Mixed Media Demo Fun

I went to a free art demo today, by Tricia Reust, and it was really very interesting to see her technique and style.   A lot of what she does is not necessarily 'new' to the mixed media world; lots of collage, ink, watery acryllics, lots of layers, etc.  But what I found most interesting was when looking at her web page I discovered she is a very talented, realistic, pastel artist.  To see her branching out and having so much fun was very exciting.  She made it clear at the beginning, that in her mind, mixed media does not equate to 'sloppy' - every collage piece must be adhered properly!

Things I learnt today:
- even realistic artists like to have fun!
- the basic principles of good composition apply to everything
- Acrylics can be watered down to watercolour, and applied quickly to a large surface (with hake brushes)
- having the right mediums and materials DOES make a difference
- Working on a full sheet of paper is freeing
- old fashioned 'rubbings' ( Frotage) is very effective
- if you work with pastel you just have to realise it WILL need framing!
- someone else loves gumtree leaves as much as I do!

So I had a fun day today: a walk around West End's funky Shops, brunch at a hip sourdough Bread Cafe, browsing through vintage clothing and book stores, followed by 2 hours of art - what could be a better way to spend a Saturday?