The unique, weathered Mixed Media art of db Waterman
- dbwaterman
- May 20
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 15
If you're looking for original contemporary artwork, chances are you've come across the term “Mixed Media.
What is Mixed Media art?
Mixed media art is a modern and very versatile form of visual art, in which different materials and techniques are used in one piece of art. You can think of a combination of paint, paper, ink, chalk, texturizers and more. But also a combination of different painting techniques such as watercolour along with collage, acrylic paint and pastels.
This way of working gives visual artists enormous freedom to express their works of art. And that is exactly what db Waterman uses in a very unique (and creative) way.
In this article you will discover what exactly Mixed Media Art is, why it has so much eloquence and how db Waterman has developed her own captivating and recognizable visual language with weathered layers, collage technique(s) and a refined working method.
What exactly does “Mixed Media Art” mean?
The term “mixed media” comes from the English language and literally means mixing different media. Traditional painters work with one medium such as oils, acrylics or watercolours.
A Mixed Media artist uses multiple materials in (the same) artwork. For example, a paper collage mixed with acrylic paint, a photograph worked with paint and text. Even spatial elements for a 3-D effect are among the possibilities. The list of possible combinations is endless.
The use of many different materials often creates multiple layers. Not only physically, but also in terms of content. The layers and textures make it possible to add depth to a work and tell a compelling story.
db Waterman's work process.
Because db Waterman never consciously chose Mixed Media Art as a style. She was not even aware of the term. Her way of working arose out of necessity, out of lack of money to buy paint. As a result, she started using and combining materials that were still available; leftover paint and old magazines.
This created a totally new way of working that she discovered for herself and has developed and perfected over the years.
Each painting is composed of several layers. A process that requires patience, intensity and perseverance. She starts with a background of canvas or paper, on which she applies pieces from magazines, old posters or homemade prints using collage techniques and image transfers.
This is often followed by a second layer of image transfers or collages.
In her technique, the layers remain transparent so that previous layers remain visible. Finally, multiple layers of paint, ink, pastels and transparent mediums follow.
It is a labour-intensive process necessary to achieve a weathered look with lots of detail.
The artworks are literally and figuratively lived through. Each element is deliberately chosen and worked on, just until it blends seamlessly into the whole.
The combination of these techniques makes her paintings exclusive works of art that continue to fascinate you. They call for slow viewing - layer by layer.
Weathered beauty: landscapes and melancholy
A very important characteristic of db Waterman's original artworks is the sense of melancholy. The landscape art she creates is often weathered by the layers applied. This weathered texture is not created by accident. It is the result of many layers worked on - sometimes sanded, sometimes torn off, sometimes painted over.
Her technique of application and removal leaves parts that create the aged effect. Weathered, cracked, discoloured. But always with a special beauty.
The feeling of melancholy arises as the weathered layers create an aged image that seems to go back in time. The materials seem to carry a history together.
Human figures are always part of the sculpture. They are walking, sitting, watching or waiting. They bring a story, a memory, a soul. They contribute to the overall melancholic feeling. And exactly that is what makes her mixed media landscapes so intense and recognizable.
Technique as language: Mixed Media on canvas and paper
Db Waterman prefers to create her Mixed Media artworks on a canvas. Also on canvas she uses her combination of image transfer, collage, painting and drawing. Which has been quite a challenge! Through trial and error, lots of trial and error and problem solving, she has managed to get the same results on the rough canvas surface as on a smooth paper surface.
With a refined technique, transitions between paper, print, acrylic paint and pastel crayon become almost invisible. As if all the elements were applied at once and were always there.
Collage elements and image transfer play the most important role in this. All elements are pre-selected for color, structure and narrative power. Sometimes a piece of typography comes into view, a stain, a print. These are old remnants that regain meaning in db Waterman's work. The layer of paint that follows is never the last. It is polished away, added, taken away again and again. This makes each work a work of patience - no rush, no chance, but controlled intensity.
Why this style appeals to art buyers
When you see db Waterman's work for the first time, you will notice immediately; this is not superficial art in any way. This is exceptional work that has been given tremendous attention. Both in terms of materials and representation.
These are exclusive paintings, with a story that touches you, never garish, even when a lot of color has been used.
The combination of worked-through texture, human presence and urban decay gives each work a soul of its own.
Many collectors and art lovers are attracted to this emerging style because it combines something tangible with something poetic. The work is simultaneously modern and timeless. The Mixed Media technique enhances this feeling: it makes an artwork rich, surprising and unique. In a world full of quick images and superficial aesthetics, db Waterman offers a counterbalance. Her work invites you to look with attention, to discover and interpret, to look and to look again.
Conclusion: more than technique, it is an experience
Mixed media art is much more than just a sum of materials. In the hands of
db Waterman, it becomes a means to meaning, a visual way to represent memory, emotion and time. Each painting is the result of an intense process of layer upon layer, material after material, with the goal of telling a story that continues to touch you. With her refined technique, her love for weathered beauty and her attention to human presence in the image, db Waterman has developed a signature all of her own. Whether you are looking for an exclusive work of art for your interior, or a piece that continues to excite you - her paintings offer that layering and depth that true art is all about.
