There are many artists throughout art history who harness the power of the written word as inspiration for visual art. This list includes Barbara Kruger, Robert Indiana, Jenny Holzer, Mel Bochner, Kay Rosen, and many more! These artists challenge the audience to question: Can words be used in the visual art making process? What message do words carry? How can visual art blend with written word?
This blog post features a guide for beginning artists to explore a word-inspired mixed media artwork. Additionally, the post shows artists a step by step approach to begin since we all know a blank canvas can be intimidating to approach!
The requirements for this project include (1)one postiive written word, (2) one visual image that connects to the word, (3) at least 4 mediums used, and (4) a goal to visually UNIFY the artwork through color & mark-making.
WHAT IS MIXED MEDIA ART?
Media is just a fancy art word that translates to art material. MEDIA is the plural form of the word MEDIUM. A MIXED MEDIA artwork uses two or more mediums to create the work of art. Mixed media art can be an adventurous, spontaneous and fun approach to art making. It challenges artists to determine what art mediums go well together, problem solve when mediums don’t mix well, and experiment with layering.
MATERIALS LIST:
Below is a list of materials used in the demo below. However, a wide range of art tools can be used. Consider what is available to you.
- Thick paper/cardboard to build mixed media art onto
- Old magazines/newspaper/scrap paper/ old book pages
- Liquid white glue and/or glue sticks
- Gesso (mixed with water to thin)
- Scissors
- Liquid watercolor
- Stencils- recommended is all letters of the alphabets & simple shapes/symbols. I used my school’s old school die cutter to create these out of cardstock.
- Liquid watercolor in spray bottles
- Dry materials such as china markers, markers, colored pencils, crayons, and more.
- Bingo daubers
- Mark making tools like paintbrushes, sponges, scrapers, etc.
STEP ONE:
The first step is to develop a mixed media surface. Using a variety of hand torn pieces of black and white book pages/magazines, layer up the entire surface. Strive for each piece to be no larger than the palm of the hand. Overlap and layer each torn piece to create a collage appearance.
STEP TWO:
Using a layer of watered down white gesso, apply a thin layer on top of the collage background. I love this step because it makes the background primed for a variety of materials and helps to dull and even out the collage background.
Next, start adding 1 POSITIVE, INSPIRATIONAL word or short quote. Consider… what words personally connect with you in your life right now? What is something you would like to work on? What word resonates with you? What words are meaningful to you at this moment in your life?
There are many ways to add words into the composition. Some options include letter by letter collage, formed letters on paper, hand drawn, stencils, and more!
STEP THREE:
Consider 2-3 colors you would like to incorporate into your work. Using a limited color scheme is not required but does help to UNIFY your composition.
Begin layering color onto the black and white collage background. Liquid watercolor works great here because it allows the background to show through.
STEP FOUR:
Next, add at least 1 visual image that connects to your written word. Images can be found from magazines, hand drawn, and more.
To finalize, explore adding a variety of mixed media to build contrast, add emphasis, and develop imagery onto your artwork.
STUDENT EXAMPLES:
Here are some examples from my 6-8th grade art students. I really loved seeing the real-time exploration and experimentation with media. It was inspirational seeing the words they chose. I was surprised to see the social emotional development and personal connections they had to the words. For some, this project was out of their comfort zone, especially for students who aren’t used to the freedom of using expressive art tools. However, the process really helped them to grow as artists!
Photos below are artist working on their mixed media words in progress. This project can get messy, so it is helpful to have “centers” for each medium.
Hey educators! Please stay tuned for a ready-for-the-classroom version of this project that will soon be available for purchase.
Thanks for checking out this blog post. I would love to see your creation if you use these steps to create your word-inspired mixed media artwork. Feel free to tag me on Instagram and possibly get featured in this site! Also, please follow Make a Mark Studios on Facebook to keep up with the latest posts! Thanks in advance!
-Stephanie Villiotis, art teacher and creator of Make a Mark Studios