Project 1062 | Digital Project | Mixed media watercolor layering & sealed surface techniques

Messages That Float

Project 1062 introduces a foundational mixed media skill: how sealing a collage surface completely changes the way watercolor behaves.

In this Curious Collage Society skill-building project, you’ll create a finished, word-layered artwork while learning how watercolor can float, bead, and pool on a sealed surface instead of soaking in. By experimenting with water-to-paint ratios and layered collage textures, you’ll see firsthand how surface preparation affects movement, clarity, and depth.

This project also introduces the practice of locking layers between steps, allowing you to build complexity without lifting or muddying earlier work—an essential skill for confident mixed media layering.

What You’ll Explore

• Layering collage imagery and handwritten words

• Sealing a surface to alter paint behavior

• Experimenting with watercolor movement and transparency

• Locking layers to preserve depth and detail

How This Project Works

Designed as an experiment first and a finished piece second, Project 1062 encourages observation, curiosity, and material awareness. Rather than chasing a perfect outcome, you’ll focus on understanding how materials respond—and how small process changes create big visual shifts.

This project reflects the core values of the Curious Collage Society: learning through making, noticing what happens, and letting materials teach you as you go.

Search Terms

mixed media watercolor project, sealed collage surface technique, curious collage society project, watercolor over collage, mixed media skill building, collage layer sealing, art journaling techniques, watercolor behavior study, experimental mixed media pdf

Tear Up, Cut Up and Stick On