Making Collage Art Using Found Papers

1. Introduction: Hi, welcome to my studio. I'm a mixed media artist and I've been painting and exhibiting for nearly 30 years. Recently. I've finished a 100 days of collage project. It was huge, Just a bunch. And I learned a few things along the way. I absolutely love colors, but I already knew that. But what I found through the process was my favorite applications for colors. So I'm going to share with you the best techniques for creating collage. And number one of my absolute favorites is using found papers. What I love about using found papers is that, well, they found you can gather them from paper packaging, recycling, the paper bags from your shopping tickets, tags, cards, letters, anything is possible. And most of these materials will be found around your home and either have a minimal cost all baby, they can be free. In this class, I'm going to show you how easy it is to create beautiful collage using found papers from around your home. I'm going to give you a list of 20 possibilities. And there might be someone that list that you haven't thought of yet. You will learn how to apply these papers, how to adhere them to the substrate and which adhesive is best to use. We will discuss the elements of colors and how to achieve the best results. This class is suitable for anyone wanting to learn the art of paper collage, especially good for beginners. Because I would take you personally step-by-step through every process of the application, right from the beginning of choosing your papers to the end result of hanging that glorious artwork on the wall. It's going to be so much fun. You're going to learn so much, not just about collage, but about yourself as well. There's minimal cost as we're using recycled papers. And you can design this artwork exactly how you would like it to be. At the end of the class, you will have gained knowledge on how to create collage from a variety of materials. And you will have gained the confidence to create your own beautiful original artwork. You will have learned how to staff the colors, had a complete the design and had a finished lack of professional, or we'd love to see what you creates a don't forget to post your artwork in the project section. I'm really excited to begin this adventure with you as we delve into the glorious world of mixed media collage. So let's gather materials and let's make that. 2. What Can You Use?: I'm so glad you joined me on this creative adventure. I absolutely love colors because it's such an incredibly liberating and versatile medium to use it with your artwork. The word collage comes from the French word meaning to glue or to stick. So basically anything that you can glue or stick onto the substrate of backing, we can use vocalized. Collage began as a form of modern art in the early 19th century, when Pablo Picasso and George Brock started gluing items onto the canvas. Picasso's still life with chair canning featured oil cloth glued onto the canvas, and take even added rope around the image. Brock, fruit dish and glass and cooperated pattern wallpaper into his design. I absolutely love using role-play. So these four runners of this fabulous mono not has given us the permission to use whatever we can find to pour onto our beautiful whereas in the form of collage. So a baby, what are you worried about and you got nothing to lose and nothing to fear. This class is going to be a whole lot of fun. And I'm going to give you 20 possibilities to help jump-start you in finding possible items for your collage artwork. You'll be able to find fabulous material from around your house or simple items that you can pick up at the dollar shop. I can't wait to get started. So have a look at the next lesson where you have 20 ideas to get you going. 3. Finding Papers 20 Possibilities: So let's get started. Now, my very first favorite way of making colors is using found papers. Now you might think that you don't have a lot of papers in your home, but you're going to be quite surprised at the beautiful items that we're going to use to create with collage. First of all, you have paper packaging. This comes wrapped around all of the beautiful things that you buy and purchase online comes wrapped in paper packaging. You get the brown paper. You can also get white paper. Paper packaging is fabulous for using collage. So make sure you keep it next time. It turns out also the white tissue. The white tissue is fabulous for your collage. You can use it just white or you can color it in so many different ways. This is an absolutely fabulous material to glue on it so easy. And did I mention free resources of paper packaging? Now you can also use the brown paper bags that you get when you buying something from the store. This was from my glorious holiday last week. Yeah. I bought lots of things from this store. And I'm going to use this brown paper bag for the substrate or the base of my collage. It's great to be able to recycle. It's a free resource and it's absolutely fabulous. So remember that when you're out shopping to keep your paper bags because they make fabulous colors paper. Now, the next thing is wallpaper samples. I have found quite a few places, interior design places particularly that have those big books of wallpaper samples. And sometimes they want to get rid of them cheap or even free. So when you see them grab them because wool, fiber in the sample books makes fabulous