Mixed Media is perfect for Valentine’s plaques as you can add lots of imagery which is meaningful to you.

I’ve shared before that I don’t like blank canvases, I need to break them up quickly and one way I do this is to add a layer of EasyStructure.

After I have got over that first hurdle, for this project I selected a range of images which are meaningful to us including cats, monkeys, and jigsaws.

I then added in some seasonal images such as keys, hearts, flowers and butterflies. As its Steampunk month over on The Powertex Studio, I also added some cogs.

I always take a picture at this stage, partly as an aide memoire and partly as a starting point to add more if needed.

I covered the whole piece with Ivory Powertex, including the sides and back and let it dry. At this stage I often add more embellishments if I see any gaps or trapped spaces, which need to fill.

My New Year’s resolution is to “be more Tracey” and to not to shy away from colour. I am inspired by the creative director of Powertex, Tracey Evan’s who has a fantastic way with combining colours.

In this project I started with a coat of lava acrylic ink which I knocked back with white Powertex.

I then added analogue colours in acrylic paints of Raspberry Sorbet and Plum Pudding as well Mint Green as a compliment colour.

I brought the colours together with a coat of silver pigment. Before adding a coat of Raspberry Sorbet to add a final level of depth around the edge.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Emma W