Image: WATER TANK, 19″ x 27″

As a mixed media artist I am used to working with many different mediums, papers and fabric to create the image I am trying to get across but the work of collage artist Laura Breitman is nothing short of astounding. As paintings they are impressive, but on closer inspection you realise that they are fabric collages as the close-up photograph shows. Her attention to detail and ability to capture light and mood create pieces that are almost photo-real. As well as beautiful trees and landscapes she also produces urban landscapes, interiors and still life, and also holds workshops.

Image: LOOKING UP, 38″ x 41″ (detail) and below full image

Here's a quick and easy way to make a lots of christmas cards at once. It's always nice to send and receive home made cards but as we all know it's hard to find the time so I started making these when my eldest was tiny. Now he's older he helps me make them as you can make a lot of mess and have a lot of fun with beautiful results!

Step 1

Take a large sheet of cartridge paper (nothing too thin as it will get very wet, nothing too thick as it will make the finished card too bulky) and a large old brush and splosh water and pva glue over it. You can be quick and haphazard about this, it all adds to the finished effect.

Step 2

Immediately drop acrylic ink into the wet surface, if you don't have pipettes a small paintbrush will do just fine to apply the ink straight from the bottle.

Step 3

Rip up pieces of tissue and lay them on top of the ink. Use a very wet brush to paste the tissue down, this helps to disperse the colours. I would stick with a limited palette of colours, just two or three that compliment each other. Continue to layer ink and tissue and more water and pva if needed to help it all on it's way, finish with a fine sprinkling of glitter then allow to dry for a few hours. I usually let it dry over night.

Step 4

When it is dry, measure the apertures of you cards and cut your sheet up into squares or rectangles that are just a bit bigger. I use small cards, about 88 x 114 mm but you of course can choose your own.

Step 5

Now you have a very quick way of producing a lot of different cards at once. To each rectangle apply another layer of pva and glitter if necessary and apply christmassy sequins, wire and other embellishments and paste them straight in to the aperture side of the card, making sure the edges are well stuck. Once this has dried use double sided tape to glue the front fold of the card to hide the mess on the inside and flatten the card down well for a good finish.

See all the photos for this tutorial at Kala’s art tutorial website