The biggest canvas I ever painted, it is 46 × 46 inches and barely fits in my car. I painted this from a picture I took earlier this year at Spanish banks beach (Vancouver-BC) with India ink, newspaper collage, acrylics and graphite.
Step by step acrylic and mixed media painting tutorial, Recycling Life
I started by drawing with graphite a rough outline of the elements in the landscape. I did with the canvas upside down to try to be more precise.
I make a collage with newspapers on the foreground, I tear little pieces and glue them with acrylic medium.
Here is a close up.
I paint with white acrylic paint on top of some parts of the collage.
I avoided the area that will be the trunk of the trees with my collage.
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.
“Super black” means its blackness will be very permanent and fadeless. Contains 100% carbon black pigment. Also free-flowing, non-clogging, and waterproof.
On the lower part of the foreground I paint on top of the newspaper collage with India ink
The ink and the white acrylic are mixing in some parts to make a light grey.
I am trying to have a gradation of paint with darker areas at the bottom of the painting.
I am painting the sea and the mountains in the background, still using a mix of acrylic paint and India ink.
I add a thick layer of medium on top of my collage to make it waterproof. If not the India ink will lift if wet.
I am painting the sea and the mountains in the background, still using a mix of acrylic paint and India ink.
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.
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
I splatter the red paint mix on the foreground.
I then trace all the trees and branches, the drawing is so complex and detailed that I used graphite paper and worked one small area at a time
Once an area is drawn, I paint it with India ink.
Here is a detail of all the intricate branches.
I add a light wash of acrylic paint on the trees for added texture. I did fix the India ink before with Krylon workable fixative.
Originally from France, I have been living in North Vancouver, Canada for the past 20 years.
My work has been collected and exhibited extensively in Canada and internationally. I am also part of the Art Rentals and sales program of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Many of my paintings have been published in Art books and magazines (Artist Magazine, Watercolor Artist Magazine, Acrylic Magazine, International Artist Magazine). I wrote 2 art instruction books with North Light/F+W Books.
I have been writing for the last 5 years for my blog: paintingdemos.com, that has a mailing list of about 10 000 subscribers and about 20 000 visitors per month.
I am an active member in the community, as a co-founder of the North Shore Art crawl, a co-founder of a weekly life drawing group, a board member of the North Vancouver Arts Council, and have been invited as a juror for public art, art grants and juried exhibitions. You can read more about my collaborations here.
[…] This painting was mostly painted with Indian Ink, which works really well for the small details in the branches. There is a very light acrylic red wash in the background. See more details of the painting process here: Step by step acrylic and mixed media painting, Recycling Life […]
Rebecca
I realize this post is quite old, but yours is the only one I’ve come across in which you actually MIX acrylic paint with India ink. I’ve been experimenting with mixed media using acrylic and India ink, plus Pitt artist pens which are colored India inks. The inks seem the same except for the white Pitt pen. The white seems glossier and takes longer to dry, but I love that it’s opaque. Have you ever had any problems mixing acrylics and India inks? More precisely, have you ever had a picture show any signs of cracking or other problems later on down the road? I love mixing the two different mediums, but can’t help but wonder if my paintings will last long-term after doing so. I wouldn’t want an angry client with a cracked painting coming at me further down the road.
Hello Rebecca, I have been mixing acrylics and India ink with success for a long time now. I don’t think this would cause any cracking in the paint as both media are water soluble and mix well. When mixing acrylics with India ink recently, I am using fluid acrylics.
You can see me doing that in this more recent video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi0-Xl8LPJM
Sandrine – Thanks so much for your quick response! I have been painting in acrylics for years, but working with the fluid acrylics, (also acrylic inks) which you mentioned in your reply, is new for me and I am loving them! I am also loving the mixed media approach, and have been concentrating on using not only India Ink (and India Ink Pitt pens) and acrylics, but Prismacolor pencils for part of what I do. I realize the pencils have a wax in them but I exploit the resistant property of the wax to create the effects I want. I always try to research the longevity of the products I use, and now my mind is set at ease with your response that you’ve had no long term problem with mixing India Ink and acrylics together. Seriously – I could not find this issue addressed anywhere on the internet, so once again I thank you.
