Six shabby tags by Emilia Tapiola

Creating tags is always fun, but when you create tags using brand new products, it is double fun. I wanted to test the new Finnabair stencils and waxes and decided to make a quick & light mixed media tag collage, using salvaged and foraged tidal treasures. 

Here’s the how.

The basic idea of each of the 6 tag is the same, the only slight alteration is, beside the trinkets, in the colour of the paints, because I wanted a series of tags that I could use either individually or as a tag collage of 6.

I had two hard cardboard tags and cut more similarish sized ones, and covered each with a different Finnabair tissue paper, using Soft Matte Gel for attaching and a light layer of white Heavy Gesso for priming.

Next, I painted the tags with Snow White Impasto paint, heavier layer on the edges and only a slightest touch to the middle. Then I mixed Impastos Pitch Black and Dark Chocolate and shadowed the edges using a wet brush and a sprayed, making the tags look worn out.

For the new stencils I used Paper texture Paste that brought out the stencil patterns beautifully and intricately and added just a hint of the black-brown Impasto mixture here and there, using spray and baby wipes to give only a soft darkening effect. Now I had 6 tag bases to start creating collages with.

I created the collages for each tag using Finnabair mechanicals, seashells, and driftwood, with moulds for most of them, too, attaching all with Heavy Body Gel. Next, I added some Mini and Mega Art Stones here and there around the nooks and crevices of the collages, using Soft Matte Gel as glue, and glued some Art Pebbles here and there, too. 

Next step was to prime the collages with a light layer of gesso, and then paint them. Here’s where the alteration begun. I wanted to test how to achieve different colour worlds that would still fit together if I decided to put them all in my wall to make a memory collage; after all there are driftwood and seashells from our summer travels in each tag!

For the soft greyish blue ones (with new stencils Ghostwriter and Machinery as the background) I used a mixture of Impastos Snow White, Manor Blue, and Victorian Green to create a soft, misty morning beach look, when the storm clouds are rolling in and the tidal waves are revealing their treasures. I then added Liquid Acrylics Ink Black and Burnt Sienna for light shadowing. As a finishing touch, I added a hint of the new wax Ochre with waxes Vintage Silk and Vintage Gold here and there for highlighting and sprinkled some white acrylic paint on top.

For the lightly rusty beige ones (with new stencils Documented and Book of Numbers as the background) I tried to create a more dried look, like the salvaged objects would have been lying in the beach for some time, exposed for rain and salt and sunshine. For this, I added some Gold Metallic Flakes using Gilding Glue, and then painted the tags over with Impastos Linen, Dark Chocolate, and Pitch Black, with Rust Effect Pastes Brown and Red, and then added Liquid Acrylics Ink Black, Umber, Avocado Green, and Burnt Sienna. Again, for the finishing touches I used hint of the new waxes Ochre and Stained Wood, with Vintage Gold, Old White, and Vintage Silk, and sprinkled again some splashes of white and brownish paints and Sparks Chest of Gold on top.

For the sky-blue ones (with new stencils Bindweed Wallpaper and Victorian Tiles) I tried to get the look of calm evening at the sea, peaceful and majestic, seagulls flying low and waves rolling lazily to the shore. I painted the whole tag with all the trinkets and all with a mixture of Impastos Snow White, Manor Blue, Linen, and Cobalt, and highlighted and shadowed the collages with Liquid Acrylics Prussian Blue and Ink Black, with a hint of Burnt Sienna for warmth. As for the wax department, I used the new Ochre wax with Old White, Charcoal Black, Vintage Silk and Vintage Gold, to get the shimmering first or last rays of sun appearing in the horizon. And sprinkled again a bit of bluish and white splashes on top.

The tags took less time to create than it took time to write it all down. It was so fun to make them, as the new stencils are versatile and inspiring, and we had just got home from our summer beach wanderings with great hauls of driftwood and seashells for collage making! Have a go, too, and get inspired by the wonderful new stencils!

Emilia, xx

New Products (soon available in stores):

Finnabair Stencil - Book of Numbers, Documented, Machinery, Ghostwriter, Bindweed Wallpaper, Victorian Tiles

Art Alchemy Matte Wax - Ochre, Stained Wood

Products I have used - all the images linked to Mixed Media Place online store: