I was first introduced to mixed media painting when I was in middle school and my teacher said, "Sometimes you just have to paint on anything." A few pieces of scrap paper and random paints later, I was hooked! Painting on fabric, wood, glass and more adds texture and dimension to artwork—and the possibilities are endless. It's so much fun!

So how can you get started with mixed media painting? This post will show you six painting techniques you can use right away.

What is Mixed Media?

There are lots of terms that get tossed around in creative circles. These terms often mean different things to different people, and there can be a lot of confusion about what each term really means. One of these confusing terms is mixed media. What does it mean, exactly? There’s no easy definition, but one thing that artists know is that it refers to working with multiple types of media on a single piece.

So, if you're a teacher who seeks to use the following techniques in your classroom, you can use this as your working/teaching definition of the process and style of the projects your students are doing.

1) Drybrush Painting

This technique allows you to create a textured effect. To drybrush, dip your brush in paint and then wipe most of it off on a paper towel. This ensures there's a minimal amount of paint on the brush. Next, lightly drag your brush over whatever you’re painting, so that a few bristles are touching it. Allow each layer to dry before applying another. This is technically called scumbling.

Another drybrush technique is called stippling. To stipple, use the same dry brush in a soft, bouncing motion. Make sure to use a minimal amount of paint. For this technique, it is okay to allow the bristles to splay. For this reason, it is a great idea to set aside an old set of brushes for exclusive drybrushing.

Let your students practice on scratch paper first and then move on to trying it out on canvas. It takes some practice but produces very pretty results!

I recommend a bigger, coarser brush for this. If you purchase brushes like these, use them for something else first. Then, when they are getting worn out move them to the drybrush-only pile. I just really like these types of brushes for drybrushing.

The brushesto the right are technically glue brushes, but they are so coarse that they work really well for drybrushing.

2) Scraping Paint

Scraping paint has long been used in mixed media paintings, but it’s a great technique that can be hard to master. The reason I say it is hard to master is that kids tend to scrape and scrape until their paint is a brown, muddy mess. To do this effectively, they'll need to work with intention. You may even want to provide a boundary around how many times they can scrape. For instance, if they are working on a small sheet of paper, you may tell them they can make up to 6 scrapes. This still offers some choice because they can choose up to 6 scrapes depending on how they cant their paint to look. It limits them to help them prevent the muddy paint issues as well.

To scrape paint onto your canvas, you’ll need to use a painting knife or plastic scraper. You can purchase all sorts of cool scrapers, but you can also use literally anything. I have even used card stock folded in half before. Scraping an angled stroke onto your canvas and then applying color with another brush creates a softer look than scraping straight down and allowing gravity to pull your color where it may.

Just for fun, here are some of my favorite scrapers that you can purchase:

3) Rolling Paint

Another way to create texture in your mixed media painting is by rolling paint onto your canvas. To do so, you’ll want to tape off sections of your work. (This will make clean up a whole lot easier!) Make sure you use painters tape. If you can't access painters tape, use masking tape regular office/desk tape. Have the students roll off a bit and stick it to their clothes a couple of times. This gets some of the sticky off in a harmless way. When they get ready to remove the tape, it will come off without damaging the paper. Next, grab a roller and add some paint to it. Rollers come in all shapes and sizes. You can buy nice brayers or you can get foam rollers relatively cheap online. Here are some of my favorite rollers:

4) Washes

A simple way to begin experimenting with mixed media is to create an all-over wash on a canvas. This can also be done on paper. However, consider the weight of your paper before doing washes. Thicker paper works best.

A wash is where you take paint mixed with water (or a thin paint like liquid watercolors) and wash the brush all over the surface. Think about how a car wash puts water all over the car. Same concept. The key to this is not to overwork it, so a very light application of paint should be used—just enough to cover your canvas in a thin layer of color. Teach the students not to keep going over and over the same spots with their brush. I usually spent some time modeling this and letting them practice on scrap papers. It really helps if they can physically feel how this works and use muscle memory when they get their actual paper or canvas.

5) Print-making and Stamping

Print-making and stamping are two of my favorite mixed media painting techniques because they allow you to create your own patterns and textures! You can use purchased, formal stamps or you can grab almost anything that's lying around and print with it. For instance, I have used wadded up pieces of scrap papers as stamps. These create an amazing, crackly texture.

If you want to take it all up a notch, consider gelli plates for printing and mixed media.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to inspire creativity in your classroom, painting is a great way to do it. Don’t be afraid to experiment with all kinds of different media, and always remember that technique is as important as subject matter. The variety of techniques listed above should have sparked your creative spirit, so get out there and start experimenting! Let your students experiment. We all need access to open-ended art-making experiences. You'll be so glad you did!

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