I’ve gathered (and tried!) over 100 mixed media techniques that you can use in your next art project or junk journal. Experimenting with these methods has been so much fun, and I hope they inspire you to try something new.
What is mixed media? It’s simply any art combining different materials and techniques. Collage, paints, pencils, markers, glue, papercraft… These (and more) can all be used for mixed media.
Technically, the number of techniques that fall under the umbrella of ‘mixed media’ is as endless as your imagination and creativity.
So, in my first deep-dive into mixed media, I wanted to try as many different techniques as I could, all in a single journal.
See the video below to watch my whole process, along with interviews with mixed media artists Jane Davenport, Dina Wakley, Stacey Park and Kassandra Louise.
There’s also an extended version available with a subscription to Nebula!
Please Note: This content is NOT sponsored or endorsed by any of the brands mentioned in this post or video. This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you click them (at no cost to you).
100 Mixed Media Techniques You Can Try
I put together this list of the 100 mixed media techniques that I tried during my mixed media journey. I encourage you to try as many of these techniques as you can to help you learn what you like, give you ideas for different artwork, and simply for the fun of it.
1. Distress Oxides
Distress Oxides are water-reactive dye & pigment ink fusion that creates an oxidised effect when sprayed with water. Typically they are used with stamps and stencils, creating vibrant colours and textures. They are great for smooth gradients and backgrounds too! Buy on Amazon
2. Acrylic Paint Pens
Acrylic paint pens are a mess-free paint alternative that feels more like a marker. They can be used in mixed-media art in many ways, including adding highlights, adding a graffiti art style, creating outlines, or to paint a whole page! They come in a variety of sizes and brands. Browse on Amazon
3. Collage Portrait
Create a collage portrait by layering torn paper or other materials, and create an image of a person! Each piece can represent shadows, highlights, or textures, and adds a lot of intricate detail to the final picture that rewards you more the closer you look!
4. Alcohol Ink on Yupo Paper
Alcohol inks are so fun to play with, but they react completely differently on Yupo paper. Yupo paper is a synthetic paper that is super smooth, so it does not absorb the ink. This means that when you add ink to the paper, it has the freedom to move and create flowing art and beautiful patterns.
5. Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint can create many different elements in mixed-media art. I used it in a lot of my pages – like this example where I made my own coloured paper backgrounds that I later cut up for collages. Surprisingly, acrylic paints can also be used as glue!
6. Watercolour Wash
Instead of trying to use watercolour to create detailed art, you can also just use it to create a “colour wash” by diluting it with water and painting a layer over your other art. You can use this to give quick colour to a background, or add a colour wash on a photo or pattern.
7. Watercolour Drip
Let your watercolours get a little messy! Add a bit of extra moisture and hold your art upright so the watercolour drips down your page.
8. Blotting
Using a piece of cloth or paper towel, you can press down on your art to remove some of the paint, creating new textures. This is called blotting and works especially well with watercolour paints and inks. You can try this wet or dry, and try using different objects to create different textures.
9. Finger Painting
Happy to get a little messy? Try some finger painting! Use your fingers and/or hands to paint or add textures. In my example, I painted watercolour on a piece of paper and used the tips of my fingers to create dots in the wet paint.
10. Clean-Up Page
Instead of using a paper towel to clean up, try using another piece of paper. Instead of throwing it away, you can scrunch it or scrape it and salvage every little drop of excess paint. Sometimes the clean-up pages can provide surprising textures and become fun background fodder.
11. Watercolour Markers
Watercolour markers act like watercolour paints or inks when activated with water. They work like normal markers until you get them wet! You can achieve a similar effect with many water-based markers.
12. Colouring Stickers
Stickers you can colour in – a quick and fun way to add some different styles of drawing to your project, but you can still colour them to match your page! I have a range available here.
13. Markings on Black
Instead of starting with white paper – Change things up and start with black! Even simple scribbles can create fun backgrounds and certain markers or pencils look even better on black than white.
14. Stamped Background
Stamps are fun for so many aspects of mixed media. I love using them with all kinds of supplies to create patterned backgrounds. They don’t have to be perfect, and overlapping them or mis-printing them sometimes makes the end result even more interesting.
15. Dye Ink Stamping
Dye Ink Pads are great to use with rubber stamps. Different ink pads have different properties (water-soluble or water-resistant, for example) so it’s worth testing them out before using on your final piece.
