Mixed Media Art Materials and Mediums

Welcome back to my Blog series, Mixed Media 101, where I talk about everything foundational to a modern mixed media art practice. Today's subject, Mixed Media Art Mediums and Materials, is the single most overwhelming aspect of becoming a Mixed Media Artist.

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The most complicated—and often confusing—part of Mixed Media Art is simply the sheer number of products available. There are endless supplies an artist could use, and because Mixed Media invites us to work with more than one type of material, the options can quickly become overwhelming. So overwhelming, in fact, that many curious beginners end up checking out before they even start.

Here’s what my experience has taught me:

You absolutely do not need to understand everything on this list (or even very much of it!) to begin exploring Mixed Media.

Instead of trying to learn this field by absorbing tons of information upfront, I encourage you to learn project by project. Choose one project, gather only the materials needed for that specific project, and complete it. Then choose another. Over time, you’ll naturally build a stash of supplies—many of which will be used again and again as you follow your curiosity.

Here’s what I don’t recommend: buying random items from a long materials list and attempting to invent your own project from scratch. Can it be done? Of course. Will it reliably lead to a satisfying result? That’s much less certain.

This is exactly where teachers and classes shine. Great Mixed Media teachers—online or in person—demonstrate how these products work and have already tested what’s useful, what’s not, and what will help you get the results you’re after. Instead of spending your time and money trying to decode all of this alone, you get to jump right into the fun, the experimentation, and the creative play with materials that are proven to work.

Just my humble opinion.

With that said, I’ve included a comprehensive list of materials and mediums in the Mixed Media 101 classroom on Willa Workshops. You can enroll yourself for free in the classroom here.

Use it whenever curiosity strikes—whether you want to understand one specific item or get a sense of the whole landscape. It’s all here to help you make sense of it in a way that feels manageable and inspiring.

Tell me, does the amount of products on the market for mixed media artists excite you or overwhelm you?