Nowadays plastic is out and canvas is in!  That’s good for me because I have a whole new potential craft market in transfering my mixed media art on reasonably priced canvas bags.  I found bags on Amazon for $2.75 each (for a pack of 12)  and dark transfer paper for .34 cents each.  That comes to a little over $3.00…at that price I can make a pretty good profit or make inexpensive gifts.

 

This mixed media started with a clip art fish that I cut into pieces to use as a pattern.

 

I used some of the artful images I tore from my ten year collection of art magazines. Each section of the fish was cut from a different section of colorful art.

 

Next, I used felt pens and paint pens to decorate the fish.  The eye was from a vintage portrait.

 

In keeping with “repurposed inspiration” I used magazine fonts for the words.  They add so much personality PLUS they are FREE!

 

I have a nice collection of water backgrounds in my clip art that I purchase on Etsy. The background doesn’t need to be water themed, but it adds to the visual “story.”

 

Dark fabric transfers are SO EASY.  You don’t have to reverse the font or do anything special.  Simply print out your image, cut it out, remove the backing, center it on the canvas and cover with a piece (included) of vellum paper.  You press the iron (NO STEAM) on the image for 20 seconds for each section until all the image has been covered with the hot iron.  WA- LAH!

I made this beachy image with grocery shoppers here at the coast in mind, and I hope they remember that the bags need to be washed often to prevent foodborne bacteria from contaminating their new groceries.   All you do is turn the bag inside out to wash!

Turn your art into artful canvas bags for yourself or as gifts….Christmas is coming! I am including this full size image for you to click and print as many times as you want.

Click and Print: