What Is Mixed Media Art?
Mixed media art is any artwork made from a combination of different media or materials. Paint and paper, ink and fabric, acrylic and photography: when an artist brings two or more of them together in one piece, the result is mixed media.
That simple definition opens a huge creative space. As Tate puts it, art can essentially be made of anything, or any combination of things. Mixed media artists use that freedom to build texture, depth and meaning that a single medium cannot reach.
Mixed media is not the same as multimedia. Multimedia art usually combines electronic media such as video, film, audio or computers. Mixed media stays with physical materials you can touch.
This guide explains the main mixed media techniques, where the form came from, and why so many collectors are drawn to it, with a closer look at the Colorphonie works of Berlin artists Mike and Madeleine Bülow.
6 Common Mixed Media Techniques
Mixed media covers a wide range of approaches. These six are the ones you will see most often in galleries and online collections.
1. Collage
Collage means gluing pieces of paper, photographs, fabric and other materials onto a flat surface. The finished work mixes textures, images and sometimes text.
2. Assemblage
Assemblage is the three-dimensional cousin of collage. Artists build works from everyday or found objects, often combined with paint, to create reliefs and sculptures.
3. Wet and dry media
Many artists layer dry media such as charcoal, pastel or pencil over wet media such as acrylic, ink or watercolor. The contrast adds energy and depth to a single surface.
4. Paint and photography
Some artists combine painting with photography. The camera captures a moment that paint alone could not hold, and the paint brings color and movement the camera could not create.
5. Mixed media sculpture
Sculptors often combine metals, stone, wood and minerals. Art Delivers artist Vincent Rengenhart, a goldsmith and silversmith, works in gold, silver, quartz crystal, fluorite, granite, steel and exotic woods.
6. Textile and fiber
Fabric, thread and yarn can be stitched, woven or painted into a work. Textile techniques bring softness and a handmade feel to mixed media pieces.
A Short History of Mixed Media Art
Mixed media art is just over a century old. According to Tate, it began around 1912, when Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque started making cubist collages and constructions. Since then, each generation of artists has pushed the idea further.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1912 | Picasso and Braque begin cubist collages and constructions |
| 1914 | Picasso makes Still Life from scraps of wood and tablecloth fringe, glued together and painted |
| 1918 | Dada artist Kurt Schwitters builds collages and assemblages from scavenged scrap, a technique he calls “Merz” |
| 1923 | Man Ray creates Indestructible Object, an early surrealist found-object work |
| 1950s–1960s | Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg combine found objects and loose paint, earning the label neo-dada |
| Late 1960s–1970s | Italian arte povera artists such as Mario Merz work with soil, rags and twigs |
| 1990s | Young British Artists, including Sarah Lucas and Damien Hirst, make assemblage central to contemporary sculpture |
Today, mixed media is everywhere, from museum installations to the walls of private homes. Artists are free to use whatever a work needs, and collectors are drawn to that sense of invention.
Sources: Tate, “Mixed media” and Tate, “Assemblage”.
Artist Spotlight: Colorphonie by Mike and Madeleine Bülow
Colorphonie is a mixed media technique that turns music into color. It was developed by Berlin husband-and-wife team Mike and Madeleine Bülow, and every piece combines acrylic painting with photography.
Two artists, one vision
Madeleine Bülow was born in Magdeburg in 1978 and began working with acrylic on canvas around 2001. Mike Bülow, born in Zossen in 1974, spent 30 years in music and released albums and singles on labels including Universal, Sony and Warner.
In 2012 they began their joint project, “Symphonies of Colors.” Madeleine works with color suspended in a fluid medium of her own creation, linked directly to music, and Mike, a photo-artist, captures the moving color. The result is a visual representation of sound.
Exhibited across Europe and beyond
Their work has been shown in Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg, London, Salzburg, Florence, Ibiza, Cannes, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna and Shanghai.
Colorphonie works available now
Five original Colorphonie pieces are available in the Art Delivers Shop, all located in Atlanta, Georgia.
These are statement pieces. MMB-XET-9, for example, measures 99 × 90 cm on its own and 127 × 117 cm in its custom closed-corner designer frame.
The Bülows’ work also carries a mission. Through the Thank You #DN&MS campaign, Art Delivers is placing five of their colorful works in hospitals, wellness centers and rehabilitation facilities to honor doctors, nurses and medical staff.
Why Collectors Love Mixed Media Art
Mixed media artwork rewards both a first glance and a long look. Collectors return to it for four main reasons:
- Texture and depth. Layers of different materials catch light in different ways, so the piece changes as you move around the room.
- True one-of-a-kind work. Layered, hands-on processes are hard to repeat exactly, so each piece is unique.
- A story in the materials. Every material is a choice, and learning why the artist chose it adds meaning.
- Versatility. Mixed media works suit modern homes, offices and public spaces alike.
How to Choose and Care for Mixed Media Artwork
Because mixed media combines materials, it needs a little more attention than a standard painting. Use these tips when you buy and once the work is home.
Before you buy
- Ask exactly which materials were used and whether any need special care.
- Check that attached or raised elements are secure.
- Confirm the size with and without the frame, and ask whether framing or glazing is included.
Once it is home
- Hang the work away from direct sunlight, heaters and damp walls.
- Keep humidity and temperature steady, since different materials expand at different rates.
- Dust gently with a soft, dry brush. Never use water or household cleaners.
- Handle the piece by its frame, and ask the artist or seller for care instructions.
- For any damage, contact a professional conservator rather than repairing it yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mixed media art in simple terms?
Mixed media art is artwork made from two or more different materials or media, such as paint and paper, or acrylic and photography, combined in one piece.
What is the difference between mixed media and multimedia art?
Mixed media combines physical materials. Multimedia art usually includes electronic media such as video, film, audio or computers.
What materials are used in mixed media art?
Almost anything: paint, ink, charcoal, paper, photographs, fabric, thread, wood, metal, stone and found objects are all common.
Is mixed media art valuable?
It can be. As with any artwork, value depends on the artist’s reputation, the quality of the piece, its condition and demand, so buy work you love first.
Where can I buy original mixed media art?
The Art Delivers Shop offers original Colorphonie mixed media works by Mike and Madeleine Bülow from $4,090. Each purchase also supports Art Delivers’ relief projects for communities in need.
Discover Mixed Media Art That Makes a Difference
Mixed media art brings together materials, ideas and stories in a single work. From Picasso’s first collages to the music-inspired Colorphonie works of Mike and Madeleine Bülow, it remains one of the most inventive forms in art.
If you are looking for a piece with depth, color and meaning, explore the Colorphonie collection, meet all the Art Delivers artists or contact the team to ask about a specific work.