collage paper, especially if you've picked it up. But even if you have to pay something, the last wallpapers sample book I got I paid for I can't remember what it was. It wasn't very much because the book had been damaged by water. So hello, I was winning. I've got a whole stack of sample papers that are perfect for collage. Wrapping paper is also fabulous for cars. You get a hollow in endless amounts of beautiful colors. It's really cheap. This one's from one of those dollar stores. And look how glorious, that is. Absolutely fabulous. Sometimes the wrapping paper is a bit thin. It may backer with your glue, but don't let that stress you because it's going to look fabulous in the overall composition. So pick up a couple of sheets of wrapping paper next time you're at the cheap store and that will be fabulous. This is more paper that came wrapped around something. I purchase, a stat that is just glorious. And the papers are all different qualities of thickness. And I think it's so enjoyable to use the different textures. On the lines of packaging. Don't forget to look at what you pick up. Oh, purchase. That's in a box because sometimes the boxes have really nice textures and colors and patterns on them. And when you cut the pieces of the boxes apart, they made great shapes. Packaging is always fabulous for colors. And what do you mean you don't have champagne? Have a look at our fabulous, this champagne box. Folds out. I mean, glorious collage material. If you have to buy that bottle of wine, that's just what you have to do. Because you want to use the packaging for you. There's gotta be research along the way. So have a look next time you're purchasing something at the packaging and say whether or not you're going to be able to use it for a beautiful collage. Now, Soviets are one of my absolute favorite materials for collage because they're beautiful and they're soft. Don't forget to peel off the white tissue from the back. I love using Soviets. I pick them up everywhere I go from kitchen shops, design, interior design shops. Sometimes you can even find glorious ones in the cheap shops. If it's a two-ply, you'll have to peel off one layer of tissue. If it's a three ply, there'll be two layers. Just remember that you can stick it on just like that. It just won't stick flat if you don't pull off the backing tissue. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Now you can of course use colored tissue from the cheap shots. Um, I picked up some black, I was pulling some stencils on it. It looks stunning. So you can think about different colors. They are so inexpensive in the dollar shops to pick up some colored tissue. Of course, you can use some book pages, especially old books that you've got laying around that you're not going to read it again, or you can pick them up at the thrift store. Very easy peasy, lemon squeezy. And while you're at the thrift store, make sure you pick up some music notes as well because they make fabulous collage paper. Absolutely love using music notes. You can also color these if you don't want them, the old creamy color, you can put a little watercolor on them or some inks, or even acrylic paint that'll work well to note paper, you want to use some notepaper. This is a lovely textured ones. If you've got some letters, they make fabulous colored pants. He's saying what I mean, there's so many papers in your home for you to use. Four colors, gift cards. They make fabulous collage papers and even the envelopes that come with them. They look glorious, their artworks in themselves. And sometimes the envelope might just be the color that you want to use. So you can cut that up and split it down the side, and then you have something for your client. Papers, paper baby. No matter how it comes, you can stick that onto your substrate and an all works really well and gives you such a variety of texture. Now there's tags and these tickets that you get when you purchase things that are attached. I mean, look how cool these look. They'll make fabulous elements of collage. So have a look next time you're buying something as simple as tea towels. See how fabulous the tags look. Then of course there's tickets, the different things. I mean, the list is absolutely endless. Now, of course you can use brushes that you pick up along the way. This is a really nice one from an interior shot that's got some great images and pictures in it. You can also use magazines that are lying around your house. Of course, they make fabulous resources for using in your collage, especially if you want to add some images. The possibilities are endless. Oh, you can also use fabric. Fabric looks fabulous in collage. You can easily glue that down. And then it just gives you another texture and different elements along the lines of February, you could also use ribbons. You can use different kinds of fabric. And even cheese cloth looks great in collage and dressmaking pattern. Oh my gosh, this simple and inexpensive material makes fabulous collage papers. And you can always add watercolors or inks to the dressmaking patterns if you want it, a different color. So resources that endless have a look around your house and see what you can find and gather yourself a fabulous big pile of found papers. And let's create a collage out of these glorious textures and colors. 