Caveat Academy course · Grades 7 to 12

Mixed Media Art: collage, layers and found objects

Build art from everything: torn maps, tissue that glows over earlier layers, paste you can feel, photo transfers, gel plate prints, stencils, stitched thread, found objects in a shadow box. Learn where collage came from, how to make a pile of scraps read as one work, which glue holds what, and how to grow one idea into a series you can show. Six modules at your own pace with inexpensive supplies.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
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Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Arts & Creativity collection, $69 for 23 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 12 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: Foundations of mixed media

    Trace the history of collage and assemblage, use the elements and principles of design, and choose safe, lasting materials.

    • What mixed media is
    • The elements and principles of design
    • Materials and safe practice
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Collage and composition

    Compose collages with layering, figure and ground, the rule of thirds and a clear value pattern, and use found images responsibly.

    • Collage techniques
    • Composition
    • Photomontage and found images
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Paint, texture and color

    Build acrylic layers, real and implied texture and image transfers, and choose a color scheme that unifies varied materials.

    • Working with acrylic layers
    • Texture
    • Color
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Drawing and printing in layers

    Combine drawing media, monoprints and registered stencil layers in one work.

    • Drawing media
    • Monoprints
    • Stencils and registration
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Assemblage and three dimensions

    Design assemblages and altered books, and choose joins that suit each material and weight.

    • Assemblage
    • Joining materials
    • Altered books and fiber
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Concept, series and presentation

    Develop a concept into a series, critique mixed media work and present it with a statement, labels and mats.

    • Concept and symbolism
    • Working in series and keeping a sketchbook
    • Critique, statement and presentation
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 3 · Texture

Worked example: a gel medium transfer

  1. Make a toner photocopy of your own photograph; flip it in software first if words must read correctly.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Enrichment · Arts & Creativity$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished semester of mixed media: you can place your work in the history of collage and assemblage, use the elements and principles of design to unify varied materials, choose substrates and adhesives that last, compose with layering, the rule of thirds and a clear value pattern, use found images responsibly, build acrylic layers, texture and transfers, pick a color scheme, combine drawing, monoprints and registered stencils, join objects that stay put, alter a book, and develop a concept into a series with a statement and a professional presentation. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 7 to 12 who like to make things from many materials, students taking or preparing for a school art class, young artists building a portfolio, and homeschool families who want a full semester of art. Supplies are inexpensive: paper, glue, acrylic paint, magazines and found objects.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 149 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 12 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Arts & Creativity collection ($69) and the Enrichment Suite pass ($119), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The Arts & Creativity space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. The Museum of Modern Art, collection and learning pages on collage, Picasso, Braque, Höch, Schwitters, Cornell and Rauschenberg: moma.org
  2. Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Gallery of Art, on Romare Bearden and Betye Saar: americanart.si.edu
  3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History essays on Cubism and Dada: metmuseum.org
  4. U.S. Copyright Office, plain-language basics on copyright, public domain and fair use: copyright.gov
  5. Art and Creative Materials Institute, on reading art material safety labels (AP and CL seals): acmiart.org

Mixed Media Art is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical school mixed media course but does not replace a school course or an art teacher and awards no credit. The notes on found images are general information, not legal advice. Use craft knives, hot glue, drills and epoxy with an adult nearby, and spray products only outdoors. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.