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Painting mixed media flowers on yupo paper for the Anonymous Art Show

Painting flowers in mixed media
Inspiration / Mixed media / Painting / Painting Flowers from Imagination / Painting technique / Step by step demonstrations / Yupo paper demonstrations

Painting mixed media flowers on yupo paper for the Anonymous Art Show

I did paint a series of three watercolor and mixed media flowers on yupo paper for the anonymous Art show. They are painted on Yupo paper mounted on board. Here are some pictures of the steps I took.

The Anonymous Art Show is a yearly event organized by the North Vancouver Community Arts Council. Here are the rules:

  • All works in that exhibition have to be painted on an 8 x 8 inches panel or canvas,
  • They are all priced at 100 dollars
  • They are signed at the back so you don’t know who painted the Artwork when you buy it.

You might also be interested in : No more framing : How to mount yupo paper on board

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

Yupo Watercolor Paper

Yupo is a compelling and unique alternative to traditional art papers. It’s a synthetic paper, machine-made in the USA of 100% polypropylene. It is waterproof, stain resistant, and extremely strong and durable. PH neutral.

mixed media flower paintings with watercolor

I selected only four colors for the backgrounds so they don’t end up with too many colors and a tye-dye look.

painting with watercolors on yupo paper

I end up with three abstract backgrounds. Yupo paper is working great for this technique as the paint dries with lots of textures on that paper.

outlining shapes on yupo paper for negative painting techniques
outlining shapes on yupo paper for negative painting techniques

Next step is finding shapes in the abstract background. On Yupo paper I like to use graphite.

painting the negative space with acrylic on yupo paper

Then I am blocking in the negative space with white acrylic.

painting flowers from imagination on yupo paper

I am painting a layer of acrylic on some areas to introduce more color variety.

glazing with acrylics
acrylic glazing on yupo paper mounted on board
painting with acrylic on yupo paper
painting flowers in acrylics step by step
how to paint flowers with acrylics

Next step is adding patterns on the painting with pen and fluid Acrylics.

painting flowers with acrylic inks

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

 

Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Water-Resistant Artists Ink

FW Artists Ink is an acrylic-based, pigmented, water-resistant ink in a range of 38 colors, all of which have either a three-star or four-star rating for permanence. FW Artists Inks work well with airbrushes, dip pens, technical pens and brushes. – Primary Colors Set

adding patterns with acrylic inks
adding patterns with a dipping pen and ink
dipping pen and acrylic inks
drawing on your paintings with a dipping pen
drawing flowers with a dipping pen

I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.

Speedball Sketching Project Set

This calligraphy pen and nib set gives you the tools needed to create beautiful works of art. Ideal for drawing, crosshatching, lithography, and fine details. Includes two plastic pen holders and six nibs.

how to paint flowers step by step
how to paint flowers without a reference picture
zentangles with a dipping pen
painting flowers from imagination step by step

The finished paintings:

mixed media on yupo paper mounted on board

In Hanoi, mixed media on yupo paper mounted on board, 8 x 8 inches

painting flowers on yupo paper
how to paint flowers on yupo paper

In Melbourne, mixed media on yupo paper mounted on board, 8 x 8 inches

In Stockholm, mixed media on yupo paper mounted on board, 8 x 8 inches

The three paintings sold at the show but you can browse more mixed media flower paintings here.

4.7/5 - (3 votes)

Comments (18)

  1. Beth Figiel

    Absolutely soul inspiring. Haven’t painted in 2 years, this got me interested. Thank you!

    1. Thanks Beth! I am very happy to know that you got back to painting 🙂

  2. […] Anonymous Art Show 2014 […]

  3. Kathleen Abley

    I found your site tonight while searching for inspiration. Your work is beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing.

    1. Thanks Kathleen, I am glad you looked at my site for inspiration 🙂

  4. Amy Maricle

    What a lovely technique! I do something similar with tissue paper painting. I love your incorporation of pattern more purposefully here too. Very nice.

    Amy

    1. Thanks Amy! I would be curious to see what you are doing either tissue paper. Do you have a link with pictures?

  5. Fabulous! Just FABULOUS!

    1. Thanks you so much Sandy 🙂

  6. veronica

    I’m just starting to use yupo and find it interesting and challenging. Thanks for your creative input!

    1. Thanks Veronica 🙂

  7. Liz F.

    I love your work. It is very inspiring to go through your many tutorials, very well done. I tried your technique with a watercolor background. When I painted over it with acrylic paint it started to lift off. Did you spray it first with a final fixative spray before painting the acrylic? I ended up scumbling watercolors over the white acrylic which I really liked. Thanks so much for sharing your marvelous talents!!!

    1. Thanks Liz:)
      Yes if you don’t want the watercolor to mix with acrylic, you can either spray it with fixative or paint with gel medium on top.
      I also like when the watercolor is mixing up a bit with the acrylic. What you can also do is let that first layer dry and then paint another one on top if you want a whiter color. The first layer of acrylic will “fix” the watercolor.

  8. Donna

    Thank you for posting your demos. I find your work inspiring!

  9. Traci

    I love your stuff. I’ve been finding myself looking at your page at least once a week, just because I love your art. Hopefully next time I’m in your neck of the woods I will get up to Vancouver and take one of your workshops, but I feel I’ve learned so much from your website already. Thank you for sharing so much of your technique.

    1. Thanks Traci!!

  10. Love your panels – and thanks for sharing how to mount Yupo! I’ve not tried that yet, but maybe I will now.
    We have a similar fund-raiser show called “Lions Heart” every February here in the Town of Truckee, CA at Riverside Studios gallery. We get 12″ x 12″ panels to paint on in whatever medium we choose. We can paint up to 3 panels per artist, no framing, and we do sign them on the front. They get sold at $100 each, with $50 going to High Fives Foundation, $50 to the artist, unless the artist decides to donate the full amount. The show is up for the month of February, and raises lots of money for a worthy cause (rehabilitation of injured athletes – being a ski-sport “mecca” we have lots of those here.)

    1. Thanks Eva for your comment.
      Yes, this is exactly the same fundraising model and it is very successful here too. I like it because there is something for everyone in that model, the Artists gets a bit if revenue while helping a good cause, the gallery visitors get original Art at a very reasonable price and the fundraising is very efficient.
      Let me know how mounting yupo works for you Unfortunately I don’t think you can share pictures in the comment but you can share a link to pictures.

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