4. Getting Started: So where do you begin? You now have your big pile of found papers surrounding you. What are you going to start with? Well, first of all, you have to decide what we're going to use for your substrate. So I'm going to use this paper bag because I think that would be fun. The substrate is what you're putting your colors onto to create your artwork. It can be anything. You can use watercolor, paper or canvas. Or you can use a recycled element, which is what I'm using here. Then next you have to decide what glue you going to use to glue your papers on. Now I personally like to use Mac medium with a brush because I like painting it on with a brush because I've done a lot of paintings in my life and that feels so natural to me. You can also just use a glue stick. I could use all of these papers with a glue stick, no problem at all. Or you can use PABA if you've got something more stiff and you need a stronger glue. So first of all, decide what you're going to put it on. Then you're going to decide what you're going to use with it. You also need to arm yourself with a couple of pairs of scissors. And you're good to go. All right, so I'm just going to cut the side of this bag and I'm going to use this for my substrate. Step. I don't want the handle on it, so I'm going to peel that piece off. You can always use the handle in your collage to add another line or a texture to it. You can unravel it. It's quite interesting how it looks. So just remember that every time you're picking up paper or touching different packaging can use for color has a question, can you stick it on something? And you too can become as obsesses me. Right? So that's why substrate, that's what I'm going to use to put my color. So what am I going to do first? A collage is about multiple layers and creating beautiful combination of different textural elements. I think what I'd like to do is tear the edges of this page because it's all just a bit stiff. I'd like it to be a little more organic. So I'm just going to give the edges a little tear. So give them some more shapes. So they're not so stiff and straight. Now that to me is a much more interesting shape to work with. Now I have to decide which papers I want to add to it next. The thing is with collage. If you don't like something, you can cover it up. So don't be afraid to start or to try because you can change it as you go along. The way something finishes won't necessarily be the way it starts. You can change things and rearrange things. You can cover things up. You can paint over them, you can add more paper to them. So don't be afraid just to jump in, fearing that you might not like your decisions. Because you can change it as you go along. You can guess with some music paper because that's really cool. And I just like it. I'm really not sure exactly where I'm headed with it or what I want to achieve yet, I just want to get started. I'm also really loving this wallpaper. That's a really nice color. So I think I'm going to add some of that as well. I'm going to have to cover up the great pattern that's on my paper, but that's just the way it goes. So I think I'll put that there and I'll put my music paper on top like that. So I'm going to glue these pieces down and then just keep adding to it. Knowing that if I don't like something and I can change it. And the beauty of collage is in the multiple layers. We're off to a great start and don't forget, if you get a little sticky, you can just grab some baby wipes on the side and clean up along the way. I can't stand being sticky. Or sometimes I like to grab a damp cloth because I like wiping my hands a lot by now. What can I say? That's just how it is Rhino, so that's a great start. Now, what am I going to do next? I'm really liking this beautiful survey it, I loved the colors and the pattern of it. I think I want to use some of that. So I think I'll add that next. I love using Soviets. That's so easy, they're so soft. Just don't forget to pull the tissue paper off the back. You can always use this paper as well for collage another day. You can always add paint to it or ink to color it if you don't want it white. Now, I'm thinking I might just cut around these beautiful flowers and add some to this side. That could look good. My Soviets looking fabulous on there. Now, don't get stressed out. If you tear holes in something or something comes apart as you're blowing it on because you can always add more elements to your class. What I love about using Soviets is the see through the transparent quality of them because we take that backing tissue offered. You can see right through the design, I love the way my fabulous music nights are coming through there. That looks really cool. I'm pretty happy with how they look. I did tear a few spots here and there because I'm like, Yeah, a little rough because I can always fix it lighter. If I'm not happy with something thinking I might put a little bit of text on this side. Like that. Yes. Let's add a little bit of book texts here. Like right here. Yeah. Like I said, don't get stressed out. If you're worried about making a decision because you can change it later. If you don't like it, you can put something else over it. It'll be all right. The beauty of collage is that it's fun. It's extremely affordable, especially when you're using found papers are recycled packaging. Hello, it's just fabulous. What about some of these notepaper that could look good too? This is actually some beautiful handmade Japanese paper. So I've bought it to write some notes on, and