Homemade Texture Paste for Mixed Media Art: A Simple 2-Ingredient Recipe

I love texture.

It is one of the things I return to again and again in my mixed media artwork. I love the way texture creates depth, dimension, and a beautiful tactile quality—especially in my art journal pages.

That’s why texture paste is a staple in my art supplies.

And the best part?

I don’t need to buy a separate, expensive texture paste.

I make my own using just two simple ingredients: gesso and plaster of Paris.

🎥 Watch the Video

In this short video, I show you exactly how I make my homemade texture paste, the consistency I look for, and how I use it in my mixed media art.

What Do I Use to Make Texture Paste?

The recipe is incredibly simple: Gesso + Plaster of Paris

That’s it!

For Gesso, I use hardware-store primer instead of traditional artist’s gesso. Because I use so much gesso in my work, buying it in large quantities is much more practical and economical for me.

I typically use water-based emulsion primer for interior or exterior walls. For the kind of mixed media work I do on paper, I’ve found these primers work beautifully as a gesso-like base.

Once I have my primer, I mix it with plaster of Paris to create my homemade texture paste.

I like being able to make a small batch whenever I need it, rather than keeping a separate store-bought texture product on hand.

How I Use My Homemade Texture Paste

This is probably my favourite part because there isn’t really a complicated technique to it.

Once I’ve made the texture paste, I keep it in a separate container.

Then, when I’m working on an art journal page, I simply use it just like I would use gesso.

I can pick up gesso from one container when I want a smoother layer.

And when I want texture, I simply pick up my homemade texture paste from the other container and continue working.

That’s it.

The texture paste creates a beautifully textured surface that I can continue building on with paint, collage, marks, and other mixed media layers.

Why I Love It?

✨ It’s simple.

I only need two ingredients.

✨ It’s versatile.

I can use it directly on my art journal pages and mixed media surfaces.

✨ It creates beautiful texture.

And texture is something I absolutely love incorporating into my artwork.

✨ It becomes part of the process.

I don’t have to stop and think about how to use it. I simply reach for it whenever I want to add another layer of texture.

Materials I Use

Hardware-store primer / emulsion paint (gesso)

Plaster of Paris

Palette knife

Small mixing container

Tip: If you use a lot of gesso in your artwork, buying primer in a larger quantity can be a much more economical option than buying small bottles of artist-grade gesso.

A Simple Way to Add More Texture to Your Art

You don’t need a huge collection of specialty supplies to create interesting mixed media surfaces.

Sometimes, one simple homemade medium can become a staple in your studio.

For me, that’s texture paste.

I love using it to create those rough, imperfect, tactile surfaces that make my art journal pages feel layered and alive.

The two art journals you see featured in the video are Into the Wild and A Heart’s Journey. Both are mixed media art classes available on my website, where you can see exactly how I use texture paste in my artwork and art journals in real time.

If you love this kind of layered, textured mixed media art, you can explore both classes and follow along with the complete creative process.

A Free Art Journaling Class for Beginners

Learn how to use found papers & discarded boxes, and turn them into beautiful art journals that feels inviting to work in. Click here to join.

More Mixed Media Inspiration

If you enjoy mixed media art, art journaling, collage, texture, and intuitive creating, I have many more tutorials and classes to help you explore your own creative practice.

Into the Wild