Painterly Collage Techniques for Loose, Mixed-Media Flowers

Lately I’ve been back into collage, combining scraps of paper and old sketches to build new, painterly mixed-media flower pieces. It’s a great way to recycle “rejects” and leftover palette papers, turning them into something fresh and expressive.

For this demo, I framed the surface with patterned paper and muted tones—colors and textures that normally wouldn’t match but somehow work once glued down. From there, I layered acrylics and inks with a small brush, keeping the strokes loose and varied.

The trick is not overthinking it. Use the tip of the brush for dots, the side for wider marks, and mix in those accidental colors from your palette. The result is a painterly floral collage that feels spontaneous, textured, and full of life.

Keep Exploring Mixed Media

Discover more mixed media painting techniques in my Mixed Media Hub

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.