*See attachment for handout and images.

Thank you for joining the class! We explored the fundamentals of collage, including materials, techniques, and creative inspiration. Collage is a versatile and expressive art form that allows you to repurpose everyday items into unique works of art.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

1. What is Collage?

Collage is an art form that involves assembling paper, photographs, fabric, and other materials onto a surface to create a composition. It can be simple or complex, realistic or abstract, and can include both personal and found objects.

2. Gathering Materials

Use magazines, newspapers, junk mail, old books, maps, greeting cards, and fabric scraps.
Collect ephemera (tickets, receipts, postcards, handwritten notes) to add personal meaning.
Keep an eye out for interesting textures and colors in everyday items.

3. Tools and Supplies

Basic tools: Scissors, glue (Mod Podge, glue sticks, or craft glue), an X-Acto knife, and a self-healing cutting mat.
Optional tools: A brayer (for smoothing), stencils, and stamps.
Create your own decoupage glue using craft glue and water (2:1 ratio).

4. Techniques for Collage Making

Tearing vs. Cutting: Tearing creates organic, textured edges, while cutting gives a clean, precise look.
Layering: Build depth by overlapping pieces and using contrast in textures and colors.
Light and Shadow: Arrange colors from light to dark to create dimension.

5. Creative Expression and Storage Tips

Use collage to tell a story, convey emotion, or create surreal compositions with unexpected combinations.
Store your collected materials in folders, plastic bags, or accordion files to keep them organized.
Experiment with different backgrounds such as cardboard, canvas, wood, or repurposed book pages.

Next Steps:

Try creating your own collage using an apple shape as a template, playing with different colors and textures.
Start a collage sketchbook to experiment with different ideas and techniques.
Join additional collage classes to explore advanced methods like text transfers and photo assemblage.

Questions, supplies, anecdotes, and links from present and past class learners

Thanks to all of our learners for sharing this great information.

Links to supplies I used in or talked about in class today

(please note that I will never list any products that I can’t highly recommend)

Self-healing mat (Amazon) or the one at Dollar Tree
X-acto Knife with LED light (Amazon) Any X-acto knife is great. There are much cheaper ones too.
Modpodge (ModPodge storefront on Amazon with all of their products)
Aleen’s Premium Decoupage (on Amazon)
Golden Matte Medium (on Amazon)
Brayer (Amazon)
A lot of these supplies can also be found at Michael’s and some are even at the Dollar Tree!

Links to research, articles and organizations that promote the benefits of art

Link to all my classes

This class will be listed as Collage as Art. Future classes will have the specific collage techniques or themes listed after the title. Ex: Collage as Art: Paper Transfers.

Make sure to check out the supplies after the class description!