it was just beautiful. I didn't want to use it. I haven't done that. That just me. Well, now I'm using it, putting it in this color. I see at least I still get to see the beauty of the paper, right? I know it's just fabulous. I haven't quite decided exactly how this composition is going to go. This is what you call an intuitive. It's a very spontaneous application. You pick something up and you respond to the element in your hand, and you decide if you'd go in and put it down or not. You don't stress out about there on the track if it's going to look good or bad because you just make that decision when you get there. It a whole lot of fun. It's a whole, Let's lot less dress. So why don't you try this application? It's just a matter of trusting yourself that you'll be able to work it out. If you don't like it, you can change it. Some of this packaging might look good. I'm liking that. I'm liking the pattern on it. What shape do I want? Probably not that stiff because everything else is quite organic, so we're gonna have to give it a bit of a tear along the edge so that it looks more organic, but look how nice that texture is. Yes, yes, I'm loving it. We just need to tear off the hot edges. Then I think that's going to look fabulous. Maybe I'll put it down here. Like that idea, Radha. Let's do that then. This pace of packaging is a lot thicker. So I might use some PVA to put it on just to make sure that it sticks down properly. Now, this wasn't even from my house. This was actually a friend of mine. She was keeping some of her packaging for me. How long you've got to have friends like that. And that will keep you there packaging. It was for something. I don't I can't even remember some kids thing I think anyway, I just loved the texture of it. She knew that I would say she kept it for me and look at that. Now, it's in my glorious collage. So you know, you gotta get your friends keeping their packaging for you. Because it's absolutely fabulous. Look how beautiful that looks. Yeah, that stuff down beautifully. Now, don't worry if your edges are starting to curl. That's because of the moisture that I'm using in the matte medium. Because once it's all dry, you can flatten it down with some books. Or I could glue this onto a different substrate. I could glue this onto cardboard and that would hold it down flat too. So don't worry about that kind of thing as you're going along. You just have to think about, do you like where it's headed or don't chew? Now, I'm liking it. I'm thinking maybe some of this packaging paper because it's rather beautiful. Maybe I'll put some over here. Probably not too much because I liked that little collection I've already got, but I'm definitely need some of it. So I'm just going to test them all. And then I have to decide how much of it I want to, again, take off the hard edge because we've gone with a theme that looks pretty cool. There would have been a put that there. What do you think? What do you think? I think that'll be alright. We could put that right there. The color looks glorious, the flower themes matching. 5. Making Great Art: Fun part about doing a collage like this is that it doesn't have to be anything, making it for anything. It doesn't have to be framed or doesn't have to be in an exhibition. And you just free to enjoy the creative process. And that is really good for you. Loving nodes, colors, you know, almost want to put on some more. Just had to add a tiny bit more. Because I really like it. I'm really loving this piece of wallpaper that I've taught out of my sample book. It's just fabulous design. It looks like it's been hand painted and the gray matches. So I'm thinking of putting some of that probably in this area. I think I'll just cut out this piece and see how I go and see if I like it. Right. Sorry. That's my beautiful paste from the wallpaper isn't a glorious, I just love it. We'll pipe is fabulous collage material because it's not strong paper and it's payback. Payback. Now, where am I going to put it? That's the question. It's going to clearly hang off because it's so big, but I just love it. I love the feel of it. I think that it has the same feel as the beautiful red flowers. Am I going to put it this side? That's not a bad option? Or am I going to put it this side? No matter which way am I going to put it, I say and you can't stress about covering up things if I put it there. So what I'm covering up my text, which I really liked, but I'm thinking that it looks pretty cool on this side. And I really don't mind it hanging off the edge. That's kinda cool. I could always put some more text over there if I really wanted back. Or I could put it this side and have it there. Which way is it going to go? No, not really liking it. I'm thinking this side. I think I'm leaning towards this side. Right there. It hangs off the edge a little, which is kind of fun. It's working really well with these other colors and patterns. And I think that, okay, I'm gonna do it. I'm going to put it right there. Rhino. So the big decision ended up on this side. Oh, where was I putting in? I think it was going off the edge, wasn't it? Oh, man. I just glued on everything. Obviously. Got blue all over the back of it. Well, we're off the edge. Yeah, that looks all right. I think that's okay. I'm liking it off the edge. It's a really nice piece that wallpapers, fabulous. That looks great. What else have we got in my pile? Then I desperately