16. Stencils with Acrylic Paint
You don’t have to only use stencils with inks – you can also use them with acrylic paint! I actually really enjoy adding a few quick swipes of paint over a stencil (imperfectly and not the whole stencil) to add texture and color to my page!
17. Sharpie Art
You can use a Sharpie or permanent marker to add to any mixed media. In my example, I drew flowers over the top of some backgrounds I created using other mixed media. Create any kind of drawings or scribbles, then cut them out and use them as collage fodder!
18. Tea Bag Stain
If you want to create a vintage look, try staining your paper or ephemera with tea bags. I remember doing this as a kid (making a treasure map!) and forgot just how effective it can be. Any black tea will work, and the paper will become darker as you leave it in the water for longer. Just be careful not to tear your paper as you lay it out to dry.
19. Ink Stain
Instead of using ink to fill a pen, try dropping it directly onto your page and let it flow! You can do this on a background, or use it on top of your existing layers to tie your picture together in an interesting way.
20. Decoupage with Gel Medium
Decoupage is the process of layering tissues or paper on your page to create a textured or patterned background – and you can use gel medium as both a glue and a varnish to make this process easy and fun.
21. Vintage Collage
Along the theme of collage – vintage collages are some of my favourite! You don’t have to use valuable vintage supplies – you can photocopy or scan and reprint them. But using old photos, newspaper clippings, postcards, napkins, tickets and more can be a fun way to create a vintage theme with lots of interesting things to look at.
22. Magical Shakers
Magical Shakers by Lindy’s Gang are powdered pigment dyes in shaker bottles, kind of like a salt shaker, but full of colour! Sprinkle them on the page and add water for unique, swirling textures, or spread the pigments with a water sprayer for a ‘firework-like’ effect.
23. Gelato Pigment Sticks
Faber-Castell Gelatos (AKA Pigment Sticks) are like really soft, creamy crayons. They can be used on many mediums, such as paper, cloth, canvas, fabric, and wood. They are water-soluble and are really interesting to use! I used them to create a soft, almost water-like, texture on my page. Buy them on Amazon
24. Acrylic Paint with Alcohol Ink
Alcohol ink and acrylic paint aren’t really supposed to mix… so let’s do it anyway! Here I mixed acrylic paint with alcohol ink on Yupo Paper and watched them resist each other and swirl around while I used a blowdryer to keep them moving.
25. Layering Tissue Paper
I remember doing this a lot as a kid, and it’s still a fun way to create texture and colours on your page. Layer tissue paper (or just tissues) to add depth, either on their own or among other textures and patterns.
26. Oil Pastels
Oil pastels are something I’d love to explore using more on their own, but they also work well for mixed media. You can blend them with your finger (or other tools) to create detail and texture. They feel like crayons, but can create some amazing art!
27. White Paint Pen
I love using a white pen to add highlights and details on my colouring pages, and now in my mixed media pages too! White paint pens tend to work better than white gel pens, and will handle all kinds of surfaces or work over other art (like pencils or paints).
28. Die Cuts
If you don’t like to cut things out by hand, you can also find pre-cut art known as “die-cuts”. These aren’t stickers – they are usually cardstock with an image printed on them, but already cut out for you to use in your collages or mixed media pages.
29. 3D Foam Tape
Add some extra dimension to your mixed media art by using 3D foam tape instead of glue or normal sticky tape. The thick foam stays between your art and the background, creating really interesting 3D layers.
30. Messy Writing
Whether you’re writing something to help you process, or just want some random words on your page, adding messy writing can be a fun and therapeutic part of mixed media – especially art journaling! Just ask Dina Wakely, who writes whatever she’s feeling in the moment, and rarely remembers what the words say!
31. Palette Knife Painting
I love painting with a palette knife… maybe even more than with a brush. It’s messy, unpredictable, and can create really interesting textures and layered effects.
32. Layering with Lace
What else can we add to our pages? Why not lace! With it’s intricate patterns, lace can be really fun to use as a stencil or glue directly to your project.
33. Crumpled Paper
Adding crumpled paper to your artwork can add lots of texture and unique depth to your page. You can use any type of paper and crumple it as much or as little as you want. Don’t be afraid to rip it a little too!
34. Texture with Objects
You can add texture to your page with just about anything. In this example, I found a little key and a steampunk-style cog to add dimension to my page, then I painted over them, alongside other textures on my page, to blend everything together.
This is probably better for a mixed media canvas than an art journal (unless you’ve got stretchy binding!)
35. Texture with Powder
While we’re talking texture, there are powders you can add to your page to create grain effects and textures. This would be great for a sandy beach art piece!
