Collage Still Life Painting Tutorial – Mixed Media Techniques

Collage still life is where my garage-studio roots shine—resourceful, quick, and forgiving. I start with loose gestural drawing and some handmade papers (stained from leftover acrylic, graphite, crayon, spilled coffee, and such).

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through my process for building a 10x10" still life painting using Bristol paper, handmade collage papers, acrylics, and graphite — step-by-step, from composition to finishing touches.

What you’ll learn:

• Keep your composition/layout drawing loose, gestural
• Pick a lane with colors and avoid color matching, cool, warm, chromatic or tonal
• Using unconventional collage paper techniques
• Negative space painting and how this allows me to go big and bold
• Start with the big shapes, add medium and smalls as painting develops

Quick hit list for similar tutorials

• Mixed Media Hub: The go-to resource =on this site for mixed media
• Unconventional Acrylic Collage: Garage-studio workflow and video
• Abstract Flower Tutorial: Expressive florals with acrylic + collage

Okay, table is set, now take in the Video demo...

Starting with a Loose Composition Sketch

I begin with a light, loose pencil sketch on Bristol paper, keeping the composition asymmetrical for more visual interest. A good still life design mixes round objects with a strong vertical element — in this case, a wine bottle paired with cups, saucers, and fruit. Avoid centering the main subject directly in the middle; pushing it off-center creates more energy in the design.

Choosing a Dominant Color Palette

For this piece, I went with a cool-dominant palette accented with warm hues. I encourage artists to “pick a lane” with color rather than trying to match reality. This gives the work more freedom, personality, and harmony.

Adding Collage Elements

Using handmade collage papers, I cut long blue strips to form the tablecloth. Diagonal lines add movement, so I glued these strips at an angle with Mod Podge and an old paintbrush. Once they were secure, I moved on to blocking in the largest shapes with paint.

Negative Space Painting

One of my favorite techniques is negative space painting, which is painting the space around the subject to define its shape. I used it here to block in the wine bottle, which instantly brought the composition to life.

Building Medium & Small Shapes

After the large elements were in place, I added the medium shapes — cups and saucers — using more collage paper. Finally, I painted the smaller shapes like oranges and fruit with loose acrylic brushwork, keeping the strokes expressive and energetic. If you're curious I prefer Strathmore Bristol paper, excellent quality and durability for acrylics and mixed media.

Finishing Touches with Graphite & Shadows

To tie the whole piece together, I added linear interest with graphite pencil and painted in form and cast shadows. These subtle details make the still life feel grounded and cohesive.

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.