Simply put, mixed media art is a form of art that uses a variety of materials, such as paint, collage, and sculpture
This means that with mixed media we can create two-dimensional or three-dimensional art forms.
Mixed media art is often used to create expressive and unique pieces either on canvas, on board or paper, as stand alone pieces or in art journals. It can be used to tell stories, to express emotions, or to create visual representations of dreams or memories.
Mixed media art is a great way to experiment with different materials and techniques and is an outlet to express your creativity and to create something unique.
If you are interested in creating mixed media art, there are a few things you will need to do. First, you will need to gather a variety of materials. You can use anything you like, such as paint, inks, pens, collage, fabric, upcycled or vintage paper, photographs or even objects from nature. To apply paint you can pretty much use anything. As well as brushes you can try, old toothbrushes, old palette knives, credit cards, sponges, rags etc. These can create some really exciting effects.
Once you have your materials, you can start experimenting. You could try mixing paint with organic materials like sand to create texture, use flowers to print with, try paint splattering and letting it drip, collage with vintage paper or magazines, try doodling and mark making with things suggested above. There is no right or wrong way to create mixed media art. You don’t need to be “arty” or be able to draw – just a curiosity to experiment with materials and see what effects you can create.
Here are my top tips for creating mixed media art:
- Use what you have, don’t spend a lot of money to start with. Experiment and once you have found what you like, then you can invest in materials.
- Mistakes are a part of the creative process, so don’t be afraid to make them and to learn. Think of them as “happy accidents” – that will often lead you somewhere else.
- Let your imagination run wild -anything goes!
- Be more childlike – try and tap into your younger self and enjoy the moment – how the materials feel, the colour and the physical act of splattering paint for example…….as you would when you were little. Dont worry about the outcome.
- Above all, have fun!
- If you fancy giving mixed media a go, come and join us on one of our Studio Workshops or a Coffee Cake Create session!