36. Gouache
Gouache is not quite acrylic paint and not quite watercolour – and is often compared to both. It’s a unique type of paint that is easy to blend and smooth to use. I definitely recommend trying it!
37. Mica Spray
Want to add a bit of magic to your art? Mica sprays bring a beautiful shimmer that dances in the light. Spray them over your paint or ink layers, and watch the subtle pearlescent glow transform your page into something otherworldly.
38. Lunar Paste
Lunar Paste is a Ranger Inks product from Simon Hurley. It is a creamy and colourful paste with a metallic shine. In my example, I used a gold-coloured Lunar paste, and it added such a nice finish to the objects in my journal. You can also use it with stencils to add some great patterns. Buy it here
39. Burnt Edges
Burning the edges of some paper gives it a really cool antique look, especially if you use old paper or stain it with coffee or tea. But be careful not to set your art on fire! I recommend testing this a few times first.
40. Window Cut Out
I cut a rectangle from my journal page to act as a ‘window’ to reveal the next page. Then, I added clear acrylic to make it really look like a window. This was a fun and easy technique that can be used to create layers of art with hidden surprises!
41. Tear and Repair
I have seen the tear and repair technique used a lot in the mixed-media world, and it leaves such a cool effect. You tear your paper up into as many pieces as you want, then you glue it back together on the page, and embrace the imperfections!
42. White Gesso Background
White gesso is like the secret weapon for mixed media. It’s a primer that preps your page, giving you a solid, textured base that grabs onto anything you throw at it. Spreading a layer of gesso can feel like setting the stage – like you’re priming your art for whatever journey it’s about to take.
43. Archival Ink Pad Swipe
I use archival ink pads to make textured, “box-y” backgrounds by dragging them across the page. Any ink pad will work – swipe, press, or smudge it to create textured backgrounds and add extra character to your piece.
44. Washi Tape Resist
Washi tape works wonderfully as a barrier for paint and other mediums. Place the tape over areas you want to keep paint-free and remove it later to reveal the clean area underneath. Unlike regular tape, washi is gentle on paper, reducing the risk of tearing. This works great for both art projects and home renovations.
45. Crayon Scribble
Crayons aren’t just for kids! Scribble away with them to add texture and colour, giving your art a playful energy. Sometimes, a simple scribble brings out the rawness in a piece, reminding you not to overthink – just let the colour flow and see where it takes you.
46. Paint Flicking
Flicking paint from a brush onto the page creates a splatter effect that can tie different areas of your piece together. It’s great for adding a touch of randomness, texture, or even bringing your background and focal point(s) together.
47. Stamping Random Objects
Instead of traditional stamps, try pressing random objects (like straws or small household items) into paint and stamping them on your page. Each object brings a unique pattern, transforming overlooked materials into unexpected art tools.
48. Torn Cardboard
You can layer pieces of torn cardboard on your page to add raw texture and dimension. It’s especially effective in mixed media, where bold, tactile layers stand out. Cardboard has its own personality, and ripping it feels freeing – it’s like letting your art get a bit wild!
49. Paint Roller
Using a paint roller, you can create bold, sweeping strokes across your page. I decided to take this to the extreme and rolled a thick layer of black right over my background! It’s a fun way to completely change the look of your page, and can be a good way to “reset” if you’re not really sure where to take your page next.
50. Torn Magazines
Sometimes, all you need is a torn piece of magazine to bring new life to your page. Rip, tear, and glue those pieces down, and you’ve got a wild collage that’s full of unexpected colours and shapes. There’s something about using magazine scraps that makes art feel spontaneous.
51. White Gesso with Brayer
Gesso is great for preparing a surface for paint, but it can also work as a way to add more layers on top! In this example, I used a brayer to add the gesso in an unpredictable way, giving me a new surface to create on.
52. Water-Soluble Crayons
Water-soluble crayons are a blast to use. You can draw your design, then use a wet brush to blend the colours out. It creates smooth transitions and gives your artwork a cool, washed-out effect.
53. Ransom Note
Create messages by cutting letters from various papers or magazines, forming a “ransom note” style. This technique is straight out of a movie thriller—cutting out letters from magazines or papers to create your own message, no handwriting needed! It’s quirky and a little mischievous, perfect for adding a mysterious vibe or saying something bold in your art.
