Hi everyone and welcome to my "Show Me Sunday" Tutorial on how to make an easy piece of canvas art. As some of you know, I love doing canvas art and mixed media projects in addition to scrapping. A few months ago I bought a package of 3 4x12 art canvases. This project will be the first in a series of 3. (Stay tuned to my blog to see the other 2 later this week).

Here is a list of supplies you will need to complete this project:
4" x 12" canvas, a few complementary colored acrylic paints (I used 4 different shades of red), Renaissance Brown Metallic Glaze, Candy Apple Red Glimmer Mist, Professional Acrylic Inks in Red and Copper Plated Gold, Brayer, Heat Tool (optional, great for quick drying),Letter Stamps, Paint Brush, Paper Towels, Piece of Bubble Wrap, Stencils or Stamps, Black Stayz On Ink, White Gel Pen, Rub Ons (optional), piece of sponge (optional)


Step 1:
Arrange your acrylic paints from darkest to lightest. Beginning with the darkest shade, cover your entire canvas using a paintbrush. Make sure to cover it completely, including the sides and edges. Let dry naturally or use a heat tool to speed up the process.





Step 2:
Take the next lighter shade of paint and brush it onto a piece of bubble wrap. Stamp the bubble wrap randomly over the canvas. Allow to dry.



Step 3:
Take the next lightest shade of paint and using a stencil, gently tap the paint onto the canvas. At this point you can use several different stencils. I used 2 different flower shaped ones. If you do not have stencils, you can add paint to a stamp and stamp into the background. If you are using rubber stamps it is VERY IMPORTANT that you wash them immediately. I tend to abuse my stamps and only use them for mixed media, but if you are going to use them again to make a card or something you want to treat them right :) Allow to dry.



Step 4:
Take the last color remaining and using an old credit card or folded up edge of paper, stamp some lines randomly on the canvas. Allow to dry, then follow with your Glimmer Mist. Allow to dry.

Step 5:
Take your acrylic inks now and gently blend it into various spots on the canvas using either your finger (my favorite) or a paper towel. You can also use a sponge. Don't forget to add ink around the sides and edges. You should see a real depth of color and texture on your canvas at this point. At this point you can also use the brayer to add small amounts of the metallic gold finish, paying attention to the edges of the canvas. Don't be afraid to brayer over what you've already done. I also gave mine a few more shots of Glimmer Mist. The intention is to build layers. That is what makes it look so interesting. The metallic finish will also give the canvas a little bit of shimmer.



Step 6:
Add your words using letter stamps. You could also use a rub on word, or even cut a word or letters out of magazines. There are many options. For a final touch, I like to go back over the entire canvas with a brayer and a little bit of the darker paint. It helps tie and blend everything all together, giving it a more "finished" look. I also used the white gel pen to accent the title and the stenciled image and added a few little rub ons in the background. You can also have fun with it and do some little doodles. When everything is completed and dry, I like to seal the canvas using Liquitex gloss varnish. This is completely up to you, but I recommend sealing your work if it will be exposed to light to avoid fading.