The joy of paper collage

As a mixed media artist, I get excited about pretty much all art supplies. You’re silently agreeing with me, right?

I LOVE paper and that means I’m a huge fan of paper art collage. No paper is safe…even that piece of trash discarded in the Target parking lot. 😉

Here’s 10 reasons why I think collage is such a fun and enjoyable way to create:

You can use ANYTHING - paper, fabric, magazine clippings, old photographs, candy wrappers, ticket stubs, and even dried leaves and flowers. The possibilities are endless! I have to laugh when I think back to all those “scrapbook” collages I made in grade school, cutting up old magazines to make masterpieces.
It's a great way to recycle and repurpose items that would otherwise go to waste. You can turn your trash into treasure! Ask yourself before you toss it if it “could” be used in collage.
There are no rules! You can cut and paste in any way that you like, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. It's all about your own creative expression. I think that is one of the key reasons I like it so much. I can do it however I choose.
It's a low-pressure art form. You don't need to be an expert artist or have expensive materials to make a beautiful collage. Anyone can do it! Don’t overthink it, just gather a stack of papers that you're drawn to at the moment and get to work.
It's a great stress-reliever. There's something very therapeutic about cutting and pasting and creating something new out of scraps and pieces. Need I say more?
It's a wonderful way to document your life and memories. By incorporating photos, ticket stubs, and other mementos, you can create a visual diary of your experiences. Have you ever thought of combining collage art and documenting in planners or art journals? Check out The Original Documented Life Project for just the boost to get you started.
You can make collages of anything - from abstract compositions to landscapes to portraits. The possibilities are endless!
Experimentation is the key to developing our own style. Collage materials are easily accessible, making it a great practice for self discovery. Pay special attention to color, texture and composition. What do you like? What do you not like? PS I also enjoy mixing in textiles and stitching. This is the theme for my 100 Day Project this year. Check out the gallery HERE.
While I love the solitary nature of creating, I need community and collage is a fun way to collaborate with other creatives. You can exchange materials and ideas with fellow artists to create collaborative pieces. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Find an art friend, gather up some collage goodies and mail them off. You both get a package filled with new things to play with and often having something different is just the spark you need.
Finally, collage is just plain FUN! Cutting and pasting is quite relaxing and fun and you can do it just about anywhere. I love it when a collage comes together. Much like other forms of creating, YOU have made something unique and beautiful and brought it into the world.

I’m sure I could come up with more, but there are 10 reasons why I think collage is such a fun and enjoyable art form.

Now, it's your turn! Grab some scissors, glue, and a pile of materials and start creating your own collage masterpiece. Happy creating!!

PS May 13 is World Collage Day!

The 100 Day Project 2023 is yielding a stack of lovely fabric, paper and stitched books. I’ve been asked if I plan to “create” in these books and while I plan to gift and sell some, I will be using them for my own art explorations as well.

Here is a quick process video of me creating inside the journal pictured below. The structure of the book is fabric but the pages inside are made from paper.

Check out another page spread in this same journal HERE.

Fabric art journal with slow stitching by Roben-Marie Smith (Copy) (Copy)

Supplies Used

Pritt Glue Stick
Paper Scraps
Pen

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