How to Make Amazing Collages: Fun and Easy Ideas To Try At Home!
By Lea Byrnes Art
One of the most relaxing, enjoyable ways to express yourself creatively is with this classic art form: the collage. What I love most about collages is the intuitive, mindful process of finding the images, and seeing how it all fits together. You never know exactly how it will look at the end– and that is part of the fun! The different types and styles of collages that you can create are just about endless. In this article you will learn some of my favorite collage ideas, and ways to get creative with collage making, and why I believe it is such a healing form of art. Let’s get started!
Animal Collage
Arguably the best material to use for collage-making is old magazines. I love using National Geographic magazines, travel magazines, and others that have photos of Earth’s natural beauty. I also look for science magazines with pictures of galaxies and planets. It is a great idea to have different types of magazines to choose from. I have also used picture books from Goodwill for my collages.
PRO TIP: When making a collage, it is always best to use thick paper or cardstock, such as watercolor paper, cardboard, or poster board. This will ensure that your paper doesn’t warp when you add glue.
Design by Lea Byrnes Art
For these animal collages, I also chose to add gold accents with acrylic paint, as well as a few rhinestones for a little extra sparkle. I love adding dimension to my collages using mixed media materials such as glitter glue, paint, or paint pens.
Scrapbook Paper Collage
Another one of my favorite materials to use in collages is scrapbook paper. Scrapbook paper is sold at art stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby, and it comes in endless beautiful patterns. One fun idea I came up with was to create an animal template (pictured below) and cover it with ripped-up pieces of scrapbook paper. The result had a very vintage and beautiful look! To do this, you simply draw an animal, cut it out, and begin covering it with pieces of scrapbook paper. To fix the edges, cut along the edges of the animal as you go along.
Once I finished this whale shark, I mounted it on a piece of glittery black card stock and added a few stars and moons that I cut out of glitter paper. I also made a butterfly:
Design by Lea Byrnes Art
Collage On Canvas
Creating a collage on canvas is an easy way to make your collage extra impressive– and you can hang it on the wall. To attach your images to canvas, you will want to use glue to attach your images, and then cover the entire thing in Mod Podge to ensure that everything stays on the canvas. In my collage pictured below, I worked on top of a half-finished acrylic painting. I love how it turned out!
Design by Lea Byrnes Art
PRO TIP: Mod Podge takes almost any collage to the next level, giving it a glossy and finished look. You can buy lustre, gloss, or even holographic or glitter Mod Podge. I love using these in my collages.
Collage With A Message
A collage can be an amazing and impactful way to share a powerful message with the world. When incorporating text into your collage, you can find words or letters in magazines, print out words, or even hand draw or write your message.
Design by Lea Byrnes Art
I made this collage that says “You Were Born Beautiful” to encourage, inspire, and remind people of their innate worth and beauty. I also found other similar quotes from magazines that stuck out to me, such as “It’s your heart that takes you places” and “Let’s show our bodies the love they deserve”. I enjoy experimenting and trying different collage ideas with photos. The process of looking through magazines and searching for these types of phrases was relaxing and therapeutic.
Collage With Old Photos
Another really fun and meaningful type of collage to try is using old family or childhood photos! I made a photo collage reflecting on my life’s journey so far, using childhood photos to show that I was always an artist. Making art about different times of your life is not only a way to capture the memory forever but also helps you reflect on how you have grown and changed throughout your life.
Design by Lea Byrnes Art
Again, I chose to embellish my mixed media collage with various textures and materials, including stickers, washi tape, glitter glue, ribbon, and decals. Adding these materials to your collage gives it so much more vibrancy, and the process truly feels like you are tapping into your inner child's creativity!
Collages With Old Drawings and Paintings
An amazing way to bring new life to an old drawing or painting is to cut it up and use it in a creative collage. Find a few old drawings that have been sitting in your sketchbook, and pair them up with some cool magazine images. The result is a stunning, mixed-media masterpiece that is next-level creative!
In this collage, I used old graphite drawings, magazine pictures, and a paper decal.
Design by Lea Byrnes Art
For this one, I cut up my watercolor galaxy painting, and a few colored pencil drawings to add to this collage. It may seem scary to cut up your drawings– but the result is so worth it! If creating collages is an art form you want to continue creating, consider getting an art journal to track your inspirations and progress.
I hope this blog post has fueled and inspired your creativity, and given you the motivation to try collage making to make your own pieces of art. I truly believe that making a creative collage is one of the most healing art forms out there. It gives your mind the space to relax and teaches you to surrender to the process. Let us know in the comments if you give one of these ideas a try; and happy creating!
Edited by Cora Quiroz on May 27th, 2024
