Mixed Media Cup Collage: Torn Paper and Negative Space Painting
Make a mixed media cup collage with torn scrap paper and negative space painting. A fun, loose project that covers up a reject and turns scraps into art.
Looking for a fun mixed media project? Grab your scraps and make some cups.
In this mixed media cup collage, I tear up old painted paper, glue it down, and paint around it with negative space. It’s loose, playful, and a little chaotic.
Tear paper from your scraps
I start with old drawing paper and pieces that already have paint on them. I tear them up, make a few shapes, glue them down, and let them fall where they fall. Nothing too planned.
This is all on top of a reject painting. Instead of trying to fix it, I’m covering it up. Most people throw these away, but a lot of good ideas start there. See what to do with paintings you hate.
Want to Create Loose Mixed Media Art, Slacker? Learn the fundamentals, experiment with collage and layers, and develop your own expressive style.
Paint around the cups with negative space
With the paper in place, I paint around the cup shapes. This is negative space painting: instead of outlining each cup first, the background defines it. I keep it loose and move quickly, because this part is about letting go. We can always pull it back later.
Vary the shapes
I change up the cups. Some have handles, some don’t. They don’t all need to match, and that’s the point. Everything here is scraps and a reject, and what once sat in a drawer is now doing some work.
Finish with a liner brush, lightly
At the end I use a liner brush to hit a few edges. Not everything, just enough to pull it together. Do too much and you kill it, so I keep it minimal.
Try it yourself
- Tear scrap paper into simple cup shapes.
- Glue them onto an old painting.
- Paint the background around them with negative space.
- Add a few liner marks, then stop.
For more ideas, see cat silhouette painting, the cut-out collage technique, and how to paint over an old acrylic painting. Need paper? See handmade collage paper from leftover paint.
Learn Structure. Paint Loose.
Construct. Deconstruct. Explore. Repeat.
Mixed media cup collage FAQ
What paper can I use for collage?
Old drawing paper, painted scraps, and torn pieces from past sessions all work.
What is negative space painting?
Painting around a shape so the shape appears on its own, instead of outlining it.
Do all the cups need to match?
No. Vary the shapes and handles. The differences make it more interesting.
How do I know when to stop?
Stop after a few liner marks on key edges. Too much detail kills the looseness.
