Experimental Watercolor Trees: Mixed Media Ideas to Explore
Stop painting watercolor trees to get them right. Explore instead with watercolor mixed with crayon, collage, acrylic, and graphite to find your own style.
Don’t paint trees with watercolor. Paint trees with watercolor to explore.
That’s a very different mindset. In this experimental watercolor demo, I’m not trying to make a finished piece of art. I’m mixing watercolor with crayon, collage, acrylic, and graphite to see what happens, because that’s where growth happens.
Paint to explore, not to finish
This is where you stop painting what’s expected and start making something unique and yours. Trees are a great subject for it: simple enough to play with, forgiving enough to get weird.
What I’m mixing in
- Watercolor for the base washes
- Crayon for broken, textured marks (the lime green in the first study)
- Collage for extra shapes and layers
- Acrylic for opaque touches
- Graphite for loose, scribbly lines
Don’t worry about the exact combination. Try different mixes and see which ones surprise you.
Want to Create Loose Mixed Media Art, Slacker? Learn the fundamentals, experiment with collage and layers, and develop your own expressive style.
“Isn’t that a waste of paper?”
Some people will look at this and say it’s a waste of materials, expensive paper, just sketches. If that’s your mindset, this probably isn’t for you.
But this is where I found a tremendous amount of freedom. It’s where I discovered new ideas, new techniques, and new ways to see things.
Why I stopped chasing styles
I’ve done it the other way too. I chased styles and tried to paint like other artists, and honestly it wasn’t that enjoyable. To me, making art is emotion mixed with fundamentals and technique.
The more I explore, the more freedom I find. The more freedom I find, the more expressive, original, and creative the work becomes. And at the end of the day, it’s a lot of fun.
Try it yourself
Grab some scrap watercolor paper and paint a few trees. Add crayon, graphite, or a scrap of collage. Don’t aim for a good painting. Aim for a few new ideas.
Want to see how I use experiments like this in my teaching? That’s the heart of The Deconstruction Lab. And if you want a simple mixed media place to start, try my easy collage project for beginners.
Learn Structure. Paint Loose.
Construct. Deconstruct. Explore. Repeat.
Watercolor mixed media FAQ
Can you mix crayon with watercolor?
Yes. Wax crayon resists watercolor, so you get broken, textured marks and bits of white showing through. Try it before or after the wash.
Can you use acrylic and graphite with watercolor?
Yes. Graphite adds loose line work and acrylic adds opaque accents. Test on scrap paper to see how they behave together.
How do I paint loose watercolor trees?
Use simple washes for the foliage, a few strokes for trunks, and let some marks stay rough. Add line work or crayon for variety.
Is it okay to “waste” paper on experiments?
Absolutely. Experiments are where new ideas come from. Use scrap paper if cost bothers you.
