How to Collage Landscapes With Sailboats

Creating a mixed media sailboat landscape is a great way to mix watercolor scraps, collage, and acrylic paint into one vibrant, layered piece. In this tutorial, I combine sky blues, rippling water, rolling hills, and sailboats with a loose, imperfect style that invites experimentation and play.

Materials & Tools

• Surface: 240 lb mixed media paper
• Base elements: Pre-stained watercolor paper scraps
• Mediums: Watercolor, matte acrylic paint
• Adhesive: Matte Mod Podge, applied with a cheap house brush
• Tools: Scissors, X-Acto knife, hair dryer for quick drying

Step 1 – Sky & Water

I started by collaging light blue pre-stained watercolor paper for the sky, covering roughly two-thirds of the surface. For the water, I used a darker blue-violet scrap with red crayon marks — adding interest right from the start. A mismatched strip of blue filled in a small gap, proving perfection isn’t the goal here.

Step 2 – Hills & Shadows

Using small scraps, I built rolling background hills. Light watercolor shadows on the water helped define where the boats would go. These little touches start setting up depth in the scene.

Step 3 – Cutting the Sails

I cut loose, imperfect sail shapes from scraps — some with pops of yellow or warm tones to balance the dominant cool palette. Imperfection works here; the charm is in the variety of shapes and colors.

Step 4 – Adding the Boats

Small, dark hulls anchored the sails into the water. A few vertical lines suggested masts and even people aboard. One tiny distant sailboat pulled the viewer’s eye deeper into the painting for scale and depth.

Step 5 – Final Details

• Reflections: Strengthened with darker watercolor for more contrast.
• Acrylic touches: Titanium white matte acrylic for clouds, sail highlights, and water reflections.
• Color balance: Subtle warm grays on the sails to break up the blues.

The result is a lively, layered coastal scene that blends watercolor texture with collage spontaneity.

Want to go deeper with collage & mixed media?

👉 Explore the Mixed Media Hub
👉 Browse Collage Painting Ideas
👉 Dive into the Garage Collage Barrage

Supplies I Use All the Time

These are my go-to materials for almost every mixed media project I create. Do I add new ingredients occasionally? You betcha! But these are the go-to materials I rely on most. I know how they behave, how they layer, and how to get the best results from them.

• Acrylic Paints – I only buy heavy body for their thick texture and thin them with water for fluid glazing and washes. See my favorite set →
• Watercolors Paints – Great for transparent layers and unexpected color effects. Exact colors are below.  Shop my watercolor picks →
• Acrylic Inks - Excellent way to add transparent layers to mixed media artwork. Mixes well with everything! See the inks →
• Synthetic Acrylic Brushes - You need a variety and I have listed my go-to's below. I use Princeton brands, very dependable! See the brushes →
• Watercolor Brushes - Get a decent grade but avoid all-natural as synthetic blends have come a long way. Shop my picks →
• Collage Papers – A mix of pattered, and printed paper you see me use is from Hobby Lobby, and it's usually found in the scrapbook section. Browse paper packs →
• Palette Knives – Good to have around for scooping paint and smearing techniques. See what I use →
• Blick Super Value Canvas Packs - Comes in many small and medium sizes up to 20x16". Love em'. Best bulk stretched canvas →
• Mixed Media Paper – Sturdy enough to handle wet and dry techniques. Strathmore is the way to go! Best paper for mixed media →
• Watercolor Paper - Top choice is 140 lb. cold press by Fabriano Artistico. Cost effective and crispy white. Best watercolor paper →
• Caran d'Ache Water-Soluble Crayons – Perfect for adding scribbles and linear interest to mixed media art. Check them out →
• Gator Board - Best firm boards you can find! Buy a large sheet and cut out down. These are used as backing for my paper when I paint. Check it out →
• Mod Podge - Reliable and affordable adhesive for paper, thick and thin. And get the Matte! View the glue →

My preferred hues; Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light (or Medium), Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White

My preferred acrylic brushes; #12 Large round, 2x Medium rounds, 2x Detail, or liner brushes, Large and medium fan brush, a few medium size bristles and old, small house painting brush for glue.