have to have on this, right, It's looking good, but I think we need a focal point blank here because this beautiful wallpaper pieces now dominating to the side. So we want something there. I'm thinking I really like this gift card so I could use this. Yes. Yes. First of all, I'm going to cut it off the back. Then I think, I think, I think I would really like that to be a circle. So I'm going to cut a circle. We'll turn it over because I don't want pen marks on the front. And I'm going to use this fabulous little bow to make a circle. Yeah, Easy peasy, lemon squeezy, sacred circle makers. And then we cut it out and we'll say how fabulous that gift cards are fabulous for collage and letters that you receive. They're so rare these days. You want to put them in and out so high, it's like framing them. But they do make fabulous textures for colors. Yeah, look at that. Look at that. That is just beautiful. I love it. What a fabulous focal point, right? So that's going to probably go, well, it needs to go in the middle of the two focal point, right? We could put it there. Now, isn't going to stand on its own or does it need something else behind it? Is the question. So I'm thinking that maybe baby. It's getting a bit lost with the busy background. So what about if I put some black tissue behind it? That could work? Maybe. Baby, you have to try things. You can't be afraid to try. I'm just going to move that up there. Then what I'm going to do is put a circle of my beautiful black tissue. This is just a water pen from the dollar store. And I'm going to tear the tissue by putting water on it like this. It just makes it easier in more of the shape that you want. Now, if you haven't got one of these from the dollar store, seriously, you need to get one. But you can also just use a normal watercolor brush or any brush really in a little bit of water. Say Look at that. It tastes so easy you can create easiest shaped with it. I just think it needs a bit of something behind it. The beautiful image of the card, and I liked that. It's all really torn. That works for me, working for what we're creating today. And I like that. Yeah. Dollar Store Don't I'm saying you need one rider. So let's have a look and see how this is going to look. Now, if I put the whole thing on with the black tissue. Yeah. Yeah. I'm losing too much RNAi. Yeah. You tell me that. I just need you to tell me that. That's too much pretty much it. Okay. Well, what about if there's the phone? Wonder if I folded it in half? Let's try that. We could put that there and put it on like that. I think that's pretty cool. What do you think? Yeah, I think that's better, right? That's better. Not losing so much alike. The focal point was still got the flowers. We can still see some of the music night. This is looking fabulous, but now this is on top of it. And I think, yeah, I think folding it in half will work. All right. Let's take that down. And I'm pretty happy with this. This is looking at Cave had just found papers. We're looking. Okay. You know what I'd like to do? Maybe I should add some gold onto this white because it's a little stack. Maybe I'll go hunt up some gold ink and perhaps add some gold onto there, so it's just not so white. Alright, let's do that thing. Now. I think this is looking rather beautiful, but I still think that perhaps we might add a little bit of watercolor or some ink onto the paper there because it's so stark white. Helen decided, I think I might wait until it dries and then decide. But I'm really liking the rest of the composition. I'm happy that I put the black tissue under it because it just that contrast makes sure I look in that direction. So you look there first because of the stark contrast of the black and white. Then your eye travels around to look at all the other beautiful textures and patterns. And I think it's come together really well and I really want to add anything else to it. Even though I have another ton of papers. You need to look at what you've got at your place and see how many from that list of 20 you can actually hand up, I think could be quite surprised. Well, it's not entirely dry, but I'm not a patient person. I've pulled out some and bleached titanium Liquitex basics, basics range of paint, very affordable paint range. And I'm just going to put a little bit on here and then wipe it with a damp cloth because I just wanted to take the stark whiteness of the piece of card. So we'll see how we go. I'm thinking this is going to work. This is a glossy gift cards. So if wipes off nicely and it just adding a little bit of warmth and taking the stark whiteness of the piper. And I think that's working. All right. You look on bit braver now. If you do a collage like this on Found paper and you love it and you want to hang it up. You can always then glue the substrate onto Canvas and the input string on the back and hang it on the wall. Or you could get a frame inexpensively from your department store and then you can put it in a frame. I think it's come up rather nice. I absolutely love using found papers. It's one of my most favorite ways of doing collage because there's so much abundance free that you receive in packaging and also the things that you buy. Recycling is fabulous. It's a lot of fun. Look at that. I think that looks way better. I'm very happy with that. And I think I might now leave it alone. I just put enough of the bleached titanium on it to make it more