54. Torn Up Collage
There are so many different ways to create collages. Sometimes I’ll use scissors to cut out specific shapes or pictures but sometimes it’s just fun to tear stuff! Tearing paper in different directions can add a distressed look to your collage layers, and sometimes you’ll even be able to tear of single layers to reveal other white edges under your coloured paper, or all the layers of cardboard.
55. Mod Podge
Mod Podge serves as a glue and a protective sealant, perfect for attaching paper elements while also adding a durable, finished surface. It’s a glue and sealer in one, letting you stick down layers of paper and then protect them with a glossy or matte finish. It’s perfect for collages!
56. Modelling Paste with a Palette Knife
Modelling paste (also called texture paste or molding paste) is a thick gel medium with an opaque, matte finish, perfect for creating deep textures and 3D effects. Using a palette knife, you can spread it onto your surface to add rough, tactile details, making it ideal for adding depth to your art! It’s a texture lover’s dream.
57. Modelling Paste with Stamps
You can also use modeling paste with stamps! Press a stamp into it while it’s still wet, and you’ll get a reversed, textured version of that stamp. It’s an easy way to add depth and character, with each stamped impression bringing its own unique charm to your art.
58. Modelling Paste with Stencils
More modelling paste fun! Spread modelling paste over stencils to transfer shapes with a raised texture. Adding polka dots, geometric patterns, or organic shapes can be such a fun way to add texture to your background.
59. Derwent Inktense Coloured Pencils
These pencils are intense (as their name promises). They look like coloured pencils, but add a little water, and they transform into vibrant, ink-like colors. It’s such a satisfying experience to see those lines and colours come to life with just a brushstroke.
60. Dylusions Shimmer Spray
Dylusions shimmer spray is like a little bottle of fairy dust for your art. Spray it on as a finishing touch, and it leaves a luminous glow that catches the eye. It’s perfect for a dreamy, ethereal effect that makes your artwork shine from within.
61. Ink Drip
Drip ink onto your page and let it flow where it wants to go. Just tilt the paper and watch it run – each drip is a surprise, adding movement and life to your piece. Sometimes the drips take on a shape of their own, creating unexpected patterns and a lot of fun!
62. Printed Stock Photo
Cut out a photo and make it the star of your page. I used an image of a woman and let other torn-up papers cover part of her face. Using photos like this is an easy way to create a focal point with a bit of mystery. You can do this with magazines too, but stock photos may allow you to resell your art (depending on the license).
63. Paint Drizzle
This one’s about letting go. Thin out your paint and drizzle it over your work, letting the lines form wherever they will. It’s so freeing to see the spontaneous paths the paint creates, sometimes connecting parts of your page in ways you didn’t expect.
64. Magazine Cut Outs
Cutting out an image from a magazine and sticking it to your page can completely change the vibe of your mixed media artwork, or give you an excellent starting point. Sometimes it’s the perfect way to escape the pressure of starting with a blank page, even if you end up covering it completely by the end.
65. Tissue Paper Collage
Tissue paper is wonderfully delicate and translucent, making it perfect for layering. I like to use gesso as glue, letting the tissue become part of the background. Each layer adds depth without overpowering what’s underneath – just enough to give some nice texture.
66. Using Paint as Glue
Who needs glue when paint works just as well? Using thick paint as an adhesive adds color and texture all at once, bonding your layers and blending them. It’s a bit unconventional, but that’s what makes it fun.
67. Stickers
Stickers may seem simple, but they’re perfect for adding that extra “something” to a piece. Sometimes I’ll layer a few for dimension or scatter them around for a playful effect – stickers let you easily sprinkle a little fun across your page – Especially if they’re colouring stickers!
68. Transparency Sheets
Transparency sheets are a throwback to old-school projectors, but they’re incredibly versatile in mixed media. Layer them over your page to reveal the art below, or add your own designs, drawings, or text directly onto the sheet for even more dimension and texture.
69. Rainbow Pencil Sketch
A rainbow pencil is pure fun! With every line, the colour shifts, creating a playful blend of tones. It’s like doodling with magic – you never know what colour will come next. These aren’t just for kids – there are some high quality rainbow pencils now available for adults too!
70. Watercolour Portrait
Watercolour is a fun medium to use when creating mixed media portraits, because it’s slightly unpredictable, but still looks good, even when it’s not picture-perfect. The way the colours blend together is super satisfying, especially when they start forming shapes and shadows on their own. It’s fun being the watercolour’s guide, watching as you nudge it into place while it dances across the paper!
