Fresh examples of examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings

Let’s start with the low-pressure stuff: sketchbooks. Some of the best examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings happen on pages that were never meant to be seen by anyone else.

Imagine a travel sketchbook where the drawing of a city street literally grows out of the paper scraps from that city:

You tape down a subway ticket, a coffee receipt, and a torn flyer. Then you draw over and around them with pen and colored pencil. The ticket becomes the base of a building. The receipt turns into a sidewalk. The flyer fragment becomes a billboard in your cityscape. That’s a real example of how found paper can stop being background clutter and start acting as architecture, perspective, and texture.

Artists who keep daily sketchbooks often build pages like this using:

• Receipts and tickets as structural shapes to draw into
• Stamps and postmarks as ready-made patterns
• Security envelope linings as instant shading or brick textures

These quiet sketchbook experiments are some of the best examples of examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings because they’re fast, honest, and personal. You’re literally drawing your day into the page.

Textured portraits: thread, fabric, and tiny objects

Portraits get interesting when you stop relying only on pencil or charcoal and start letting found objects do some of the storytelling.

One powerful example of using found objects in mixed media drawings: a portrait where the hair is stitched, not drawn. The face might be rendered in graphite, but the hairline is built from black thread sewn directly into the paper. Maybe a few loose strands hang off the edge. The result is half drawing, half sculpture.

Other real examples include:

• Fabric swatches from a loved one’s old shirt used as the collar in a drawn portrait
• Jewelry parts (broken chains, single earrings) glued into the drawing to suggest necklaces or headpieces
• Buttons as eyes in a stylized character drawing, with ink lines wrapping around them

These examples of examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings work especially well when the objects relate to the person: a musician’s portrait with bits of broken guitar string, a chef’s portrait with tiny labels from spice jars, a runner’s portrait with fragments of race bibs.

If you want to go deeper into portrait drawing fundamentals before you start layering objects, many art programs and museum education sites, such as the National Gallery of Art’s education resources (https://www.nga.gov/education.html), offer free guides on proportion, shading, and composition. Once you understand the basics, the found objects become accents, not distractions.

Urban stories: street ephemera and city textures

City life is basically an endless art supply if you’re paying attention. Some of the strongest examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings come from artists who treat sidewalks like art stores.

Think about a drawing of a street corner where:

• The brick wall is built from torn cardboard with ridged corrugation showing.
• The graffiti is drawn over real sticker fragments and tape.
• The street signs include actual scraps of reflective sticker or metal foil.

Examples include using:

• Bus passes, metro cards, and old IDs as building shapes in cityscapes
• Crumpled foil as reflective windows, then drawing over it with permanent marker
• Flyer fragments as posters on drawn walls, with added doodles and text

Some artists in 2024–2025 are even adding QR codes from packaging into their city drawings. The code might sit on a drawn billboard, and if you scan it, it links to a playlist or a short video about the artwork. That’s a very current example of using found objects to bridge physical drawing and digital experience.

If you’re concerned about safety while collecting found materials outdoors (especially metal, glass, or weathered items), general health resources like the CDC’s environmental health pages (https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/) offer guidance on handling and cleaning potentially contaminated objects. Gloves and basic cleaning go a long way.

Nature meets sketchbook: leaves, petals, and soil

Nature is the original mixed media store, and some of the best examples of examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings come from combining delicate natural materials with careful line work.

Picture this: you press a leaf, glue it lightly onto a page, and then draw a detailed vein map that extends far beyond the leaf itself. The real leaf becomes the center, and your drawn lines grow out like an invented nervous system.

Real examples include:

• Pressed leaves as the bodies of birds or insects, with drawn wings and legs
• Flower petals as clothing in fashion sketches, with ink lines defining seams and folds
• Twigs and dried grass forming the framework of trees, with graphite shading turning them into full landscapes

Some artists use soil or sand mixed with acrylic medium to create textured areas, then draw over those rough patches with charcoal or pastel. This works especially well for rocky cliffs, desert scenes, or weathered walls.

If you’re using organic materials, remember they can break down over time. Art conservation research from institutions like the Smithsonian (https://www.si.edu/mci) discusses how light, humidity, and acidity affect materials. For long-lasting work, seal organic objects with clear acrylic medium and store finished pieces away from direct sunlight.

Memory collages: personal archives turned into drawings

Found objects don’t have to be random. Some of the most moving examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings use personal archives: letters, notes, receipts, and tiny keepsakes.

Imagine a drawing about someone’s childhood where:

• The background sky is built from photocopied pages of an old report card.
• A drawn house sits on top of a real map of the hometown.
• Handwritten notes are partially visible under transparent layers of colored pencil and ink.

