5 Powertex project ideas for beginners

Have you got a bottle of Powertex Universal Medium in your craft supplies? The possibilities can be overwhelming. Here are  some ideas here for beginners and some tips to get you started on your own mixed media art and craft projects.

5 easy Powertex projects for beginners

Powertex can do so much it's hard to know where to begin but it's easy to get amazing results with Powertex products. If you need instructions about how to use Powertex Universal Medium try my free guide.

You might want to create something in a familiar style or try something completely new. You can always start with a small project until you get used to how Powertex works. Here's five easy project ideas for beginners.

Powertex mini art

Use up fabric scraps in these super quick and simple makes that have plenty of wow factor. People will want to know how you made these little pieces and they can be made into brooches, magnets or used as embellishments in other crafts.

Cut small circles or squares of heavy paper or card and paint both sides with Powertex Universal Medium. Layer up scraps of fabric, threads and embellishments into tiny art. Make sure every thing is coated in Powertex and leave to dry. Use powder pigments such as Powercolor or Colortricx mixed with Easy Varnish to add colour.

Choose Black or Bronze Powertex Universal Medium and bold colour or metallic pigments for maximum impact. These pieces look great displayed in a box frame, or add a magnet or hanger to make decorations.

Fairy house from a glass jar

Fairy houses are fun to make with few supplies you might already have at home. Use a clean jar and lid, some aluminium foil, masking tape and fabric pieces and embellishments.

Make the roof with foil and tape to the lid or use air dry clay. Use fabric coated in Powertex medium to wrap around your jar and roof. Add coated embellishments to decorate your fairy house.

Powertex acts as a fabric hardener, paint and adhesive so you can use the same product as you go. I recommend a dark colour of Powertex for this. When dry, use a dry-brush technique to apply colour with Powder pigments mixed with Easy Varnish. Your magical homes will also be weatherproof for your garden.

Get some tips on making fairy houses.

Decorate mdf craft shapes

There's a wide range of mdf shapes available from craft suppliers. They make a great base for mixed media art creations. The seahorse pictured was from Powertex UK and you can read the step by step guide here. Decorate the base with any natural materials, fabric, wood, metal, glass, cork or chipboard. Use letters or numbers to personalise your art.

Coat all your pieces with Powertex and leave to dry before adding colour. Be generous with your embellishments and get plenty of texture into your piece for best results. These are great if you like a particular theme or want to create something for your home.

Altered bottle art

Upcycle a bottle for a quick and fun vase. This project uses the same fabric wrap technique as the fairy house but with coloured Powertex. Use strips of fabric and wrap in spirals around your bottle to create a beautiful striped texture. Use Powertex to paint and glue embellishments to decorate. When dry, dry-brush with Powercolor pigments mixed with Easy Varnish, use white or pale colours and highlight the textures. Or use acrylic sprays for a different effect.

If you like to upcycle glass you might want to try decorating wine glasses or tumblers in the same way. These make lovely gifts too.

Find out about mixing Powertex colours.

Mixed media art

Powertex is perfect for mixed media art because it works with almost all materials. (It doesn't work well with plastic.)  It's your paint, fabric hardener and glue all in one. Use one colour of Powertex to paint and glue all your layers, add texture mediums such as 3D sand, rust or Stone Art and allow your layers to dry before adding colour. This is fun if you like to create something more abstract or loose with little plan in mind.

There's no "wrong" way to build up your textures but often more is more so dive into your stash and start layering! There's a range of texture products in the Powertex range so see what sounds good to you. Use Bister ink sprays, acrylic paint or pigments to add colour to your art. 

Advice for beginners

Grab your Powertex and give it a try, there's lots of help here on my blog. I also have a Guide to Powertex for beginners in my Etsy shop. There are also Powertex tutors across England running workshops and demonstrations. You can find a list of tutors on the Powertex UK website.

If you'd like some more project ideas to get you started you can download my free quick Guide to Getting Unstuck with Powertex.

Top Tips

Powertex is a fabric hardener, it's a good idea to protect your clothes. It is non toxic and will wash off your hands but remove precious jewellery if you're not wearing gloves. Protect your work surface too.

Now go for it! If you're nervous, keep it simple but whatever your project, just start. If you're still reading this and you're wondering what this Powertex stuff is I recommend you go here.

[Updated November 2022]