How To Resin Mixed Media Paintings

What is mixed media?

Mixed media is a style of artwork created by combining two or more different art forms or mediums. Mixed media art can be as simple as painting on a photograph or made more complex by incorporating elements such as paper, wood, fabric, and glass or techniques like sculpture and collage.

Epoxy resin is an ideal way to finish mixed media art, providing a beautiful, glossy finish that adds both depth and dimension. Resin has the added benefit of sealing in and securing elements that may become loose while its strength and durability protects artwork for years to come.

Mixed media artist Gillian Schultze draws inspiration from the wilderness of northern Canada where she lives. With acrylic paint and upcycled textiles representing rocks, sky, water and trees, Gillian creates landscapes rich with texture and color. Her mixed media paintings are finished with a coat of resin to seal and protect them, while enriching their color and depth.






Gillian creates her mixed media paintings on wood panels. The wood provides a strong, smooth surface that allows the paint to spread with ease, as well as supporting the weight of the resin without sagging, like stretched canvas often can. Gillian enjoys how the wood grain becomes stained by the paint, creating an interesting texture and look which she incorporates as part of her piece.


Gillian walks us through her creative process, painting two different mixed media landscapes, from start to resined finish. If you've never painted before, this is an ideal project to start with: Gillian draws inspiration from nature where nothing is perfect, so your painting doesn't need to be perfect either! 

Let's get started.

Supplies

Mixed Media Painting 1

Step 1: Lay down a base layer of paint.

Add a dab of teal acrylic tube paint into a mixing cup and add water until it’s a thin consistency.

Apply 2-3 lines of paint to the panel, turning the brush as you apply.




Spritz the panel with water to help the paint spread.




Add a few drops of green paint from the squeeze bottle onto the panel.




Add a few drops of navy blue dye from the squeeze bottle for contrast.




Create texture by pulling the color across the panel with a palette knife.




💡TIP: If you find one color is too dominant, use the palette knife to scrape some of the paint off the panel and onto a cloth. 

Add a little more water to the residual teal paint left in the mixing cup until it's thin enough to pour.  

Squeeze a few more drops of green paint onto the panel.




Apply white acrylic craft paint to the panel with a brush to replicate clouds.




Add a few drops of navy dye to the white paint, working it with the brush. Continue adding more white and navy as needed until you like what you’re seeing.

Allow the first layer of paint to dry.

Step 2: Apply fabric to the panel.

Select fabric that best suits your work and paint palette. Start by cutting fabric shapes and arranging them on the panel. The fabric pieces can represent rocks, sky, water and trees so experiment with the placement, moving and overlapping  them until you're happy with what you see.

Add some white glue to a plastic mixing cup, adding enough water until it's a thin consistency.




With the fabric in place on the panel, spritz them with a bit of water: wetting the fabric makes it easier to saturate it with glue. It also gives you an idea of what the fabric will look like under the resin - some fabric may become really dark.

Brush the glue mixture onto each piece of fabric, ensuring it’s well coated and laying flat on the panel. Don’t worry if the fabric extends over the edges of the piece - you can trim these up later.

Step 3: Add in details.

Add a little more white to touch up the cloud details.

Using a color similar to the wood (Gillian used Golden's Titan Buff) paint a tree and add some abstract details around the piece. 

Blend in some teal and white paint until you’re happy with what you see.




Add some dark green paint to the tree to give it some definition.




At this point, you can leave the piece as it is, or you continue to work it until you’re happy with what you see. You can move the fabric around or add in fine details such as contrasts and highlights etc.



 

Step 4: Prepare the panel for resin.

Paint the edges black to complete the look.  When the paint is thoroughly dry, prepare the panel for resin by taping off the bottom with painter's tape. Prop the panel up and off the work surface using painter's pyramids or small plastic cups.  

 
Last, ensure the fabric swatches are laying flat on the piece. Glue them down, if necessary. 

Step 5: Apply the ArtResin.

Wearing gloves, measure the ArtResin according to the label instructions. Not sure how much you need? Simply enter the dimensions of the board into our Resin Calculator to determine exactly how much resin and hardener you require. 

Mix the resin and hardener together slowly, scraping the sides and bottom as you mix. 

Pour the resin onto the center of the panel. Be careful not to scrape the resin out of the mixing cup, as you would if you were scraping batter from a bowl.  There may be traces of unmixed resin or hardener stuck to the sides that could create soft, sticky spots in your resin. 

Using a gloved hand or a plastic spreader, gently guide the resin out to the edges of your piece. You have approximately 45 minutes to spread the resin before it gets too thick to work with.

Run a flame torch quickly over the surface of the resin to remove bubbles.  Don't hold the flame too closely to the resin and keep it moving at all times. 

Looking at the resin under the light, remove any bits of dust or hair. 

Place a clean plastic tote over the wet resin in order to protect it from dust as it cures.  

Allow the piece to cure overnight.

Step 6: Reveal your piece.

After 24 hours, the resin will be dry to the touch and ready to display or hang on the wall!  NOTE: If you're planning to ship your artwork, wait until the resin has fully cured - typically at the 72 hour mark.


