Mixed Media Canvases from Smoothfoam – I Kinda Love It!

Did you know that Smoothfoam is a great surface for mixed media art? When I was approached to do a demo at the Smoothfoam booth at the Craft & Hobby Assocation Show this January, we discussed possibly stamping on Smoothfoam. But what would I stamp?

To prep the collection of 12×12 Smoothfoam sheets for creating, I painted them with a single coat of acrylic craft paint. Pre-painting the Smoothfoam surface was akin to gessoing a canvas before painting it – by prepping the “canvas”, ink and stickers adhered to the surface better and dried faster.

I gathered my best collection of assorted pigment inkpads, rolling stamp wheels, and patterned rubber stamps and set to creating. I printed out a few favorite images from http://thegraphicsfairy.com onto Craft Attitude printable film to transfer onto the finished 12×12 Smoothfoam sheets as I demoed them. I didn't know what the final product was going to look like, but I was ready for anything.

Here are some of the projects that I created in the booth, during the demo:

I recently created Valentine themed “faux canvas” using Smoothfoam 12×12 sheets, stamping on the same in the same manner I did in the demo at CHA – here's a tutorial video on the entire process, from start to finish:

Here are the basic supplies you'll need to get started on this “faux canvas” project:

• 12x12x1 Smoothfoam Sheets
• Craft Attitude Printable Film
• Photos or Images from thegraphicsfairy.com
• Xyron Glue Stick for Corners
• ColorBox Pigment Ink
• ColorBox Archival Dye Ink
• ColorBox Mix'd Media Inx
• ColorBox Stylus & Tips Set
• ColorBox Blending Tool
• Assorted Rollagraph Stamp Wheels
• Assorted Rubber Stamps by Hero Arts, Hampton Art, etc
• Westcott Scissors
• Heat Gun
• Optional: Flowers, beads, and other embellishments; hot glue gun

Imagine centerpieces for a wedding, with photos of the happy couple… a plaque at a retirement party, honoring the retiree … holiday or home decor images that can be changed out easily each season.  What would you create?

Thanks for stopping by!

Author: Jennifer Priest

It started with jewelry, beading, sewing, home decor, painting, basket weaving, pottery, and cross-stitch. Marry that to an entrepreneurial spirit & at 9 years old a girl is selling her wares at craft fairs as far as her parents and grandparents would drive her. These days, Jennifer enjoys crafts of all genres from sewing to scrapbooking to jewelry with a little dabbling in the mixed media world. Her style is approachable and she wants everyone who sees her work to feel that they too can embrace creativity and make their home and life beautiful.