Mixed Media Tutorial: Digital Art and Photography

https://www.graphicmania.net/truly-inspired-mixed-media-and-digital-art-collection/

By artist Michal Trpák

https://mymodernmet.com/paintings-merged-with-photographs/

Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog. Today, I’m excited to take you on a creative journey into the world of mixed media by exploring how photography and digital art can be combined to create unique and engaging visuals. Art is constantly evolving, and as technology becomes more advanced, artists have more opportunities than ever to blend traditional techniques with digital tools. Whether you’re a beginner experimenting with new styles or someone looking to push the boundaries of your creative process, mixed media offers endless possibilities.

Personally, I love the dynamic and expressive nature of mixed media artwork. By merging the realism of photography with the flexibility of digital editing, artists can transform everyday images into imaginative and visually captivating designs. On the right, I’ll be sharing some examples and ideas that inspire me, along with tips on how you can start exploring this exciting form of artistic expression yourself.

For this tutorial, I’ll be using the app IbisPaint X to combine digital art and photography into a creative mixed media piece. I love using IbisPaint X because it offers a wide range of tools—everything from brushes and filters to advanced editing features—so you can truly customize any image and make it your own.

What you’ll need:

• A handheld device (phone or tablet)

• A photo you’d like to transform (either found in camera roll or online!)

• Lots of creativity!

You can follow along with the video demonstration below, but here is a quick step-by-step breakdown:

1. Import Your Photo
   Start by inserting the image you want to edit into IbisPaint X (I chose a photo I took during the summer). You’ll find this option in the pop-up menu when you create a new canvas. If you’re new to the app, I highly recommend checking out the built-in tutorials—they’re super helpful!

2. Remove the Background
   Use the eraser or selection tools to remove parts of the background you don’t want. In my example, I removed the sky so I could replace it with a more artistic design.

3. Add a New Layer for Digital Art
   Create a layer underneath your photo cut-out and begin designing your background. I chose a soft watercolor effect for mine, but feel free to explore anything that inspires you—patterns, doodles, gradients, or textures. To blend and soften the look, head to Filters → Blur → Gaussian Blur. Make sure the digital art layer stays behind the photo layer.

4. Optional Creative Twist
   Once your background is finished, duplicate that layer four times. Add different transparent colors to each duplicate by placing a color overlay above it and merging the two together. This gives you multiple variations of your design—great for experimenting with themes or showcasing a series!

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And that’s it—great job!
You’ve created your own mixed media masterpiece, turning an everyday picture into something eye-catching and uniquely yours. Below, you’ll find my timelapse video and labels for where to locate the tools I used in the app, in case you need a little extra guidance.