Pencil, sanguine, charcoal, watercolour, ink, acrylic… yes, you can absolutely mix these mediums! You just need to know whether your surface is dry or wet.
How?
As soon as one layer of paint is dry, you can use any medium on top of it (pencil, charcoal, sanguine, watercolour, ink, etc.).
For this portrait, several mediums were used.
A first layer of diluted, transparent ochre acrylic was applied over the entire surface. Once this base layer was dry, watercolour was added, blending several shades together.
Construction lines made with pencil, charcoal and sanguine were then used to define the outlines of the model.
Next came another layer of acrylic, this time thicker (less diluted with water): the white of the door frame, the hat, and the sleeves. The dress was painted using acrylic and watercolour markers. The feet were left untouched, showing the first layer where sanguine and 4B pencil marks remain visible. On the ground, earthy shades of acrylic were used to create depth. Highlights in white and darker accents in charcoal add contrast and texture.
Why?
The range of creative possibilities is endless.
This combination of techniques is a real asset when exploring different visual effects. The originality of a piece often lies in the variety of mediums used. However, choosing the right paper is essential to support them all.
In this case, given the number of layers and the mix of materials, a very thick mixed media paper such as Canson® Mixed Media Artist is highly recommended.
Text by Dominique Pascaud, graduate of the Beaux-Arts de Paris and holder of a degree in Fine Arts from Bordeaux, author of “Aquarelle, je me lance” and “Peindre les oiseaux à l’aquarelle” (Massin Editions).
