Mixed Media Handbook

Book excerpt: Make the most of the time, money and heart you invest in your art. Successful mixed-media art starts with selecting the best materials and tools for the job. Here's where the very thing that attracts many artists to the genre--the vast array of available supplies and media--can also pose the greatest challenge: How to choose from the wide variety of options for any given project? Mixed Media Handbook makes your decisions easier and more confident by providing a complete and current working guide to today's traditional and unconventional materials, including tools; substrates; adhesives & mediums; paper, photographs & other collage resources; natural materials, building supplies & household items; drawing materials, and painting media. Selecting an appropriate surface for rubber-stamping, the best adhesive for attaching beads, or the right medium for a desired effect involves more than reading a few specifications on a data sheet. That's why each alphabetical entry includes notes on best practices for application, archival quality or longevity and ideas for using the materials in your art. In addition, 18 step-by-step demonstrations illustrate techniques such as creating a painted map substrate, turning a slide into a collage element, and using encaustics. No matter what your skill level, having this information at your fingertips will save you time and money, encourage greater experimentation in your art and free you up to focus on the fun part--creating.