Art Techniques - B | Mixed Media Art

This page discusses mixed media art technique beginning with the letter B. You will find photos, descriptions, a video demonstration, links to additional techniques and a poll.

his page celebrates art techniques (including mixed media art) that begin with the letter B. Look for such fascinating techniques as beading, brayering, batik, bargello, bleach out stamping, burnished velvet and various others.

I have included pictures, step by step directions in some cases, videos, links to outside resources and examples, shopping recommendation, a poll, and plenty of room for discussion.

If you know of a "B" art technique that is not included here, please leave a comment and tell us about it.

This is the second page in a series of 26 that will cover art techniques beginning with each letter of the alphabet.

Unless otherwise stated, all photos are credited to June Campbell.

Where do you stand on these techniques?

An adaptation of a Needcraft Technique

I made these two artist trading cards (ATCs) using the Bargello technique for paper.

What it is

Traditional bargello is A needlepoint stitch that produces zigzag lines. Paper artists have adapted this style and create similar effects using paper.

How to do it

1. Cut strips of patterned paper into strips of varying widths. If desired, using more than one paper design.

2. Arrange the strips on a piece of cardstock, one beneath the other. Arrange so as to create a design.

It's easier to show this technique than to describe it.

Please refer to the video below for detailed instructions.

This video shows how to do bargello for paper. The artist creates several different designs and uses them in card making.

A Mixed Media Embellishment

These metallic flowers are made from aluminum beer cans. They are actually die cuts, made from the Tim Holtz Floral dies, and cut on the Big Shot.

The Big Shot cuts through the beer cans as if they were butter. It does no damage to the Big Shot or do the dies. The edges of the flowers are not sharp, as some people think.

After cutting the flowers from the dies, I layered them, punched a hole through the middle with a paper piercer, and inserted a brad. I added some additional color with Adirondack Alcohol Inks.

Brayering or Brayered Backgrounds is a technique that involves applying inks, paints, or dies to a surface using a brayer. One or more colors can be used, and different effects can be created.

In the card shown here, the flower is rubber stamped using a watermark ink such as Versamark. The pink background is derived from a die ink that is brayered over the surface. The watermark ink resists the die, leaving the flower a white color.

This stamping technique is called "resist."

In most cases, brayered backgrounds are done on glossy paper and use die inks.

Burnished Velvet(tm) is a technique developed by two Canadian women, Haroldine Wingfield and Deanna Pannell. It involves applying one or more shades of microfine glitter to double sided sticky tape. Masking with resist paper can be done to create specific designs. When all glitter has been applied, you remove the excess, then rub gently with your fingers to burnish.

The video below demonstrates using this technique to create a simple design.

Do you know a great art technique starting with B? Please let us know. If you don't know one, leave a comment anyway, okay?