From Scraps to Art: A Beginner’s Guide to Collaging With Tips & Ideas

I bet you want to try collaging, but you don’t know how or what it’s about.

That’s why I’m going to share some advice on how to start and the steps you can take to make your first collage and gain more confidence.

Collaging is a great thing for beginners, because it’s and easy and fun way to be creative. You’ll see :).

Disclaimer: Some links in this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you purchase something through that link, I get a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

That being said, collage offers irresistible freedom of creation without wondering if you’re doing the right thing. It can be super creative and relaxing. Collaging lets you choose images you love and use them to create a unique, I mean…totally unique piece of work. 

Besides all the 2D elements you can use such as paper, you can also use 3D elements such as lace, strings, buttons, bottle caps, fabric, etc. 

This just depends on what you want to create, what you’re creating it on, and whether you want to show off that bad boy or keep it to yourself.

For example, if you want to hang your collage art on a wall, you can add as many 3D elements as you want. However, if you’re creating in an art journal, then you’re limited to mainly 2D elements because an art journal wouldn’t close otherwise. 

Also, if you don’t prefer gluing down heavier objects like buttons, feathers, or leaves or don’t have the proper glue that can hold them, you stick to 2D elements (paper).

I use ordinary scissors and that’s why my images aren’t usually fussy cut to perfection. I just don’t care.

Just remember to use scissors that fit really comfortably in your hands, otherwise, your fingers will hurt from all the cutting.

You, on the other hand (if you’re a patient person), can use this knife to really cut out your images in detail. You can also use it to cut shapes inside your images, which is harder with scissors.

Lastly, if you’re going to use an X-acto knife, you need to have a cutting mat of some kind. Otherwise, you’ll ruin the surface you’re working on. So, have that in mind.

This is the most basic collage material you’ll need. And you can start collaging if you only have a glue stick. It’s easy to use and most of them glue the paper down easily and it sticks.

But remember, your surface needs to be the right one for a glue stick. It works best on smooth, non-textured surfaces.

Unlike PVA glue, it is easily spread out with a brush and is thin. This makes it perfect for collage.

I’ve used this collage medium for a long time and I can say it’s a neat thing to have for collage. It’s similar to mod podge and can be applied with a brush or a foam brush.

I like using an ordinary, firmer brush rather than a foam one because foam brushes tend to keep a lot of glue and are soft. 

I have one with matte and vintage finishes. They’re both great and the vintage one has a browny finish so you can go over your image with it for a vintage vibe.

It will also seal your papers. Similar to Mod Podge.

Double-sided tape

This is one of my favorite adhesives for collage. You can use the tape with paper or images but it takes a lot of planning and cutting the tape.

Double-sided tapes are usually strong, so fixes are harder to do. Be aware of that.

They do come in different widths so you can choose the one that suits your vision.

Everyone is in love with washi tape. They’re cute and easy to use, and you can choose from many different designs. Although they don’t hold very well, you can use them more as decorative elements. 

If you don’t care for a complete flat adhesion, washi tape can make an interesting, textured effect.

What I usually do is glue my image down with stronger glue and then add washi tape for the corners of my images, or to connect two pieces of paper together. Visually, this is really nice.

Tweezers for tiny pieces

No matter the size of your fingers, it’s usually hard to adhere tiny collage pieces and do it perfectly. That’s why I use craft tweezers. Maybe you can try ordinary tweezers, they should work the same.

Glue gun for 3D pieces

This is an amazing tool to have if you want to glue down thicker and heavier elements like buttons or feathers.

Try to pick a glue gun with a tiny tip, so you can glue details, too.

Packaging and Wrapping
Save decorative packaging from products, gift wrap, or even paper bags.

Printables Online
Search for free printable designs, vintage images, or patterns on sites like Unsplash, Freepik, or my printables Library.

Nature Finds
Collect leaves, flowers, or feathers to add natural elements to your collages.

Used Books
Visit “free” book exchanges, little libraries, or charity shops for old books with interesting illustrations.

Getting started: Easy steps to your first collage

These are my suggestions for starting with collage. There are no rules, but I found this process below to work for me.

If you’re into collaging, then you collect images all the time. It’s not just before a project. Whenever you see something that attracts your eye, save it.

When people want to throw out wrapping paper, I take it. Maybe not all of it, but I save some if I really love the paper. 

If you don’t have time and will to cut out things all the time, just collect them, and you can cut them out in detail later. For example, when I see an image in a magazine that I love, I just rip out the whole page, and later I cut out the image.

Collecting collage elements can be tricky and you can find yourself overwhelmed with all the bits and pieces. So, good collage organization is always a plus. Figure out what works for you and follow that system.

2. Fussy cut or tear your elements

The way you’re going to cut them out depends on your style and preferences. Some artists fussy cut their elements, while others leave a white line around, while some just tear their paper scraps.

All of these methods are interesting in their own way. You decide which look you like better. Or, use all of them. There are no rules, remember?

Besides collecting elements, deciding on composition is also fun. However, I know many people struggle with that.

Look, this doesn’t have to be complicated. If these questions seem too much for you, skip them. Use only one question from above and focus on that. With time, you’ll develop a sixth sense for these things and they’ll become easier.

Layering is always fun, it creates amazing effects of depth and gives a certain dimension to your work.

If you want to layer things, place elements on top of each other, and leave the parts of the bottom layers also visible. You can play with layering a lot and explore what you like doing and what final result you like seeing.

This is a neat idea and can be really cute-looking. What I usually do is outline my fashion magazine images with a white Posca pen. And I don’t stop there, I add more lines spreading out from that outline.

Also, you can use a black or white pen/marker to draw lines around the subject, spread from it towards the borders, or create a geometrical feel with multiple lines and their directions.

This is especially great for images of people. When I use a magazine image of a model, I often draw on her face. These are marks or symbols I love. You can also add marks on hair, tattoos on arms or legs, etc. There’s no limit to your imagination.

Write on images

If you’re into art journaling, you can add writing to your images. For example, sometimes I journal on the clothes of a woman, her hands, and even her hair. Again, you can do anything. 

I like using waterproof markers for this, but if this is your last layer, use any pen or marker that can write on your finished collage.

I suggest Posca paint pens and Micron pens. White Posca is great for darker surfaces and it’s just a wonderful pen for adding that extra touch.

5. Glue down your pieces, working from the background forward

After you’ve decided where everything should go, slowly start gluing the images down. Of course, start with the bottom ones if you’re layering things.

And be careful to glue down entire image so it doesn’t get off at ends.