Seahorse Starfish Canvas' #CoastalDecor #Seahorse #Starfish #Mixedmedia

I fell in love with this seahorse mixed media that one of our students completed in our mixed media art class. I determined immediately I would create 2 canvas' for the Okaloosa Island Condo Rental but with a twist on colors. 

Here they are completed and although I really love the way they came together,  I don't love the way they look hung in the room. I do love the seahorses but the starfish seem a little too folk artsy for me or maybe more child like. I'll  try to find  a way to work out something new for the starfish so I can love it.

Working with 16 x 20" canvas' I pulled together a variety of papers and napkins that I wanted to use as a collage background for my mixed media, much of which you won't see in the background but will come through as texture or as subtle peeks of interest.

I was sure to include some of this image into the sister canvas'. These vintage beach babes look like they were having so much fun at the beach. 

One of my tricks to keep a home printed photo from bleeding during mixed media is to coat it with a layer of furniture wax and then buff it. It seals the ink into the paper. In this case I tinted it blue using my Polished Turquoise Chalk Paint .

I used Elmer's Glue All mixed with a few tablespoons of water,( to make it flow better), to glue my collage pages to the canvas'.

After I get my images adhered  I begin to add color and soften the look of the images. My goal is to create a cohesive white on white background with peeks of color and peeks of images.

You see what's happening. 

When everything is dry ,I trace my seahorse and starfish onto the canvas using oil pastel. Using my finger to create shading and also to create a dark border around the entire canvas

My sister thought these were beautiful but I'm not loving them in this location. Independently I love them  but not for this space. So I think these will go up for sale.

Thanks for playing along.

With love and gratitude,

Michele

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