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Mixed Media Large Canvas Experience at the Blended Monkey Studios - July 2026

Writer: siloutaggart
siloutaggart
Jul 6
3 min read

Updated: Aug 3

Yesterday's mixed media large canvas experience taught by our guest tutor Zakiya - bookbinder & junk journal artist from Fanoggins - was a great success!


Such a creative and informative workshop where you could really let your creative juices flow and explore the wealth of media that was on offer. I took part in this experience too as I've often wondered how to apply some of the amazing pastes and media we have at our disposal these days.


Zakiya started the workshop by explaining all the different media on display - everything from washi tape to crackle paste!


The morning was spent creating our own small canvases, which meant you could try out all the media before committing to the large canvas in the afternoon.

I absolutely loved playing with stencils, crackle paste, distress inks ... and everyone's first smaller canvas really embraced the different media available.


Of course, Simba made his usual entrance, to such an extent that he actually walked over one of the student's canvases and totally left his mark! Thankfully, Bridget embraced this moment and kept his pawprints on the canvas - now how's that for a unique canvas!


We provided lunch in the Blended Monkey kitchen. All this creativity is hungry work! Lots of lovely cheeses, ham, bakes by Fanoggins Bakery, strawberries ... a welcome refuel before we continued on our mixed media journey.


Zakiya gave lots of helpful tips and tricks to help us use the media to good effect. I learnt so much ...


We hosted this experience in our covered outdoor workspace, surrounded by gardens and the sound of birdsong. The weather was warm but with a pleasant breeze, which was really welcoming.


I think the photos and videos taken of yesterday's workshop tell more of a story than I can. I enjoyed taking a completely new direction with my large canvas - experimenting with fluorescent acrylics, stencils, applying book art and even stitching! I love my piece!


I was impressed by the different directions each student took - some more pictorial and others more abstract. It was a really creative, relaxing day.


Well done everyone and a big thank you to Zakiya for being so generous with her wealth of media and expertise. If you missed out on this fabulously freeing workshop we're holding a half-day large canvas mixed media workshop in September. Check out this and all the other experiences taught by Zakiya below:


PAPER MAKING - Full Day Including Lunch - Blended Monkey Studios

- Sunday 12 July - £95.00


MIXED MEDIA LARGE CANVAS - Half Day - Blended Monkey Studios

- Wednesday 26 August - £50.00


BOOKBINDING & JOURNAL MAKING - Full Day Including Lunch - Blended Monkey Studios

- Saturday 26 September - £80.00


JOURNAL MAKING & JUNK JOURNALLING - Full Day Including Lunch - Blended Monkey Studios

- Sunday 31 October - £75.00


COPTIC BOOKBINDING & BOOK MAKING - Full Day Including Lunch - Blended Monkey Studios

- Sunday 7 February 2027 - £110.00


All our experiences make lovely crafty GIFTS & you can also purchase open certificates so the lucky recipient can choose their own experience.

Here's the link for our gift certificates:

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We can also provide private journal making experiences for parties or friend groups. We can come to you, host in the Blended Monkey studios, or at a venue of your choice!

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  • Mixed media workshop - applying paint and crackle paste - at the Blended Monkey Studios
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - lovely selection of media
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - students enjoying the creative process
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - creating with a wealth of media
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - Simba making his presence known
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - Simba leaving his pawprints on a canvas
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - great selection of stamps
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - happy creative buzz
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - Simba walking all over my canvas
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - Zakiya's canvas in the making
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - wash tape, wool and fabric too
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - using junk journalling techniques
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - using stencils and distress sprays
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - apply crackle paste
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - liquid pearls
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - various pastes and effects
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - applying stencils, crackle paste and acrylics
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - beautiful colours in this sunburst
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - lovely welcome lunch
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - using book pages, 3D effects and puzzle pieces
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - lovely welcome lunch
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - stencils, acrylics and crackle paste
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - beautiful use of fabrics, pearls and pawprints!
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - great use of stencils, dried flowers, and grass
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - Zakiya creating her mixed media canvas
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - wool selection
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - my blue palette mixed media piece
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - great use of media
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - adding book pages to the stencilled background
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - happy creative students
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - beautiful sunburst and use of media
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - pawprints included!
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - lovely messy creative table
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - using gold foil to great effect
  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - using fabric and liquid pearls to great effect

The morning session



  • Mixed media workshop at the Blended Monkey Studios - Zakiya creating her large canvas

The afternoon session

  • Well done guys!

Beautiful work!




REVIEWS


"Having not even held a paint brush for several years, I was a little apprehensive about my capabilities for the mixed media experience, but as soon as I arrived and saw the wonderful array of media and items galore to use however we wished, I realised there was something for everyone to enjoy.  

Zakiya always exudes calmness and she cheerfully encouraged our ideas for creations while we quietly indulged in the peace and stillness of mature gardens. Pure mindfulness."


- Jenny -


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