71. Negative Space Art
Negative space art flips things around by focusing on the areas around or behind your subject instead of the subject itself. In my example, I coloured the space around the girl’s hair and left the hair itself blank, allowing the background underneath to pop through. It’s a cool way to make your focal point stand out, using the empty space to grab attention in unexpected ways.
72. Journalling
Journalling in your mixed media journal adds a whole new layer of meaning. Whether you jot down your thoughts, feelings, or just a funny line, your words become part of the artwork. It’s a great way to capture your mindset while you’re creating art, or to leave a message for anyone who sees it (or even just for yourself). Plus, the words can become their own focal point, helping to tell the story behind the piece.
73. Dutch Doors
Dutch doors turn your mixed media page into something interactive. It’s like having little windows that open to reveal more art beneath. In my example, I used my flowing hair girl’s pages to create a ‘door’ – when you open it, you can see the background behind the hair, adding a whole new layer to the artwork.
74. Rainbow Pencil Scribbles
Do you remember these from your childhood? I was really surprised to see how adults can use rainbow pencils too – especially ones with more pigment. It’s great for a sketch our outline layer under watercolours or other mixed media art, or just as a way to add unexpected colour to your final art. I love this pencil from Jane Davenport.
75. Collage with Washi Tape
Washi tape isn’t just for borders – it’s perfect for collaging too. With so many patterns and colours, it’s an easy way to add pops of design to your mixed media project without any glue. You can cut them into shapes, use them to create borders, or layer them with other paints and supplies.
76. Washi Tape Binding
Washi tape is also really useful to strengthen the binding of your art journal as it gets chunkier and chunkier with all your art. If your journal’s starting to fall apart, grab some washi! It’s perfect for reinforcing edges, spines, or even securing fragile pages, all while adding a fun, colourful touch to your work.
77. Marzipan Twists
Marzipan Twists are like drawing with buttery lipstick – they’re smooth, satisfying, and fun to use. These twistable crayons glide effortlessly across the page, making bold, vibrant marks. Plus, they’re water-soluble, so you can blend them out with a little water before they set. You can find a similar experience with Faber-Castell Gelatos – both are such fun to use in mixed media art!
78. Watercolour Ink
Watercolour comes in so many different forms – Watercolour pencils, paint tubes, dry paint tins, markers… and watercolour inks! The inks allow you to use a brush or glass pen to instantly start with bold, undiluted colour. If you’ve enjoyed other watercolour methods, add this to your list to try!
79. Neon Ink
This neon ink from Jane Davenport is SO vibrant. The colour really pop off the page and almost feels like it’s glowing against the rest of the colours. It’s mixed media supplies like this that are slowly helping me to enjoy working with neon, which I usually stay away from! Instead of being overpowering, it can be just the right amount of extra fun and colour!
80. Layer Cake Paints
Layer Cake Paints by Jane Davenport are perfect for mixed media projects. They’re a super creamy paint (somewhat like gouache) that blends and layers beautifully. They feel like painting with silk, and their intense colours make them a wonderful supply for adding colour quickly to your mixed media pages!
81. Magical Shakers + Modelling Paste
If you feel like Modeling Paste isn’t quite interesting enough on its own, you can try sprinkling some pigment from the Magical Shakers (mentioned above) into your paste and mix it together to give it some colour and texture.
82. Rub-on Transfers
Rub-on Transfers are a lot like temporary tattoos. The image comes on a piece of clear material, and you can ‘rub’ the image off of the material and onto your artwork. These are fun and easy to use.
Gel Printing Techniques
The next few techniques all use a gel plate. This is a unique DIY-print-making tool that allows you to transfer images or create unique, abstract art. The process is fun and the results are often unexpected! It’s almost a must-have if you love mixed media.
83. Acrylic Paint Gel Printing
Gel printing with acrylic paint feels like a creative playground. You spread a thin layer of paint on the gel plate and press your paper down to capture the textures beneath. Acrylics are one of the easiest things to use on your gel plate, and every experiment creates a new piece of art!
84. Gel Print with Stamps
Using stamps on a gel plate allows you to invert the design of the stamp. Let’s say, for example, you have a stamp with handwritten words on it. Get some paint on your gel plate, then press in your stamp, and the handwritten words will be removed from the paint. This leaves you with a negative print, which doubles the use of all your favourite stamp designs!
85. Gel Print with Random Objects
You can press nearly anything into a gel plate to add texture – think keys, bottle caps, leaves, or even crumpled paper. It’s amazing how everyday items can create unexpected effects. Once you start, it’s hard not to see texture everywhere in your world, and it can be super fun to try all kinds of objects to see what you can create!
