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# Mixed Media Painting Experiment: Why I Let Unfinished Art Sit
- URL: https://craftedbyrobert.com/mixed-media-painting-experiment-let-art-sit/
- Published: 2026-10-27T20:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-27T19:59:59.000Z
- Description: Not everything you make is meant for now. See how a reject watercolor became a mixed media experiment with an acrylic border and collage.
- Author: Robert Joyner
- Tags: Mixed Media

Not everything you create is meant for right now.

I didn’t make this piece thinking it would turn into a masterpiece. I made it to explore. In this mixed media painting experiment, I turn a reject watercolor into something new, then do the hardest part: leave it alone.

### Start with a reject

This began as a watercolor I’d written off. I painted a heavy **acrylic border** around it, then started reacting: collage, patterns, simple marks, whatever felt right. No plan, no expectations.

Honestly, I still don’t know what it means. That’s not the point.

[![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ee/ee/eeee3f8a-028a-4efa-99e3-5af9bc505602/content/images/2026/10/learn-mixed-media-painting-4.webp)](https://craftedbyrobert.com/learn-mixed-media/) 

****Want to Create Loose Mixed Media Art, Slacker?** Learn the fundamentals, experiment with collage and layers, and develop your own expressive style.

[👉 Learn Mixed Media With Me ](https://craftedbyrobert.com/learn-mixed-media/) 

### Some work is for the future

This is the kind of piece I hang up in the studio and let resonate. I come back to it weeks or even months later, because over time I start to see something I didn’t see before: an idea, a new direction, a possibility.

That’s why I don’t judge it. It’s part of the process and part of the history, and something from it will show up again later.

### Resist the urge to keep going

The more I look at this piece, the more I want to dive back in. I won’t. I have other pieces made with the same idea, time, and energy, and I’d rather let them sit and chill. Forcing it would only turn an experiment into a “finish this” project.

### Try it yourself

1. Grab a painting you’ve given up on.
2. Paint a thick acrylic border around it.
3. Add collage, patterns, and a few simple marks without planning.
4. Hang it up and leave it for a few weeks.

For the border technique, see [how to use a collage border to rescue a painting](https://craftedbyrobert.com/collage-border-rescue-painting/). For the mindset, read [what to do with paintings you hate](https://craftedbyrobert.com/what-to-do-with-rejected-paintings-collage/) and [how to paint loose](https://craftedbyrobert.com/how-to-paint-loose-takes-practice/). The Deconstruction Lab goes deeper, and you’ll find it on my [Learn page](https://craftedbyrobert.com/courses/).

Learn Structure. Paint Loose.

**Construct. Deconstruct. Explore. Repeat.**

### Mixed media experiment FAQ

**Should I keep unfinished paintings?**  
Yes. Hang them up and revisit them later. Distance helps you see ideas you missed.

**Can you paint an acrylic border over watercolor?**  
Yes. Acrylic is opaque, so it covers and frames the watercolor. Let the watercolor dry first.

**How long should I let a painting sit?**  
There’s no rule. Days to months works. Come back when you’re curious, not because you have to.