golden and not so stark white. And I'm pretty happy with that. I think I'll let it dry and decide if I'm going to leave it alone or if I'm going to add anything else to it, of course, you can always keep adding little bits to it. I just cut this 78 out of a magazine and I think the color will work really well. And I just really liked it, so I'm sticking it right there. You can embellish your collage with all sorts of little bits and pieces once you have all formed in its composition. I'm pretty happy with that. Yes, I liked that 78. That looks really cool. Once you get started with this kind of application, it's really hard to stop because there's so much you could keep doing to it and keep adding to it. I'm loving that 78. I'm going to leave it at that. I'm not adding any more to it. I think it's a great little piece. To finish that off. I loved the textured marks in this phase. I loved the music and the flowers. I think the Black tissue worked out really well underneath that focal point and it's all looking really good. So I'm going to let that dry now. And then I'll decide if I might actually glue it onto some cardboard to keep it nice and flat. And I think it's pretty beautiful. 6. Finishing Like A Professional: Hi, so I'm really happy with how my collage has dried. Considering hello, we're using recycled papers here and found items. So I think we're doing good. This was a paper bag from the store. I bought something. So as a substrate, it's holding up rather well, considering what it is, I'm really happy with it. The composition looks great, the textures are fabulous. So now there's a few things we can do. I can either leave it like this, which is perfectly fine. I could put it into my art journal if I had a large one. I could also glue it onto cardboard or mat board, put a hook on the back and hang it on the wall. Or ultimately I could use a canvas and glue it onto Canvas and make it a beautiful finished artwork, which I think I'm going to do. Because I think the conversation and the look of the collage makes me happy enough to what a bother to take it to a completion and finish it like a professional. Yeah. Right. So I bought this canvas which is an 18 by 14 inch size, and I'm going to glue it onto this canvas and finish it so that I can then type it in string and hanging on the wall. That's what we're going to do next. So what I wanna do now is decide on what colors I want to put under it and around the sides. What I love about putting collages onto Canvas is that you can wrap colors around the side, which can really add to your design elements. It's looks absolutely fabulous when it's hanging on the wall to walk up to it and see the beautiful colors wrapped around the sides of the canvas. Now, I'm going to use probably met medium and I will probably use the PVA glue because it sticks faster and stronger and it just works better when I'm wanting to do something that's a little thicker. Okay, so what I like to do is use the colors that are in the collage to wrap around the side. So I'm going to use both some of these fabulous wallpaper that I have for the top section because look how good that's going to look underneath and around the side. And I think on this bottom section, I'm going to put some of this wallpaper, the leftovers from where I cut my piece, because I think that'll look really cool too. Now, this is paper, so it glues on fairly easy. You can just wrap it around the side like this. It is a little stiff. That's why I'll be using the PVA glue, but it's going to work really well. Also, if I wanted to, I could probably wrap some of the music notes around the sign because it's in this piece here that could look really good. It's really soft and easy to use for the sides. Also, maybe some of the packaging paper that's in there. I could even use some of that for around the sides. So you want to pick out colors and patterns that you already have in your collage to wrap around the sides on to use for the background because it keeps a consistency with your design. Well, that's gonna be good. I'm going to glue that down and then we'll see where we're at. Okay, so you want to do the layers at the bottom on first. So this side is going to go under the collage that's on the top. So you want to put that on first and you tap the corners like you would fold a present and glue them down. I ended up going with the music notes that side, like I thought. And this fabulous paper that is packaging on this side that these papers are so soft and so easy to use. Glue them down on the top, rack them over the side and just tap them under so it's all nice and neat. And then the corners you just followed like you're wrapping a present. