Are you looking for a fun, intuitive way to create mixed media art while also making something beautiful and useful?
In this tutorial, we’ll dive into the joy of abstract mark making, layering paints, pastels, and coffee to create a unique textured page. Then, we’ll transform that abstract artwork into handmade gift tags, perfect for adding a personal touch to your gifts.
Plus, there’s a bonus! Before cutting your page into tags, you can take photos of small sections and turn them into printable collage papers—a fantastic addition to your mixed media stash!
Let’s get started!
MATERIALS YOU NEED
- A3 sketchbook paper
- Acrylics (burnt sienna + crimson red)
- Watercolors,
- Instant coffee powder
- Soft pastels, crayons, watercolor pencils
- Black/white pens, gesso
- Fabric scraps,
- Needle and threads
- DIY viewfinder (tag-shaped stencil)
Bonus: Grow Your Collage Stash
My free Pink Abstract Collage Papers (10 pages) lets you print these textures anytime. Use them for:
- Junk journal backgrounds
- Ephemera for art journaling
- Tear & collage them in messy abstract play (like this)
If you enjoy experimenting with mixed media techniques like me, I have a collection of creative projects for you! From abstract mark making to textured collages and art journaling, explore a variety of tutorials that will spark your creativity.
Step-by-step: Abstract Mark-Making to Tags
Step 1
We begin with a large A3 sketchbook page, which serves as our creative playground. The goal here is to build layers freely without overthinking. Print your prompts and keep them handy for reference.
Step 2
Start with acrylic paint – I chose burnt sienna and crimson red, resulting in a warm, pinkish tone. Apply the paint randomly across the page.
Step 3
Add watercolor – Once the acrylics are dry, introduce watercolors to create fluid effects and add depth.
Step 4
Layer coffee stains – This adds a vintage, organic feel to the composition.
Step 5
Make black marks – Use black soft pastel, crayons, ink, or acrylics to add contrast.
Step 6
Make white marks – Use gesso to blend in some black and add white/grey.
Step 7
More acrylics – Keep layering with more acrylic colors from step 2.
Step 8
Scribble – Scribble with the back of the brush and scratch through the wet paint. Scribble with pencils and pens.
Step 9
Keep layering – Continue adding colors, textures, and lines until your page feels rich and dynamic.
Step 10
Scribble with pastels – Introduce soft pastels, colored pencils for extra pops of color.
Step 11
Once your abstract mark making page is complete, it’s time to transform it into DIY gift tags. Here’s how:
- Take a viewfinder (cut in the shape of a tag) – This helps you select the most interesting sections of your artwork.
- Cut out your tags – I was able to create seven unique tags from my A3 page. Each one has a different composition and color balance, making them truly one-of-a-kind.
Step 12
Photograph small sections – Before cutting, snap some close-up shots of different areas. These images can be turned into collage papers, which you can download and print for future projects. (You can grab my free PDF download!)
Step 13
Now that we have our cut-out tags, it’s time to embellish them with mixed media elements:
- Add fabric scraps – Layer small fabric pieces onto the tags for texture.
- Incorporate stitched details – I stitched through some of my fabric pieces, adding a beautiful handmade touch.
- Attach extra paper scraps – Use vintage book pages, lace, or torn papers to add more layers.
Step 14
- Back the tags with cardboard – To cover the stitching and make them sturdier, I glued a second piece of cardboard to the back.
- Finish with ribbons or torn fabric – Punch a hole at the top of each tag and thread through a ribbon or a strip of torn fabric. I used torn fabric since I didn’t have ribbons on hand, but either works beautifully to add a delicate, handmade feel.
This project is a perfect way to explore messy abstract mark making while also creating something tangible and useful. Whether you use these DIY gift tags for presents or as additions to your art journal, they carry the energy of free artistic play. Plus, with the added bonus of printable collage papers, you get even more value from a single art session!
Let me know in the comments—would you try this technique? How do you use your abstract pages in your art?
Happy creating!
Video:
Want to see exactly how I created these abstract mark making layers and transformed them into handmade tags? Watch my full tutorial on YouTube!
