the canvas.  It's all a part of the process though...so mess around and see what you like!


And there you have it! Three easy ways to add some fun to your artwork. I hope that these few basic steps will help you find some easy ways to give your art layers and texture!  I encourage all of you to take some time to try them at home because they are seriously so fun to use!!  Go have fun with it, experiment, and create some of your own ways of adding layers and texture.  And remember, there's no right or wrong way to do this...it's all up to YOU!!

Go make the world prettier friends :)