Mixed Media

I realised recently that my grade 9-10 students have very little skills and knowledge in mixed media (generally because they haven't had many years of art training and development). So I have devised a unit that develops techniques more than idea development.

The unit incorporates 4 workshops each on a different mixed media technique:

1. Gel image transfers
2. Foil art
3. Marbling and acrylic pours with collaging
4. Using tissue paper for texture and stencils

1. Gel image transfers
I know that there are many ways of doing transfers. And to be honest, I don't think that I chose the best way for the most effective result.

Process for workshop was as such:
Showed students video clip from youtube an example of how to do a gel image transfer.
Showed several completed art peices that use the technique.
Student note-take process and materials for the workshop.
Students completed the gel image transfer:

• Students were required to cut an image from a magazine.
• They painted an interesting backgroup.
• Pasted heavy medium gel over the background (or just the area they want to paste the image).
• Students lay the image on the background - image facing toward the canvas.
• Leave to dry for a day.
• Spray with water and scratch back of image.
• Using a sponge the image should be exposed.

Students wrote a short evaluation of the workshop in their workbooks:

1. Do you think this mixed media technique is used effectively in the art peices shown to you? Use art piece as evidence.
2. What have you learned from the technique and process?
3. How could you use this technique in future projects? Design 3 thumbnail sketches of potential art peices if you used this technique again.

2. Foil art

This was a pretty cool workshop. I have never completed any artwork with foil before which after having used it, I wonder why.

Process of workshop:
Showed a youtube clip of an artist using the technique.
Showed artworks that use foil art. Students particularly enjoyed viewing Dominic Wilcox' portrait of his own face using foil...
Students completed their own foil creations using brayers and glue. Some studetns even used cardboard to give texture and wire netting under the foil too provide a frame. The wire netting was unnecessary but I loved that they were experimenting with different materials without my imput.
Students completed a short evaluation.

3. Marbling and Acrylic pours with collaging

Okay marbling...it's something you probably do with junior primary school students but seriously...you can do it at any age. I found some awesome art works to show how the technique can be used and I was inspired all over again.

There are many ways to marble. The main three ways are with:
paint both acrylic and oil paints - but the method and result are different for both
crayon - I am yet to try this but it sounds fun
shaving cream - I have not heard of this method before researching for this workshop...but it sounds like fun.
The following is a great link for a marbling workshop with kids:
http://unplugyourkids.com/tag/marbling/

This is how I did mine:

• Put water into a baking dish or stationery tray in our case.
• Oil paint mixed with paint thinner. Mix until it is a thickish watery mixture.
• Pour colours in the tray.
• Mix (not too much) with a toothpick, brush or feather.
• Place paper on top of paint.
• Pull up corner and be surprised by the results.

The final workshop with tissue paper, I didn't actually teach (with the exception of one student who took the iniative to imitate my example). But I created one anyway to show how materials can be manipulated for different effects.