Thanks Rebecca, your techniques look very interesting, especially taking advantage of he resist properties of the wax crayons.
Just one thing, if you varnish your work, I would use a varnish that is suitable for both water and oil based media, because if the wax.
Rebecca
Sandrine, your work is beautiful!! Thanks for your help. Regarding using a final varnish compatible with colored pencil, thanks for reminding me. I have used Krylon products with great success, and I just checked the can of Krylon Gallery Series UV Archival varnish spray that I have, and it is suitable for acrylic, watercolor, oil pastel, colored pencil, oil, digital prints and more. And for the first time, I am going to try my mixed media techniques on some cradled birch boards (you can see similar type boards at Dick Blick). The claim is that they hold very fine detail so they should be great for a mixed media technique using water media as well as pens and pencils.
[…] Recycling Life, Mixed media on canvas, step by step demonstration 49.318786 -123.107908 Share this:FacebookPinterestEmailTwitterPrintRedditStumbleUponDiggTumblrLinkedInLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. […]
Really beautiful. How were you inspired to use newsprint on the bottom. And what do you mean by “tracing”? Had you drawn the tree on paper and then traced it? or did you trace a photo? Glad I found your site. =]
Hello Gloris, Thanks I am glad you liked it.
Using the newspaper came from the idea of Recycling Life, how we all come back to the earth and how some parts of us might become something else like a tree. Originally I used only parts of the obituaries on the newspaper, to go with that idea, and it is also interesting that newspaper is made from trees. I added other parts on top of the obituaries later because you could see too much the pictures and I didn’t want to upset anybody.
I traced the tree using graphite paper and working from one of my pictures that I printed, working one small area at a time.
What an absolute cool painting! The paper at the bottom to create solidity and texture balnaced really well with your network of branches. SO HUGE! This is awesome!!!!
Incredible. Once again, I saw the thumbnail picture and thought – no way is that a painting! I LOVE seeing the process. Minus the mountains, it makes me think of our bleak Minnesota winters (well, maybe not this year!)
Tom Hunterson
Absolutely inspiring, I am currently studying for my BA Hons in Graphic Design and this is my last year and I have been renewed by your artwork so Thank You
Hello Tin Roof Press, the tree is painted with India ink, the white washes are made with white acrylic and here I used acrylic medium as a glue for the collages but you can also use it for glazing.
Comments (52)
Add impact to your paintings with Indian Ink
[…] This painting was mostly painted with Indian Ink, which works really well for the small details in the branches. There is a very light acrylic red wash in the background. See more details of the painting process here: Step by step acrylic and mixed media painting, Recycling Life […]
Rebecca
I realize this post is quite old, but yours is the only one I’ve come across in which you actually MIX acrylic paint with India ink. I’ve been experimenting with mixed media using acrylic and India ink, plus Pitt artist pens which are colored India inks. The inks seem the same except for the white Pitt pen. The white seems glossier and takes longer to dry, but I love that it’s opaque. Have you ever had any problems mixing acrylics and India inks? More precisely, have you ever had a picture show any signs of cracking or other problems later on down the road? I love mixing the two different mediums, but can’t help but wonder if my paintings will last long-term after doing so. I wouldn’t want an angry client with a cracked painting coming at me further down the road.
Sandrine Pelissier
Hello Rebecca, I have been mixing acrylics and India ink with success for a long time now. I don’t think this would cause any cracking in the paint as both media are water soluble and mix well. When mixing acrylics with India ink recently, I am using fluid acrylics.
You can see me doing that in this more recent video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi0-Xl8LPJM
And the finished painting is here: http://www.sandrinepelissier.com/sold-paintings.html
Rebecca
Sandrine – Thanks so much for your quick response! I have been painting in acrylics for years, but working with the fluid acrylics, (also acrylic inks) which you mentioned in your reply, is new for me and I am loving them! I am also loving the mixed media approach, and have been concentrating on using not only India Ink (and India Ink Pitt pens) and acrylics, but Prismacolor pencils for part of what I do. I realize the pencils have a wax in them but I exploit the resistant property of the wax to create the effects I want. I always try to research the longevity of the products I use, and now my mind is set at ease with your response that you’ve had no long term problem with mixing India Ink and acrylics together. Seriously – I could not find this issue addressed anywhere on the internet, so once again I thank you.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Rebecca, your techniques look very interesting, especially taking advantage of he resist properties of the wax crayons.
