Joy In Monochrome

Hello & Happy Monday everyone!

We are starting a new week together with Karolina who's here to provide us all with a great positive vibe and creative energy - so much needed in this time of year when things can often get hectic.
We hope you'll feel tempted to use Karolina's tutorial and create your own set of pretty mixed media tags.

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Hello there!

Sometimes I think to myself that too often we tend to remember and focus on things that make us sad or that are difficult in our lives. I decided to change that way of thinking!

I created a special set of tags and used the creative process to celebrate love and gratitude and to appreciate and take care of my playful inner child.

I was planning to make my tags quite simple but somehow they came out 'fluffy' and layered (I couldn't resist... ;) ) with a bit 'raw' backrounds.

Lately, I've been experimenting with watercolors and playing with different effects when you use such paints with all sorts of mixed media.

For example I discovered that they work much better with Clear Gesso insted of the White one. Sometimes, wet White Gesso reacts with wet watercolor paints and it loses its brilliance and the colors become pale. When working with Clear Gesso it never happens!

Creating my tags I had a lot of fun making watercolor splatters and splashes. You should really try this simple technique - there's so much joy in the process! :)

Experiment with different paints, colors, tools (toothbrushes work great too!) and also different distance from your paper - whatever the results, such splashes always beautifully complete any kind of project.

In this project I also used pieces of chipboard elements, lace, gauze and sisal fibres to add volume and texture and to complete my composition.

Even though I went for a monochromatic color palette, I think my tags are teeming with life and energy. One way to achieve such effect is using Graphite Texture Paste which breaks the monotone and provides great contrast for all the colors. I really love its grainy rough texture!

In this project I applied it through the 'Bubbles' stencil.

I love making projects using monochromatic or analogous colors and in this case I used Art Alchemy Metallique paints in Light Patina and Mermaid Teal and this way I got a perfectly balanced and harmonious effect.

I also added some warm accents with another Metallique paint in Steampunk Copper. This is my favorite color in the whole golden-brown range from Finnabair.

Of course I also have to mention the stunning new papers from 7 Dots Studio (Northern Lights collection) and my beloved set of Finnabair's stamps called 'Don't Forget To Fly' (the butterflies look brilliant when embossed on a piece of vellum!).

Please enjoy my video and use it as an inspiration for your own special set of tags that will help you keep your spirits high! :)

With December and Christmas just around the corner, I think it's especially important to look after ourselves and be careful not to lose all the joy during this busy time of preparations...

And what better way to pamper ourselves than with a cup of coffee and your favorite paints?! :)

Sometimes it's just these simple little things that make all the difference, right?

Hugs!

Karolina

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