Creating mixed media artwork can open up a world of possibilities for your creativity, providing a fun way to explore new materials and styles, add more dimension to your work, and even expand your idea of what art can be. 

If you’re wondering how to do mixed media art, we’ve got good news for you—there’s no one right way, and there are really no rules! That said, there’s plenty of advice that can help you get started with this form of creativity. 

What is Mixed Media Art?

Mixed media art is precisely what it sounds like—the combination of two or more artistic mediums into one piece of art. So, instead of just creating a watercolor painting or an ink drawing, you might create something that combines both of them in surprising new ways! You can even integrate items that might not be considered traditional art materials—like scrap paper or found objects—into your mixed media work.

As you can imagine, mixed media can take countless different forms based on the materials used and the style of the artist. Beyond simply combining different materials, it can also encompass using a variety of techniques, getting creative with what you’re using for a canvas, using a mix of 2D and 3D elements, and so much more. 

What Do You Need for Mixed Media Art?

Obviously, what you need to create mixed media art can vary wildly! You don’t need all of the materials below—start with those that most speak to you or that you already have on hand.

Mixed Media Paper or Canvas

Almost anything can be your canvas for mixed media artwork—from traditional paper and canvas to old books to blocks of wood. If you’re in the early stages of experimenting with mixed media, a great place to start is by purchasing mixed media paper, which is specifically formulated to handle both wet and dry mediums. 

You also may want to use a canvas that’s best suited for your primary material—for example, if you’re creating a watercolor with some mixed media elements, start with watercolor paper; if you’ll be working with oil paint, you may want to start with canvas. 

Mixed Media Paint

Nearly any painting materials can be incorporated into mixed media art, including:

  • Oil paint
  • Acrylic paint
  • Gouache
  • Watercolors
  • Ink

Mixed Media Drawing Tools

Similarly, a range of drawing materials can be included in your mixed media:

  • Colored pencils
  • Paint markers, like Posca
  • Oil pastels
  • Charcoal
  • Crayons

Other Mixed Media Materials

When it comes to mixed media materials, let yourself think expansively about what you could use. Here are a few ideas, but feel free to get creative!

  • Printmaking materials
  • Patterned paper
  • Dried flowers, feathers, or other natural objects
  • Googly eyes, gemstones, and other childhood craft items
  • Magazines, books, old photographs, and other sources for found imagery
  • Fabric scraps
  • Glue, such as book glue, Mod Podge, or even glue sticks (particularly if you’re integrating paper collage into your work)

How to Make Mixed Media Art

Step 1: Gather a Variety of Materials

Start experimenting with mixed media using whatever materials you already have lying around, or take a trip to the art store and grab anything that intrigues you. Paints, drawing materials, ink and stamps, papers, found objects, household items—there’s really no limit! Let yourself get creative and go overboard as you work to find what materials inspire you. 

As Skillshare instructor Yasmina Creates explains, “Think of yourself as a mad scientist looking for that next big breakthrough. Your goal is to expand your tools and your style so that you can express yourself in a more interesting way, and for you to finally try all those strange supplies you collected over the years and even find new favorites.”

Step 2: Play Around With Combining Different Materials

Teacher Claudia Melcho del Rio demonstrates testing how different materials work together when starting to work with mixed media. 
Teacher Claudia Melcho del Rio demonstrates testing how different materials work together when starting to work with mixed media. 

Working with mixed media requires a lot of trial and error. Some materials may work well together, some may not mix at all. So if you’re feeling unsure how to do mixed media art, simply start layering various things and see what happens! If that makes you nervous, try a test grid like the one in the image above.

That said, there are a couple of general rules of thumb, as explained by teacher Kendyll Hillegas: “The first is that you want to use anything that can be blended or activated with water first (watercolor, acrylic, watercolor pencils) and anything that is oil or wax based second. Rule number two is to use light media first and heavy media second.” 

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Step 3: Start With Where You’re Comfortable, and Add Something Extra

Artist Ohn Mar Win combines watercolor and ink for simple yet stunning mixed media florals.
Artist Ohn Mar Win combines watercolor and ink for simple yet stunning mixed media florals.

