5 Creative Ways to Incorporate Watercolor into Mixed Media Art
If you know me and my art, you may have noticed that a little while ago, I moved away from painting purely with watercolours to combining it with coloured pencils. This has allowed me to paint in a way that is much more comfortable for me personally. If you’re also interested in a mixed-media approach to your art, here are 5 creative ways to do so:
Create a watercolor wash background: One of the easiest and most effective ways to use watercolor in mixed media art is to create a colorful wash background. Simply mix up some watercolor paint with water, then use a brush to apply it to your canvas or paper. You can then layer other media on top of this colorful background to create a visually interesting piece.
White cryaons or wax: Watercolor can be used to create a “resist effect”, where the paint resists certain areas of the paper or canvas. To achieve this effect, use a white crayon or candle to draw a design on your paper or canvas. Then, apply watercolor paint over the top. The paint will resist the wax and create a beautiful, textured effect.
Alcohol Markers: Alcohol markers are such a popular medium, that I’m sure you’ve come across them before. They are the go-to pens for graphic designers of all sorts and also used in comic and graphic novel drawings. While the Manga-style way of using them is most popular, alcohol markers can also be used in combination with all sorts of other pens and also watercolours. If you are inclined towards realistic painting like I am, watercolours and alcohol markers are are very promising combo! Check out the Copic Markers for the highest quality pens and Ohuhu markers that are less pricy, but equally as good.
Use watercolor as a highlight: Watercolor doesn’t always have to be the main act of your painting. It can be used just to highlight certain areas of your mixed media piece. For example, you might use watercolor to add a pop of color to a black and white photograph, or to highlight certain elements of a collage. This can create a striking visual effect that draws the viewer's eye.
Combine watercolor with coloured pencils: An obvious choice and one that I have come to love. Use watercolours are your base layer(s) and add coloured pencils on top for details and fine gradients. I use these Polychromos Pencil, but other brands are just as good as long as you opt for professional grade pencils.
Incorporating watercolor into your mixed media art can be a fun and rewarding process. Try out these creative techniques and see where they take you!
