Flower Composition with Acrylic Paint and Embroidery

Why limit yourself to a single artistic discipline when you can combine them and create a lively composition with mixed techniques? Jo Jiménez is a visual artist whose style is characterized by mixing materials on different mediums. She makes illustrations with watercolor and acrylic and embroiders floral motifs, blurring the boundaries between both disciplines.

In this online course, learn basic techniques of acrylic painting and embroidery to later apply this knowledge to your own composition. Jo will teach you how to mix both techniques to bring your illustration to life in an embroidery hoop made by you from an old picture frame.

Begin by getting to know Jo and see how she became an artist working exclusively on creative projects. She also shares her wide range of artistic influences.

Jo then introduces you to the materials she usually works with and their characteristics. Start with the materials for your illustrations—acrylics and paint pens— before teaching you which brushes are appropriate for painting on canvas.

Take a look at the materials that she likes the most for embroidery—threads and wool. Learn her favorite embroidery stitches and how to use them according to the desired details.

Build your own XL hoop from a picture frame, and discover the pros and cons of this large format. Before starting to paint, get a brief introduction to the basic composition concepts to help with all your future creations.

Now it's time for the real fun. Jo guides you through the process of your floral illustration, starting with the imitation of the growth and direction of some flowers from the center out.

Once you have your illustration, see how to add the details using yarn and wool. The embroidery is what highlights and gives volume to certain elements that you consider key. To wrap up, remove any excess thread and paint residues that may have stuck to the frame et voilà, ready to be hung on the wall!

Do an XL composition mixing embroidery and painting techniques with acrylic, and creating your own hoop from a picture frame.

Those interested in art, design, embroidery, manual arts, and painting, as well as anyone who simply wants to get out of their creative comfort zone and look for new shapes or materials to adapt to their projects.

No previous knowledge is required, but, if you already know how to embroider, you can use your knowledge to complement what you learn in the course.

For materials, you need a 30x40cm oval picture frame, firm and relatively dense fabric (not elastic or elastane), a synthetic round-tipped brush (no. 10 or no. 12), threads (pearl, embroidery, metallic), wool and metallic cords that fit through the needle, a needle with a large buttonhole (an upholstery needle would do), a stapler, acrylics, acrylic pencils, and scissors.