Want to learn more about the do's and don'ts of shipping resined art?
See our blog How Can I Safely Pack My Resin Art For Shipping?

Mixed Media Painting 2

Step 1: Apply the base layer of paint.

Squeeze dabs of teal, blue and dark green acrylic paint from the tube directly onto the wood panel.

Using a piece of cardboard or a palette knife, spread the paint across the panel. The cardboard works well to spread the paint and creates an interesting pattern and texture.

Spritz water from spray bottle onto the panel to create movement in the paint. Use a palette knife to help spread the paint out, if desired.

If needed, add a little more paint to create some contrast, using the palette knife to work it in.





Allow the first layer of paint to dry.

Step 2: Fix imperfections.

Once paint has dried, sand off any areas (such as fingerprints) you may want to remove or don’t like.

Step 3: Apply the fabric to the panel.

Select the fabric that best suits your work and paint palette. Start by cutting fabric into shapes and arranging them on the panel. The fabric pieces can represent rocks, sky, water and trees so experiment with the placement, moving and overlapping  them until you're happy with what you see.

Add some white glue to a plastic mixing cup, adding enough water until it takes on a thin consistency.




Spritz the fabric on the panel with a bit of water: wetting it makes it easier to saturate the fabric with glue and will also give you an idea of what the fabric will look like under resin.

Brush the glue mixture onto each piece of fabric, ensuring it’s well coated and laying flat on the panel. Don’t worry if the fabric extends over the edges of the piece - you can trim these up later.

Step 4: Add in details.

Here is where we can paint in some detail work to create contrast and depth and to help the piece come to life.

Squeeze out a dab of white acrylic paint into a mixing cup, adding a little water to thin it out.  




Using a line brush, create a few thin white lines across the panel. It's a good idea to add paint onto the fabric edges to help it blend in. Leave some of the wood showing to add another textural element.

Using a pointed brush, create some small trees in the background using black craft paint.

Add a few black paint lines to provide some definition in areas that need it.

Next, add touch ups wherever they might be needed. Sometimes it's helpful to set the piece aside and come back to it with fresh eyes. 

When you’re happy with what you see, allow the paint to dry.

Step 5: Trim excess fabric.

Trim off any excess fabric from sides of piece

Step 6: Paint the edges black.

Paint the edges black to help the piece look complete.  Last, prepare the panel by taping off the bottom with painter's tape. Prop the panel off of the work surface using painter's pyramids or small plastic cups.  

Step 7: Apply the ArtResin.

Wearing gloves, measure the ArtResin according to the label instructions. Not sure how much you need? Simply enter the dimensions of the board into our Resin Calculator to determine exactly how much resin and hardener you require. 

Mix the resin and hardener together slowly, scraping the sides and bottom as you mix. 

Pour the resin onto the center of the panel. Be careful not to scrape the resin out of the mixing cup, as you would if you were scraping batter from a bowl.  There may be traces of unmixed resin or hardener stuck to the sides that could create soft, sticky spots in your resin. 

Using a gloved hand or a plastic spreader, gently guide the resin out to the edges of your piece. You have approximately 45 minutes to spread the resin before it gets too thick to work with.

Use a gloved hand to spread the resin over the edges. 

Run a flame torch quickly over the surface of the resin to remove bubbles.  Don't hold the flame too closely to the resin and keep it moving at all times. 

Looking at the resin under the light, remove any bits of dust or hair. 

Place a clean plastic tote over the wet resin in order to protect it from dust as it cures.  

Allow the piece to cure overnight.

Step 8: Reveal your piece.

After 24 hours, the resin will be dry to the touch and ready to display or hang on the wall!  NOTE: If you're planning to ship your artwork, wait until the resin has fully cured - typically at the 72 hour mark.


Want to learn more about the do's and don'ts of shipping resined art?
See our blog How Can I Safely Pack My Resin Art For Shipping?

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial and feel inspired to create a mixed media piece of your own!  Remember, as Gillian demonstrated, even if you don't like what you see in front of you, never give up on your art.  Art is fluid and ever changing and the best way to get started is by following the basics, letting go of the end result, trying out different things and above all, enjoying the creative journey. 

As Gillian says, "Just see what happens!"

To see more of Gillian's work:
visit her website: www.gillianschultze.com
follow her on Instagram: @gillian_schultze

Do you want to learn more about resin art techniques. See below our how-to tutorials: 

• Introduction to Resin Art
• How to Make Ocean Resin Art
• How To Create A Black Resin Ocean With A Gold Crackle Shoreline
• Selective Embellishment
• How to Make Resin Flow Art
• Create Lacing and Cells in Resin
• How to Make Epoxy Resin Matte
• How to Make Mandala Resin Art
• How to Make Resin Art with Dried Flowers
• How to Resin Collage Art
• How to Resin Marker Pointillism
• How to Resin Spray Paint
• How To Make A Resin Crystal
• How to Resin A Glossy Photo

ArtResin:  Made For Artists, By Artists.