Mixed Media Art and Photography

Mixed media art is artwork in which more than one medium or material has been used to create the piece of art.  This is different from multimedia art which combines visual art with non-visual elements such as sound, drama, dance, music, motion graphics, etc.  I’ve recently been fascinated by some of the mixed media artwork that has been coming into Print Art, so thought that we could cover it this week.

The image above is from #maremismallart.  Have a look at the YouTube clip showing how to create this:  “Mixed Media Art Journal – magical background Tutorial”

Quilling or Paper Filigree

Quilling was first practiced by Renaissance nuns and monks who are said to have made artistic use of the gilded edges of worn out bibles, and later by 18th century ladies who made artistic use of lots of free time.

The piece above is made from Japanese mulberry paper and the gilded edges of old books and  created by Lisa Nilsson.

Mixed Media Photography

Yes, photography can also be mixed media.  An artist might combine their photograph with ink drawings, pencil sketches, and watercolours to create a whole new and unique look. It’s an experimental form of art that produces eye-catching and multi-dimensional work.

There are a couple of mixed media photographers to follow, such as Ben Hecht,  Jeff League and Judith Golden.

Digital Art

Using design programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop mean that it’s all too easy to create pieces of art that utilise precious few traditional methods.  However, creating art on the computer alone means we no longer need a large physical space and a vast collection of expensive materials.

However, the downside of this approach is work that is technically perfect, but in some cases can appear somewhat flat.

There are a couple of digital artists to follow on Behance.