Creative Paint Workshop for Mixed-Media Artists

Professional photographers know just what to include in the frame

and what to leave out. They look through the viewfinder and move

the camera until everything they want is in view.

As a mixed-media artist you have more freedom than a photographer.

You can start with the subject matter or just paint in a background

color. If, later on in the process, you decide that you don't like some

of the content, you can simply paint or collage over it. If you realize

that your intended focal point isn't "popping," you can change its

color, its value, or its texture to make it more obvious. If you were

aiming for balance and your painting appears w eighted too heavily

on one side, you can add a shape on the other side to even it out.

If your picture ends up looking "blah," there are dozens of ways to

liven it up with more saturated colors, heavier textures, lively super-

imposed lines, more d etail. Of course , you probably won' t want to

do all those things. Even one could make all the difference.

Avenue de Bel Air.

Ann Baldwin, 12" x 9"

(30.5 x 22.9 em), collage,

acrylic on canvas.

Private collection.

This small piece is given

depth by the inclusion of text

and maps in the background.

The focal pOint is f ur t her

emphasized by the picture

frame. The only textured

element is the corrugated

cardboard. A vertical strip

of strongly patterned tissue

paper has been added to

balance it.

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