Examples include:

• Boarding passes and ticket stubs forming the outline of a drawn airplane
• Old shopping lists under still life drawings of the foods mentioned
• Library checkout slips as the spine labels on drawn books in a shelf scene

These examples of examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings lean heavily into storytelling. The drawing isn’t just about what you see; it’s about what was lived. If you’re dealing with emotionally charged materials (grief, trauma, medical records), mental health organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health (https://www.nimh.nih.gov) offer resources on coping and self-care—useful if your art practice touches on heavy topics.

Pattern and texture: stamping, rubbing, and printing with found items

Not every found object needs to stay visible. Some of the best examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings use objects as tools rather than as focal points.

Think about:

• Bubble wrap dabbed in ink and pressed onto paper as a background pattern, then drawn over with pen.
• Bottle caps used to stamp circular shapes that become planets, eyes, or wheels.
• Keys, coins, and textured plastic used for ink rubbings, then turned into abstract patterns with colored pencil.

One memorable example of using found objects in mixed media drawings: an abstract piece where the artist used a fork dipped in ink to drag scratchy lines across the page, then built a forest of drawn trees on top of those accidental marks.

If you enjoy this approach, you’re participating in a long tradition. Printmaking and experimental drawing have been explored in art schools and universities for decades; many art departments, like those at public universities (for example, https://arts.ufl.edu for the University of Florida College of the Arts), share process notes and student work that mix drawing with unconventional tools.

Tech-age examples: barcodes, QR codes, and packaging

In 2024–2025, a lot of interesting mixed media drawing is happening at the intersection of analog and digital. Some of the best examples of examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings are built from the stuff that lands on your doorstep with every online order.

Consider a drawing of a human figure made partly from shipping labels and barcodes:

• The spine is a vertical barcode.
• The torso is cut from a fragile-sticker label.
• The limbs are drawn in ink, stretching beyond the printed shapes.

Other real examples include:

• App icons sketched over fragments of smartphone packaging, blending real logos with hand-drawn glitches
• QR codes placed in a drawn cityscape, linking to the artist’s portfolio or process videos
• Foam padding and cardboard cutouts forming geometric shapes that are then shaded and outlined with pencil

These examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings are especially popular on social media platforms, where artists post time-lapse videos of their process. The hybrid of trash, tech, and drawing feels very now.

How to choose and use found objects without wrecking your paper

All this sounds exciting until your paper buckles, your glue bleeds through, and your “masterpiece” starts shedding bottle caps. A few practical habits show up again and again in the best examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings:

• Work on heavier paper or board. Look for at least 140 lb (300 gsm) paper or use bristol board, illustration board, or wood panels.
• Pre-flatten your objects. Press leaves, smooth out folded receipts, and trim bulky items. The flatter they are, the easier they are to integrate.
• Use the right adhesive. For most paper and light objects, a pH-neutral glue or acrylic medium works well. For heavier objects, gel medium has more grip.
• Draw before and after. Many strong examples start with a loose drawing, add objects, then refine the drawing on top. That back-and-forth layering is where the magic happens.

If you’re sensitive to fumes or materials, health resources like Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org) and WebMD (https://www.webmd.com) offer general information on allergies and irritants. If something smells harsh, ventilate your space or switch products.

FAQ: Real-world questions about found objects in mixed media

Q: What are some simple examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings for beginners?
Start with flat, clean items: receipts, tickets, magazine scraps, pressed leaves, and fabric pieces. Glue one or two onto a sketchbook page, then draw around them. One easy example of a starter project is gluing a coffee sleeve to a page and turning it into the body of a drawn character or building.

Q: Do I need special paper for these kinds of projects?
You don’t need anything fancy, but heavier paper holds up better. Watercolor paper, mixed media pads, or bristol board handle glue and layering far better than thin printer paper.

Q: How do artists keep organic materials from falling apart?
They usually dry and press them first, then seal them with clear acrylic medium or varnish. Even then, organic items may change color over time, which many artists accept as part of the piece’s life.

Q: Are there any best examples I should study for inspiration?
Look at artists known for assemblage and collage—while some work more in 3D, their approach translates well to drawing. Museum collections and archives, such as the Smithsonian and major art school galleries, often show real examples of mixed media work that combine drawing with found materials.

Q: Can I mix digital drawing with physical found objects?
Absolutely. Many artists now sketch digitally, print the drawing, glue found objects onto the print, and then draw more on top. Others scan their physical mixed media drawings and add digital color or animation.

When you look across all these examples of examples of using found objects in mixed media drawings—from stitched portraits to QR-coded cityscapes—the pattern is clear: the objects are not just random add-ons. They’re characters in the story. The more the object connects to the idea behind your drawing, the stronger the piece feels.

So the next time you’re about to throw away a ticket stub, a tag, or a weirdly shaped piece of packaging, pause. Ask yourself: could this be the starting point for a drawing? Because somewhere between your recycling bin and your sketchbook lies your next mixed media experiment.