Types of Mixed Media

Working with mixed media offers an artist a variety of artistic opportunities as most anything is possible in the way of creativity. Mixed media is using more than just one medium to produce art such as integrating two or more types of art materials and techniques to create a drawing, painting or other type of artwork.

Misconception About Mixed Media

The term mixed media is sometimes confused with multimedia art, but is not the same thing. While mixed media pertains to visual art that combines different art media used in traditional art, multimedia combines visual art with non-visual items as combining sound with other types of art including drama, literature and other elements.

Pastel and Watercolor Mixed Media

Pastel colors have a vibrancy that can be used for enhancing delicate transparent watercolors. For example, an artist can lay down a pastel watercolor color such as yellow orchre, using a light tone wash that spreads the color. Then, while the wash is still moist, more details can be added using the point of a pastel stick. Once the wash dries, more pastel marks, as well as watercolor washes can be added.

Acrylic and Gouache

Acrylic paint goes well with gouache paint and offers much flexibility. Acrylics can be as either transparent washes or as heavy impasto. Gouache can also be used either diluted with water for creating semi-transparent washes or used thickly to create texture.

Pen and Ink and Watercolor

Pen and ink goes exceptionally well when used with watercolor. Often artists use pen and ink to bring out details of tiled roofs, tree bark or cobbled streets that are first painted with transparent watercolors. When working with these two mediums it's important to first determine which medium will be dominant.

When an artist first does a detailed pen and ink drawing and then applies a watercolor washes, the pen and ink dominates the drawing with the watercolor washes giving the pen and ink drawing a softer appearance than if it were done with only pen and ink. On the other hand, a drawing can first be done in watercolor and then highlighted with pen and ink. In this case the watercolor is the main medium with the pen and ink only giving more definition to the watercolor painting.

Watercolor Wash and Oil Pastels

Oil pastels create a different effect than watercolor washes as they're more water resistant than soft pastels are. An artist can first rub a brown oil pastel over rough-toothed watercolor paper as the pastel is planted on the raised tooth of the paper for producing a mottled pattern. Then a wash of a light brown colored watercolor, such as raw umber, can be washed over the oil pastel. The oil resists the watercolor that settles into the paper's indentations that were untouched by the oil pastel crayon. This technique is often used for depicting objects such as sand, rocks or stones.

Finally mixed media art is more than working with fine art materials. Scrapbooking, making collages and other forms of three dimensional art such as using wood, buttons, fabric and other items are considered mixed media art. There are so many possibilities, so it's fun to experiment with as many materials and techniques as possible.

Originally published on Suite 101.