Mixing it up: Mixed-Media Collage

Combining Two or More Mediums

By Chris Dunmire

In Parts 1 and 2, I showed you how to make a basic magazine collage into an assemblage by using elements from magazines and adding on 3D objects. Now we're going to build upon those concepts.

You can apply any other artistic medium to your basic collage or assemblage to turn it into a mixed media collage. Mixed media simply means "mixing media's" like collage with paint. Common mixed media additions include pencil drawings, paints, pastels, charcoals, and markers.

Watch how I added sponge-textured gouache paint to my assemblage background to create a mixed-media collage.

Part 3: How to Make a Mixed Media Collage

Additional Materials Needed:

• Gouache paint or other artistic media (acrylics, watercolor, pastels, charcoal, etc.)
• Sponge applicator or paint brush

Step 8

Selecting two paint colors found in the magazine elements of my collage, I generously sponged on these alternating colors of gouache to create a textured background over the white space on my collage.

(Note: If you plan to make your collage mixed media from the outset, you have creative license to apply paint to the background at any point in creating your piece. Many people like to lay down a background or partial background with paint before adding in collage elements and may even choose to layer more paint over some or all collage elements later in the process. This is where creative experimenting comes in for you: you get to decide how you want your piece to emerge.)

Helpful Tip: If your paper-based support gets too wet with paint or water, it will warp, so try to use paint and water sparingly in stages.

Step 9

After I painted my collage background with gouache to satisfaction, I sat it aside for a couple of hours to dry completely dry. At this point, my mixed-media collage assemblage is finished. See how easy that was?

So now you've learned some basic collage, assemblage, and mixed-media techniques. Want to keep going? If you want to stretch your skills, move on to Part 4 to learn how to create book cover collages as a stepping stone into altered books and other altered art.

Continue to Part 4, Collage a Book Cover »

About the Author | More by Chris Dunmire
Chris Dunmire finds meaning as an artist, writer, humorist, and Certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach®. Chris is the driving force behind the popular Creativity Portal community and inspires people of all ages to be more creative through her articles, writing prompts, and project e-playbooks available for instant download at CreativeSlush.com.

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Updated 3/22/09