Just one thing, if you varnish your work, I would use a varnish that is suitable for both water and oil based media, because if the wax.
Rebecca
Sandrine, your work is beautiful!! Thanks for your help. Regarding using a final varnish compatible with colored pencil, thanks for reminding me. I have used Krylon products with great success, and I just checked the can of Krylon Gallery Series UV Archival varnish spray that I have, and it is suitable for acrylic, watercolor, oil pastel, colored pencil, oil, digital prints and more. And for the first time, I am going to try my mixed media techniques on some cradled birch boards (you can see similar type boards at Dick Blick). The claim is that they hold very fine detail so they should be great for a mixed media technique using water media as well as pens and pencils.
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ricardo
Very lovely painting Sandrine.
Je l’aime beaucoup !!
Sandrine Pelissier
hehe! Merci Ricardo 🙂
Heidi
Amazing work! I always love seeing how you make the magic happen!
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Heidi 🙂
Mary Lou Rutledge
Amazing work. I sent you an award because I enjoy your work.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Mary Lou, I love awards 🙂
Gloris
Really beautiful. How were you inspired to use newsprint on the bottom. And what do you mean by “tracing”? Had you drawn the tree on paper and then traced it? or did you trace a photo? Glad I found your site. =]
Sandrine Pelissier
Hello Gloris, Thanks I am glad you liked it.
Using the newspaper came from the idea of Recycling Life, how we all come back to the earth and how some parts of us might become something else like a tree. Originally I used only parts of the obituaries on the newspaper, to go with that idea, and it is also interesting that newspaper is made from trees. I added other parts on top of the obituaries later because you could see too much the pictures and I didn’t want to upset anybody.
I traced the tree using graphite paper and working from one of my pictures that I printed, working one small area at a time.
Cherie
You are an inspiration! This is fantastic.
I have nominated you for the ‘Versatile Blogger Award’ — you can see more info about it here (where you will also find a link back to your site) : http://cherieroedirksen.com/2012/02/10/the-versatile-blogger-award/
Keep up the good work!
Best wishes,
Cherie Roe Dirksen.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Cherie and thanks for the nomination! What a great idea to have bloggers nominating other bloggers.
lesliepaints
What an absolute cool painting! The paper at the bottom to create solidity and texture balnaced really well with your network of branches. SO HUGE! This is awesome!!!!
lesliepaints
That is balanced not balnaced. Sorry.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Leslie !
Mary Lou Rutledge
I’m in awe!
Wayside Artist
Wonderful! Your posts have been inspiring me to take more risks with acrylic painting. I much appreciate your step by step photos. Thank you so much!
Sandrine Pelissier
Hi Wayside Artist, I am glad it did inspire you, that is the best compliment for my work 🙂
finnegan2749
Reblogged this on finnegan2749.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks for reblogging 🙂
Malvika
This is incredible. !!! .
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Malvika 🙂
BoJo Photo
Absolutely amazing! Very nicely crafted art!
Collage Collection
There’s something really compelling about the scene, it’s hauntingly beautiful. I really admire your use of mixed media.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Collage collection:-)
mye1212
Truly beautiful. I love how you show the steps to making a work of art. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Naomi
Incredible. Once again, I saw the thumbnail picture and thought – no way is that a painting! I LOVE seeing the process. Minus the mountains, it makes me think of our bleak Minnesota winters (well, maybe not this year!)
Tom Hunterson
Absolutely inspiring, I am currently studying for my BA Hons in Graphic Design and this is my last year and I have been renewed by your artwork so Thank You
Tin Roof Press
wow, i’m so in awe, especially of the branches.
1. what does the ink and acrylic do?
2. what is medium
Sandrine Pelissier
Hello Tin Roof Press, the tree is painted with India ink, the white washes are made with white acrylic and here I used acrylic medium as a glue for the collages but you can also use it for glazing.
Munira
Mind-blowing work!
erikinablog
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
patricia
C’est juste magnifique.