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Mixed Media: Norbert de Jong’s Technique

Mixed media is an artistic technique in which multiple materials and methods are combined in a single artwork. For Norbert de Jong, it is his primary way of working — his paintings are never solely paint on canvas, but a layered combination of materials that together form a vibrant and expressive whole.

What is mixed media art?

When people think of mixed media, many think of collage, but it goes much further. It encompasses everything from acrylic and oil paint to paper, fabric, sand, plaster, ink and found objects. The artist is not bound to a single medium but chooses, for each work, what best expresses the emotion or story.

Mixed media offers possibilities that a single medium cannot provide:

• Texture and depth — by building up materials, a relief is created that comes alive under light
• Surprising combinations — unexpected materials placed together create visual tension
• Personal signature — each artist chooses their own palette of materials

Norbert de Jong’s working method

Norbert works intuitively. He often begins with a layer of acrylic paint as a background, then adds collage elements — newspaper clippings, wrapping paper, fragments of other drawings. He then paints figures and shapes that break through these layers.

Colour plays a central role in his work. Vivid, primary colours alternate with earthy tones. The composition grows organically — there is no predetermined plan, but a dialogue between artist and surface.

Why mixed media suits Outsider Art

Mixed media fits seamlessly within the Outsider Art tradition. In this movement, technical perfection is not the goal — authenticity is. Materials are used as they are available to express an inner world.

Norbert de Jong’s works are therefore both painting and sculpture, both document and image. Each piece tells a story that is only fully discovered when you stand close and see the layers. Browse his mixed media artworks in the webshop.

What is Outsider Art?

Outsider Art is art created by people who exist outside the established art world. These are self-taught artists, people with psychiatric conditions, prisoners, or visionaries — creators who never attended art school and whose work emerges purely from an inner compulsion to create.

The Origin: Art Brut by Jean Dubuffet

The term Art Brut — literally raw art — was introduced in the 1940s by French artist Jean Dubuffet. He was fascinated by the uncensored creativity of people untouched by academic traditions. Dubuffet collected thousands of works and founded the Collection de l’Art Brut, still housed today in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In the English-speaking world, the broader term Outsider Art became the umbrella term for similar work. Both terms are often used interchangeably, though nuanced differences exist.

Characteristics of Outsider Art

• Authenticity — the work arises purely from inner necessity, not to sell or gain recognition
• Unique visual language — personal symbols, recurring motifs and a recognisable style found nowhere else
• Raw and direct — no academic polish, but expressive and unfiltered
• Personal mythology — many Outsider artists build their own visual universe

Norbert de Jong: Outsider Art from Amsterdam

Norbert de Jong is a Dutch Outsider Art artist whose work has made an impression for years. His paintings combine vivid colours, expressive figures and a personal visual language developed over time. He works primarily in mixed media — acrylic paint combined with collage elements and texture.

His work is regularly shown at exhibitions, including the Art Brut Biënnale in Hengelo and at Atelier Brut Amsta in Amsterdam. The untamed honesty of his art speaks directly to collectors and art enthusiasts.

Collecting Outsider Art

More and more collectors are discovering the value of Outsider Art — works that are timeless in their authenticity. Browse Norbert de Jong’s work in the webshop and discover his unique paintings and mixed media artworks.