Mixed-Media & Collage Workshop By Mike Battley

Workshop for all, suitable for 8 years +, but must be accompanied by an adult. Any tickets purchased for 1 child, include 1 adult.

Over the course of this workshop, Mike will show how to create a painting using cut-up pieces of paper at the start and throughout, applying colour with ink and paint, using sponge pieces and cut up mountboard and/or old credit cards to apply the colour.

What to expect?

1. You’ll learn a tonne of mark-making techniques, to inspire and support your creative practice at home or in the studio.
2. Mike will bring some prepared mountboard pieces to paint on plus newspapers, magazines, colour paper and different textures.
3. You’ll explore mixed media collage, painting and drawing, exploring mark-making techniques.

What do you need to bring with you?

• Scissors
• a plastic take-away container with lid
• and anything else that you would like to bring!

We will begin by deciding what we want our scene to be and make a simple sketch taking no more than 5 minutes!

Starting with a piece of card to support the work (often the backboard of a sketchpad or heavyweight mountboard) sealed with PVA glue (front and back) to prevent water ingress. Working from your sketch, glue some pieces of newspaper, coloured paper, and maybe materials like net-curtain or cotton bandage to block in the basic shapes. Dry Thoroughly – Between the gluing and ink pouring stages it is important to dry the surface thoroughly otherwise you will get into a mess!

Spray the surface with water, then drip acrylic ink into the wet areas and let it flow and blend.

At this stage you might need to re-instate light areas so use a small roller to put in white paint to establish this and to restore the composition.

Referring to the original sketch/photo, use the edge of a credit card or piece of cut up mountboard to apply paint to indicate the edges of roofs/buildings. Then use pieces of cut up sponge to lightly apply paint to show textured surfaces like brickwork etc., and glazes of colour can be added along with paint spatter for texture. Remember to dry thoroughly between painting/glueing as the two don’t mix!

Using white or black paint or acrylic ink, details like windows, steps, streetlamps, shop signs etc. can be drawn using a pen/cocktail stick/credit card etc.

Finally take time to review the finished painting: are some areas too dark/too bright? Does it need to be livelier? (e.g., add seagulls to a harbour scene, figures to a café or street scene), is there a focal point? Does it need a wash of colour to provide mood? Do any areas need to be further defined (without overworking)?