Debasree Dey, Author at Debasree Dey Art

How to Create a Mixed Media Heart Collage: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Have you ever felt like your heart was in pieces?

Not broken in one dramatic moment.
But slowly — fragmented.

Creating this mixed media heart collage felt like gathering those fragments and gently bringing them back together.

Today, I want to walk you through this simple but powerful process — especially if you’re a beginner exploring mixed media collage art and intuitive creativity.

And at the end, I’ll show you how this connects deeply to my Mixed Media Art Journaling Class – The Heart’s Journey.

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Learning to Feel Alive When You Were Taught Not To

ALL BLOGS, Creative mindset

There’s this teaching by Nicholas Wilton I deeply resonate with — the idea that vibrant, authentic art doesn’t come from working harder or mastering more techniques. It comes from feeling more alive.

That truth feels beautiful to me.

And complicated.

Because what happens when you were trained, for most of your life, not to feel what you like?

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Coffee Dye Tissue Paper: Creating Vintage Marks & Aged Texture with Coffee

ALL BLOGS, Collage Fodders

After playing with plain coffee dyeing for a while, I found myself longing for more color, but without losing the raw, vintage textures that make coffee‑stained papers so magical. Boiling onion skins for that beautiful reddish tone was lovely—but not always practical. That’s when I thought: What if I just mix a tiny bit of acrylic into the coffee solution itself?And that opened the door to a whole world of earthy, muted, moody shades.

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Heart Art Journaling Prompts: 30 Questions to Understand Your Emotions & Heal Through Art

ALL BLOGS, Art Journal, Art Prompts / featured

Have you ever opened your art journal…
and not known what to write?

You feel something.
But you don’t know how to begin.

That’s exactly why I love using heart art journaling prompts.

They gently guide you inward — without pressure, without perfection — and help you practice emotional healing through art in a safe and creative way.

If you’re new to journaling, or exploring art journaling for beginners, this list will help you start with clarity and confidence.

And at the end, I’ll show you how these prompts connect deeply to my Mixed Media Art Journaling Class – The Heart’s Journey.

Heart Art Journaling Prompts: 30 Questions to Understand Your Emotions & Heal Through Art Read More »

15 Gentle Art Journaling Ideas for Mixed Media Artists

ALL BLOGS, Art Journal, Art Prompts

Art journaling is often misunderstood as something that needs a theme, a clear idea, or a finished look. In reality, an art journal works best when it becomes a place to respond rather than plan. It’s a space where you meet the page as it is — with curiosity instead of expectation.

For many mixed media artists and creative beginners, the hardest part is knowing what to do next. Not because there’s a lack of ideas, but because there’s too much pressure to do it right. This is where gentle art journaling ideas help. They give you a way to begin without locking you into an outcome.

This blog brings together practical, intuitive art journaling ideas you can return to again and again. There is no sequence you need to follow. Each idea stands on its own and can be adapted to your own materials, mood, and pace.

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From Scraps to Collage Clusters: Use Up Leftover Pieces After Any Project

ALL BLOGS, Collage Fodders

Every mixed-media project leaves something behind.

A corner of painted paper.
A torn book page you couldn’t throw away.
Whisper-thin tissue that felt too beautiful to waste.

If you’ve ever ended a session with a pile of leftovers and no clear plan, this post is for you. Today, we’re turning those forgotten fragments into Collage Clusters—small, ready-to-use compositions that bring depth, texture, and meaning to your future work.

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How to use reference photos for landscape paintings? 15 essential tips for artists

ALL BLOGS, Landscape Paintings

Reference photos are a valuable resource for landscape painters, offering inspiration, guidance, and a visual reference to create stunning artworks. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, incorporating reference photos into your painting practice can bring your landscape compositions to life. In this blog post, we will explore effective techniques and tips on how to use reference photos to enhance your landscape paintings.

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The Power of a Single Focus

ALL BLOGS, Creative mindset

Have you ever noticed that when you give your mind one clear problem to solve, it somehow finds a way to do it?
That’s not magic — that’s how the mind naturally works.

When our attention is scattered across too many ideas, goals, and worries, we start feeling confused, anxious, and stuck. But when we focus on one direction, everything starts to move in that direction — quietly, steadily, and sometimes, even effortlessly.

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From Cake Box to Keepsake: Creating a Rustic Art Journal Cover

ALL BLOGS, Art Journal / featured

Who knew an ordinary cake box could become a beautifully textured handmade art journal?

In this project, I’m sharing how I transformed simple packaging into a unique cover using three layers of collage, earthy textures, and a few final embellishments. I’ll also give you a peek at the pages I’ve prepared for the inside — soft, translucent, and full of organic character.

From Cake Box to Keepsake: Creating a Rustic Art Journal Cover Read More »

Coffee + Acrylics Dyeing: Experiment with Color & Texture for Mixed Media Papers

ALL BLOGS, Collage Fodders

Coffee + Acrylics Dyeing: Experiment with Color & Texture for Mixed Media Papers Read More »