86. Gel Print with Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap on a gel plate is pure magic. Press it into the paint to create a bumpy, dotted texture that transfers beautifully to your paper. It’s one of my favourite techniques! It’s great for adding a subtle, textured background or layering different textures on one print.
87. Create a Gradient
In this example, I decided to create a gradient with my paints ON my gel plate. It didn’t quite work as I’d hoped (I might need more practice doing it quickly!) but it still created an interesting effect – especially when layering it with the bubble wrap on my next pull. I’ll be trying this again!
88. Gel Print with Sponges
Using a sponge on the gel plate adds a soft, porous texture that looks almost like a shadow. You can dab, drag, or press the sponge to create interesting patterns or patches. It creates a cloud-like effect, giving your project a natural, layered effect that’s beautiful for backgrounds or light texturing.
89. Gel Print with a Palette Knife
Most gel printing uses a brayer, but you can also use other shaped tools to create textures and effects. A palette knife is a lot of fun and can create all kinds of rough strokes or lines in your paint – although try to avoid metal tools and find yourself a plastic palette knife to protect the gel surface.
90. Gel Plate Magazine Transfer
One of the most exciting ways to use a gel plate is with magazine transfers. Roll out some paint, then place your magazine photo face-down, and rub gently before lifting. If it works like it’s intended, the lightest areas of your magazine will absorb the paint, but the darkest areas will repel it – so you end up with a replica of the image on the gel plate! From here, you can layer more paint on the back and pull your art to create a one-of-a-kind print!
91. Gel Transfer on Vintage Paper
One of the great things about gel printing is that you can transfer art to all kinds of papers. I especially love doing this with vintage paper – like old book pages, maps, or sheet music. You’ll often be able to see the background text or lines under the new print, creating an interesting layer of ink that blends creativity with history!
92. Gel Print with Stencils
Using stencils on a gel plate lets you add specific shapes or patterns to your print. You can either use it under or over your paint layers, to create patterns or a mask. In the process, you can create both positive and negative versions of the same design!
93. Gel Resist with Paper
Don’t underestimate what you can do with paper! Cutting out strips or shapes with paper allows you to make your own negative space art. In the same way as stencils, you can place down paper to leave areas of the gel plate uncovered, and you’ll end up with some colourful mosaic paper at the same time!
94. Gel Print with Water
Gel plates aren’t really designed to create with water – but this is mixed media, so let’s do it anyway! I decided to try creating some watery backgrounds, mixing in different paints, and it was a lot of fun! Stay away if you don’t like mess… or challenge yourself to jump in!
95. Gel Print on a Colouring Page
Transforming a colouring page with gel printing is such a fun mixed media idea. The gel plate adds layers of texture and colour that completely change the look of the original design. You can still see all the fine details beneath, but now they’re paired with a unique, layered effect that’s entirely your own.
96. Paper Mosaic
We used to do these all the time in school! Instead of a random collage, cut yourself tiny pieces of paper and arrange them like you are creating a mosaic with tiles. Instead of overlapping the paper, put them edge to edge or even leave a space inbetween (think ‘grout’). You can create images (like pixel art!) or just fun patterns of coloured paper tiles.
97. Paint Marker Outlines
If your picture feels like it’s lacking contrast, grab a paint marker and outline some of the other elements. In this case, I used a strong black to create more defined lines between the different pieces of my mosaic. It wasn’t necessarily better or worse, but it was fun!
98. Reconstructed Collage
Instead of just collaging with different things, try this version of reconstructing your art in a new way. Create some intentional art (or multiple pieces of art with a similar theme) then cut them up and arrange them in a new way! This is the approach I took when designing the mixed-media-style cover of my Teal Jungle Coloring Planner.
99. Paint Pen Scribbles
Paint pens let you add spontaneous details and little scribbles to your art journal with ease. They’re perfect for topping off backgrounds or adding a finishing touch that helps to connect the different parts of your art and unify the layers.
100. Gold Pen Highlights
I used to avoid decorating anything with shiny supplies. I felt it was so easily overdone. But I’ve been loving using a gold pen for little highlights or tracing around my mosaics and collages! It’s just enough to catch the light and bring a little shimmer to the page without going overboard. But hey, this is mixed media… so feel free to go overboard too!
How many of these techniques have you tried? Which ones are your favourites?
Leave a comment below, or tag me on social media @sarahrenaeclark. I love hearing about your creative adventures.
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