Mixed Media Flower Painting with Collage Border

In this tutorial, I take a reject watercolor and give it new life through a combination of collage border techniques, vibrant acrylics, and expressive mark-making. The result is a beautiful, balanced floral still life that lets the original watercolor peek through for extra depth and charm.

Creating the Collage Border

On 11x15" archival paper, I began by applying glue around the edges and placing mismatched scraps of collage paper to form a border. The pieces varied in pattern and color, giving the frame a playful, handcrafted feel. Any excess glue was wiped away for a clean finish.

Building the Floral Composition

I mixed pink using alizarin crimson and white, varying bloom sizes for visual interest. A large, confident smear of orange and small dabs of yellow added warmth and contrast. For leaves and stems, I combined phthalo green with yellow ochre and a touch of white for an earthy, natural tone.

Anchoring with a Mid-Tone Vase

To keep the flowers as the focal point, I painted the vase in a mid-tone brown. This neutral choice balanced the vibrant blooms while grounding the composition.

Expressive Mark-Making and Background Work

With thick, wet paint still on the flowers, I used a scrubbing motion to suggest subtle details without over-defining the petals. I then negative space painted select areas of the background to refine the flower shapes, being mindful to let parts of the original watercolor shine through.

Final Touches

Form shadows on the vase and cast shadows beneath completed the scene, giving depth and realism to the expressive, loose composition. This piece is a perfect example of how collage and paint can merge to create something fresh and dynamic.

Keep Exploring Mixed Media

Discover more mixed media painting techniques in my Mixed Media Hub and see my newest original pieces in my Etsy Shop.

Recommended Acrylic Painting Materials

• Princeton Catalyst Brushes – Flats (#6, #12), Rounds (#4, #8), Fan (#4), Liner Brush
  Durable synthetic bristles for versatile acrylic techniques
• Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paint – Essential Colors
  Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White
• Winsor & Newton Cotton Canvas
  Reliable stretched canvas for studio and plein air work
• Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Paper
  Heavyweight, acid-free paper for acrylic and mixed media
• Fabriano Artistico 140lb Cold Press Paper
  Excellent for acrylic, mixed media, and textured effects
• Blick Multi-Colored Painting Knife Set
  Variety of shapes for texture, scraping, and bold strokes
• Miscellaneous: Two pint-sized water containers, paper towels (from Home Depot or Walmart)
• Note: I use canvas or sturdy cardboard as my palette — no store-bought palettes needed.