Remember that mixed media can be as simple as combining just two different artistic materials. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the options, start with the medium you’re most comfortable with, and experiment with adding one other element. 

If you usually create watercolor work, try adding final details using ink or colored pencils. If you’re typically a printmaker, perhaps you experiment with creating collages using some of your custom printed paper. Don’t feel like you have to go way outside your comfort zone to create mixed media art.

Step 4: Push the Limits and Be Inspired by Others

Artist  Lucie Duclos  started adding embroidery to her paper collages as a creative way to take her mixed media work to the next level.
Artist Lucie Duclos started adding embroidery to her paper collages as a creative way to take her mixed media work to the next level.

That said, if you’re itching to try some drastically new things, do so! Creating mixed media should be playful and fun, so don’t feel limited by the way things have been done before and always be on the lookout for new materials, techniques, and canvas options that could become a part of your truly unique art.

One of the best ways to push your creative limits and discover new possibilities for combining artistic materials is by looking at the work of others. The examples below are a great place to start, and a search for mixed media on Pinterest or Instagram can also provide a wealth of inspiration. 

10 Beautiful Examples of Mixed Media Artwork

Mixed Media Painting & Drawing

1. Claudia Melchor del Rio

Image via  Instagram    Mixed media painting by Claudia Melchor del Rio
Image via Instagram Mixed media painting by Claudia Melchor del Rio

Artist Claudia Melchor del Rio uses a combination of gouache, Posca markers, oil pastels, and colored pencil in her dreamy landscapes, which you can learn more about in her Skillshare class on drawing your childhood home using mixed media.

2. Marie-Noëlle Wurm 

Mixed media painting by Marie-Noëlle Wurm
Mixed media painting by Marie-Noëlle Wurm

Artist and Skillshare instructor Marie-Noëlle Wurm created these ethereal creatures using gouache and a mix of different drawing materials. 

3. Kendyll Hillegas

Mixed media art by Kendyll Hillegas
Mixed media art by Kendyll Hillegas

Artist and Skillshare instructor Kendyll Hillegas combines watercolor and colored pencils to create these luminous, lifelike portraits. 

4. Paige Muirhead

Mixed media art by Paige Muirhead
Mixed media art by Paige Muirhead

Artist Paige Muirhead used a combination of watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil for this more illustrative take on a portrait, created as part of Maria-Ines Gul’s class.

Mixed Media Collage

5. Terry Runyan

Mixed media collage by Terry Runyan
Mixed media collage by Terry Runyan

Artist and Skillshare instructor Terry Runyan used patterned paper, ink, and a slew of drawing and painting materials to create these bright and cherry mixed media birds.

6. Megan Ursic

Mixed media art by Megan Ursic
Mixed media art by Megan Ursic

Artist Megan Ursic used a mix of hand-painted tissue paper along with other painting materials for her incredible artwork created as part of Jane Davies’ class on creating abstract collages.

7. Alanna Cartier

Mixed media collage by Alanna Cartier
Mixed media collage by Alanna Cartier

Artist Alanna Cartier used a variety of media to create her own paper and then even more materials to add the final details for this collage, created as part of Susan Mitchell’s class on how to make a mixed media collage

8. Rivka Bakkers-de Jonge

Mixed media art by Rivka Bakkers-de Jonge
Mixed media art by Rivka Bakkers-de Jonge

Artist Rivka Bakkers-de Jonge incorporated found images and text cut from magazines along with a variety of paints and drawing materials as part of this mixed media art journal, created for Karen Gaunt’s class.

3-D Mixed Media

9. Danielle Krysa

Image via  Instagram    Mixed media art by Danielle Krysa
Image via Instagram Mixed media art by Danielle Krysa

Artist and Skillshare instructor Danielle Krysa combines collaged images, found objects, and thick piped paint in her 3D mixed media work.  

10. Peggy Dean

Image via Instagram    Mixed media art by Peggy Dean
Image via Instagram Mixed media art by Peggy Dean

Artist and Skillshare instructor Peggy Dean embroiders vintage photos and postcards to create this surprising mixed media art.

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Written By

Erin Greenawald

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