Creating an Abstract Birds Nest | Mixed Media on Wood

Описание: Before you watch: ✨
I’d love for you to visit my website to learn more about my Art Bits passion project and download my free monthly color palettes — they’re designed to inspire gentle, intuitive creative time and playful experimentation. 👉 https://www.jaiart.com/art-bits.html

In this video, I’m sharing a December Art Bits session where I worked with my December color palette and created a mixed media abstract birds nest on a wood cradle board.

Although I didn’t film the process of creating the 24 mini paintings this month, I show the mini paintings in this video. For anyone curious about how the mini paintings were created, the process is the same as my November 12 mini paintings video — just without collage this time, and using only paint-based materials. 👉    • Creating 12 Light and Fresh Mini Mixed Med...  

This piece was created completely from a blank wood surface using a mix of:
• Gesso
• Matte medium
• Acrylic paint
• Inktense blocks
• Soft pastels
• Charcoal pencil

In this video, I also demonstrate what happens when mixing these different mediums with matte medium versus plain white gesso. This is especially helpful for setting mediums like soft pastel and charcoal, which would normally need to be framed behind glass. Using matte medium dries clear and simply “sets” the medium, keeping the original colors intact. Using white gesso not only sets the medium, but also alters the colors and creates a whole new look — giving your piece a unique finish that can be displayed without glass.

I also left in a moment where I made a choice I wasn't happy with near the end of the process and worked through it on camera, because I believe seeing the “fixes” is just as important as seeing the successes. Learning, adjusting, and pushing through those moments is part of what makes mixed media so rewarding!

This video is quiet, relaxing, and rooted in creative play — not perfection. It’s simply an invitation to slow down, explore layers, and enjoy the process.

Thank you for joining me in my studio today! ~Jai