Digital Art
When compared to the other digital categories the Mixed Media category seems to be the main one that confuses people. Over the years, I have heard more definitions and explanations for what Mixed Media is and what it is not compared to any other category. So I am going to stop the confusion and chaos that surrounds Mixed Media! Today, I will be explaining what mixed media is, how to determine if your art is mixed media, and how using it can open up a new world of possibilities for your art. 
Mixed Media
The Mixed Media category here on DeviantArt is for artwork in which more than one medium has been used. For example, in my artwork "The Bunker" as shown below; I combined digital painting, photomanipulation, and 3-Dimensional elements to create it. Due to the use of more than one digital medium I uploaded this piece to the Digital Art > Mixed Media gallery here on DeviantArt. Thus, for an artwork to be considered Mixed Media it must use two or more mediums.
Mixed Media: Confusion to Clarity
There are many misconceptions surrounding Mixed Media. One misconception is that for artwork to be considered Mixed Media it must combine both traditional and digital mediums, which is only partially true. It is true that combining traditional and digital mediums will make your artwork Mixed Media. However, if your artwork combines two or more digital mediums only it is Mixed Media and that goes for combining only two or more traditional mediums as well. In fact, depending on how your artwork is created will determine which of the two DeviantArt Mixed Media categories you will upload it to. The two Mixed Media categories on DeviantArt are:
Digital Mixed Media vs. Traditional Mixed Media
If you're anything like me stressing over which category your artwork should be uploaded to is the last thing you want to do. If you work in digital mediums or traditional mediums only choosing which category to submit to is pretty easy. However, what about those pieces that are tradigi (traditional and digital) mixed media? You know, the one's where you combined your favorite traditional and digital mediums to create your latest artwork. Where on Earth do they go?!It can be quite difficult to determine whether your tradigi mixed media piece should go to the traditional mixed media category over the digital one and vice versa. However, the easiest way to determine your category is to consider whether your artwork is predominantly using traditional mediums or predominantly using digital mediums.
- If your art uses more traditional than digital mediums upload to Traditional > Mixed Media.
- If your art uses more digital than traditional mediums you would upload to Digital > Mixed Media.
Now, before you ask, "what about my art it combines traditional and digital mediums equally... where does it belong?" I will tell you that in the case of equal use of traditional and digital mediums you can go either way and the category will be appropriate for your art. Why? DeviantArt does not have a tradigi mixed media category so it is up to you to decide which category is most appropriate for your artwork.
Digital Mixed Media vs. Photomanipulation
Another area of confusion for artists is determining whether their artwork is Mixed Media or a Photomanipulation. The best way to determine whether your artwork belongs to Mixed Media or the Photomanipulation category is to know the differences between them. Now, we already discussed that for an artwork to be considered Mixed Media it must combine two or more mediums. This can be confusing for Photomanipulation artists who often paint or add in elements to create their manipulations. Thus, it is important to know what constitutes artwork to be a Photomanipulation to determine the appropriate category for your artwork.Photomanipulation: Overview
Photomanipulation is the process of combining two or more photographic elements to form a new photographic composition. This means that you used two or more photographs to create a new piece of art, which makes the photographs used in your art different from their originals.One of the main questions I receive regarding Mixed Media vs. Photomanipulation is whether adding even one 3-D element makes a manipulation a mixed media piece. The answer is yes, adding even one 3-D element makes your artwork mixed media.
Another question that I have received many times involves the use of digital painting in manipulations. This can be confusing for artists because most manipulations will require some digital painting such as adding in highlights. So, to make this as simple as possible...
- Art that combines photographic elements and minor digital painting such as adding in highlights is considered Photomanipulation (ie: your photographic elements dominate over the painted elements).
- Art that combines photographic elements and a heavy use of digital painting where the painted elements are more dominate than the photographic elements makes your art Mixed Media.
- Art where a single photographic element is used in combination with another medium such as painting, adding textures, or the use of 3-D elements is Mixed Media.
- Art that combines several manipulated photographic elements and painting over them qualifies your art for both Mixed Media and the Photomanipulation category. This means it would be up to you to determine which category is the most appropriate.
- Art that combines multiple photographic elements and the use of textures is a Photomanipulation.
The Photomanipulation Community Volunteers work alongside the Digital Art Community Volunteers to cover Digital > Mixed Media. So if you typically submit to Photomanipulation, but one of your pieces is considered Mixed Media your art can be seen and possibly featured by both Photomanipulation CV(s) and Digital CV(s). 
A Whole New World
Mixed Media allows us to venture outside the comfort zone of our normal medium and benefit from working with multiple mediums to create new art. When I first started working with multiple mediums I will admit it was a bit frustrating to blend them in a harmonious way. It took a lot of time learning and practicing with other mediums to understand how best to utilize them together. Especially, when I'd work on a piece that utilized three or more mediums together.
However, once you become familiar with combining mediums you will discover the possibilities are endless. Not to mention, it can assist you in making your workflow faster and more efficient. For instance, you may have a client who needs an alien landscape concept piece and do not have a lot of time to paint the entire thing or find the perfect photographic elements. This is when the use of Mixed Media really shines because you can use photographs, 3-D, and painting together to create the alien landscape very quickly.
In conclusion, knowing what Mixed Media actually is and learning how to create Mixed Media pieces allows you to go beyond your comfort zone. It allows you to break down barriers and overcome weaknesses of your current medium by utilizing the strengths of another medium. There is nothing more fulfilling than taking that image you have in your head and making it come to life exactly how you envisioned it. So, next time you can't find the perfect photographic element or do not have time to paint in that building consider using another medium to achieve the desired effect. Worst case scenario you end up not using the second medium, but regardless you'll learn from the experience.
