Please note: This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase from a partnership site, I may earn a commission.

Make Paper Collage Art in 15 minutes

Written by: | Published: May 21, 2014 | Updated: May 21, 2014

I am a paper hoarder. I have piles of paper of all kinds and sometimes I don’t want to use them.. I might need them later, right? Well, I decided today, it’s time to use those papers we love and make something else we can love even more. Collage art is really simple (so says I). There are no rules, you don’t need anything special.. you just need to be willing to try it. So here’s a great project for all of us – even those of you thinking you’re not artistic! We’re going to do this in 15 minutes or less, no kidding! If you want to spend more time, go with it, but don’t rack your brain or let yourself stumble into self critique mode, just go with it – quick!

This paper collage project  is this month’s Craft Lightning project from Jen Goode: (in my best Ryan Secrest voice)

Make paper collage art
Make paper collage art

Grab a stack of paper scraps, a pad of coordinating paper, or whatever you hand. Pull out 3-8 sheets of different paper designs. It can be solid, patterned, or I like the double sided papers best because it’s super easy to see they coordinate with eachother.

The key to a good collage is making sure your designs feel comfortable together. That’s going to be a perspective all your own. Everyone likes different colors and different looks, so what you love, is uniquely your own. Go with it.

Materials you need:

  • A Variety of paper
  • Glue (I used hot glue)
  • Scissors (optional)

If you love the paper I used as much as I do, look for Live in Color by Susan Weckesser. Love Love her beautiful art paper!

How to Make Your Own Paper Collage Art

  1. Start with a base for your art. You can use paper or cardboard, canvas or whatever you’d like. I started this Mini Art with a piece of paper about the size I wanted my finished piece to be.
  2. Cut or tear strips of paper. Make them different widths. Cut one side and tear the other. It’s up to you.
  3. Layer the paper in stripes on the base. Arrange until you like the look.
  4. Glue into place. I used hot glue because it dries almost instantly, I and love hot glue. Any craft glue will work just fine as long as it works well with paper.
  5. Add accent pieces, embellish your art to finish it off.
  6. Optional – make spacers to place in between paper layers to create some dimension in your art piece.

To make spacers:

Using cardstock, make a rolled tube. Glue in place. Cut the roll into little, equally sized, circles. Kind of like making a sushi roll and cutting into bite sized pieces of sushi :D.

The whole process is super quick! I think you’ll end up spending more time deciding on your papers than you will putting the whole thing together. This is also a great art project to do with the kids. Because there is no “it has to look like this” kind of expectation, it’s a great intro family art fun!

Pick the paper you'd like to use in your collage and start layering it on a base
Pick the paper you’d like to use in your collage and start layering it on a base

 

Glue layers of paper to adhere to base
Glue layers of paper to adhere to base

 

Make paper spacers to add dimension
Make paper spacers to add dimension

 

Add spacers to paper you want to lift
Add spacers to paper you want to lift
Paper collage makes great gifts and cards
Paper collage makes great gifts and cards

If you have more than 15 minutes, you can spend time adding extras. I made a larger version of this collage art with a monogram and a little text message. The whole Project, with paper picking took me about an hour… if I wasn’t stopping to take photos for you, it probably would have only taken about 30 minutes. You can add hand drawn art, gems, ribbons or whatever you’d like. I added a hand drawn capital L monogram to this art and the words “is for…” on separate paper pieces.

Paper collage art and a Monogram
Paper collage art and a Monogram

Tip to make your own monogram:

If you don’t want to hand draw your letters  from scratch to use as monogram art, here’s a little cheat for you.  Print out a single letter, sized to fill en entire sheet of paper. Cut the letter out, trace it on to a second sheet of paper and then add hand drawn lines to complete the look.

I love paper layers
I love paper layers

 

Cut out shapes from paper to add to your collage
Cut out shapes from paper to add to your collage

 

Paper collage monogram art
Paper collage monogram art

 

Make a paper collage monogram art
Make a paper collage monogram art

Paper collage art made with strips of paper is an easy art project that is also a lovely way to create handmade cards or gifts for others. I think I need to make some teacher thank you cards now… what are you going to create?

 

For more quick craft creations, check out this month’s Craft Lightning with Angie and Carolina:

« previous post

next post »

Jen Goode Headshot

Jen is Passionate about Creativity. She is the owner and "doodle in charge" of JGoode Designs, a Denver based design studio. She is an illustrator, mixed media artist and creative lifestyle blogger. Jen has been a creative professional since 1998 but says she's been an artist since she was old enough to eat glue.

Connect:
Facebook iconTwitter iconPinterest IconInstagram IconFeed Icon
Join the FREE Creative Club!

Get tutorials, free file downloads and project ideas right in your email.

10 thoughts on “Make Paper Collage Art in 15 minutes”

Leave a Comment

Featured on:
Brands Jen at 100 Directions has partnered with.
100 Directions is full of tutorials and project ideas to inpsire trying something new and sharing creativity in every direction.
I work with a variety of companies to share ideas and insight about products, services and all kinds of fun, creative things to do.
I stand behind my recommendations and hope you love the things I share as much as I love sharing them with you!

 

Privacy Policy and Disclosures | Work with me

 

100 Directions is a JGoode Designs property. Copyright © 2011-2024 Jen Goode. All Rights Reserved.

100directions.com is a JGoode Designs property. Owned and operated by Jen Goode.