MY MIXED MEDIA CHEAT SHEET

(1 = weak/difficult, 5 = strong/easy)
Type Coverage Detail Substate Texture Layering Blendability Vibrancy Mixing & Use Translucency Heavy

Soft core colored pencil Oil or wax, 3 5 Paper, wood Moderately rough 3 3 4 4 Slightly translucent, Medium
depending on depending on color
brand

Watercolor pencil Water/Acrylic 4 3 Paper Moderately rough 2 4 3 3 Translucent Light

Acrylic gouache Water/Acrylic 5 4 Paper, wood, Smooth 5 2 5 3 Very opaque Heavy

canvas

Traditional gouache Water/Acrylic 5 4 Paper, wood, Smooth 3 4 5 4 Opaque Heavy

canvas

Tube watercolor Water/Acrylic 5 4 Paper, prepared Slightly rough 4 3 4/5 4 Translucent Light
panel

Pan watercolor Water/Acrylic 5 4 Paper, prepared Slightly rough 2 3 3/4 3 Translucent Light
panel

Liquid watercolor Water/Acrylic 5 4 Paper, prepared Smooth 5 3 4/5 4 Translucent Light

panel

Charcoal, vine Dry 4 3 Paper Moderately rough 4 4 N/A N/A Opaque Light

Graphite Dry 3 5 Paper Moderately rough 4 4 N/A N/A Slightly translucent Medium

Charcoal, compressed Dry 4 2 Paper Moderately rough 3 4 N/A N/A Very opaque Heavy

Conte Dry 3 2 Paper Moderately rough 4 3 N/A N/A Opaque Medium

Soft pastel Dry 4 3 Paper, Moderately rough 4 4 3/4 4 Opaque Heavy

pastelmat

Oil pastel Oil 4 3 Paper, canvas Slightly rough 3 5 4 3 Opaque Heavy

Wax pastel Water/Acrylic 4 3 Paper Slightly rough 3 4 4 3 Opaque Heavy

Acrylic paint Water/Acrylic 5 5 Paper, panel, Smooth 5 4 5 4 Opaque/very Heavy

wood, canvas, opaque
other

Oil bar Oil 4 3 Canvas, penel, Slightly rough 4 5 5 4 Opaque/very Heavy

sealed/prepared opaque
surfaces

Oil paint Oil 5 5 Canvas, penel, Smooth 5 5 5 5 Opaque/very Heavy

sealed/prepared opaque
surfaces

Acrylic paint pen Water/Acrylic 2 5 Paper Smooth 4 1 N/A N/A Opaque Medium

Alcohol marker Alcohol 2 3 Paper, mylar, Slightly rough 3 2 4 3 Translucent Light

other

Water based pens Water/Acrylic 3 3 Paper Slightly rough 2 3 3 3 Translucent Light

Fineliners (Micron, Mangaka) Alcohol 1 5 Paper, mylar Smooth 3 1 N/A N/A Opaque/very Light
opaque

Please keep in mind that this is how I personally feel about these media related to how they perform in the way I generally use them.
It’s just a starting point — you may feel differently!

3 OF MY GO-TO COMBINATIONS OF MEDIA

Combo 1 Combo 2 Combo 3 For the most part, these could all be mixed
and matched, and would be supplemented
Base layer Alcohol marker Watercolor pencils Watercolor with additional media as needed. For
Form & value development Soft core colored pencils Watercolor pencils Watercolor example, I might use a micron to mark out
some of the details before using a Copic
Detail Soft core colored pencils Soft core colored pencils Soft core colored pencils alcohol marker to add the base value.
Light-over-dark Gouache Soft core colored pencils Soft core colored pencils

Additional opaque color if needed Wax pastel Gouache Oil pastel

Opaque highlights Gouache Paint pen Oil pastel