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. So now I'll put the colors that go underneath the colors on Next. Now I'm using the PVA to glue the wallpaper on because it's a little stiffer than the packaging and the note and the music notes, right? So I have my background on, and it's looking rather good. I loved it using wallpaper is such a fabulous texture to work with. It's paper, right? So it's easy and it looks glorious. It glues down easy. I have the sides finished. I ended up using the paper packaging. They are. And the glorious music notes on that half. I also did the same for this side with the music notes and the packaging. And I just think that those textures in combination look fabulous. It's coming along very nicely. Now. I could have the red at the top or the bottom really. It's just a matter of deciding which way I want to put the colors under my colors. If you're having trouble with bubbles under your PayPal. You can, of course, turn your Canvas over on your table and weight it with books on this side and then wait for it to dry. If you're having problems with the lifting or bubbling. See how I've taken the paper right round the edge. I just liked things being nice and neat and finished off, well, I know it's pedantic, but I am showing you how to finish like a professional. And this is what I've done for the last 30 years. So you can weight it inside like this, put up books in here. I had done that when things haven't stuck well. But this wallpaper has gone down very well and I'm not having a problem with it sticking. So I won't need to do that. I just have to decide do I want the red side up or do I want it on the bottom half? So when looking at my collage now, which way do you think is going to be better? Originally? Always going to have the red at the top. But I think that my beautiful picture here from the wallpaper is getting lost in its own pattern underneath. So I think that I'm going to turn it around this way and have the gorgeous red at the bottom so that this picture then stands out. And I'm really loving this edge. I didn't tear the wallpaper very well. When I pulled it out of the sample book, I was a bit rough and it's got a very jagged edge, but I really don't mind it. I think it looks okay. I like that. You can then see the music notes at the side there. And this paper is just glorious pipe packaging. How long that came wrapped around something. Free resources. They look fabulous. So I'm thinking I'm going to put it on like this. I loving that jagged edge. I'm going to take the point of this piece here right to that edge because that sits well with me. And then I'm gonna glue that down like that. I love that this is the same wallpaper as this pace matching. Well, I love the red here that's working well with my flowers. I think I'll just go on and do that, stick that down, and then we'll see how it all dries. Write a good dose of glue on the back of my collage. And we're ready for the final moments. Hi. I'm saying, whoops, better get it on the canvas in the rides, but just beautiful. It's so satisfying when you put your final collage on top of all that glorious background. And I like to use a damp cloth to smooth it all out. Now, remember, it is recycled, found paper packaging. So don't stress out if it gets crinkle or it's got creases or wrinkles because that's part of the texture of what the medium is that you're using. I really don't mind that if it's got a few torn bits are crinkled bits because I think that just adds character and texture to the collage, like this brown paper bag is not going to go down completely perfect. It's going to have wrinkles. And I'm okay with that. Got a few wrinkles myself. Because it's a recycled paper bag. So you gotta put it in perspective. You haven't used high grade watercolor paper. That is part of the beauty of the kind of collage that it is. It has a lot of history and textures and I'm loving it. I think it's going down well. I will let it dry before we do anything else to it. And we can decide if we're going to put anything else on it, like some kind of varnish to seal the papers. Or if we're just going to leave at natural write out, we'll let that dry. Now, I have talked about varnishing this piece, but I've decided I'm not going to, because the pipe is quite roar in that they're natural and they're recycled. And I don't think vanishing will be good for them because it just changes the textural quality of the pipa. Sometimes it works really well and it looks great. And other times it takes away that beautiful papery look of the paper. So I've decided that I'm not going to vanish. I'm going to just leave the pipe is wrong because I just liked the look of them. But I do think that I could add perhaps some of these beautiful feathers because this image has the feathers there. I bought these from spotlight, which is like a material craft shop. They came in a packet. Look how beautiful they are, just loving it. So I'm thinking that it might finish it off nicely because, you know why stop now? I could put them like they're what do you think? Yeah. I think that'll be great because it's all kind of the natural papers. I think just gluing the feathers on their is a fantastic idea because it all really works well in the textural elements of the composition. I'm doing it, I'm just doing it. 7. The Final Touches: I'm really liking that little bunch. So I think I might just go with that. I've got some PVA glue in this little bottle here. And I think I might just add them where they are because they look with me. I could play with it another 100 times, but why mess with it? Looking good there. I'm just going to add a little dollop of the PVA glue underwear. They are just looking beautiful. A color works well. I love feathers. Feathers to me are an expression of freedom. And creativity is all about freedom to me. Freedom of self, freedom of expression, loving that, That's just beautiful. I think I'll put tuck that little one under there. I think that's a great way to finish off collage. Yeah. They'll sit up like that, which is nice to have that three-dimensional element in the colors. And it works well with the theme. I could even put a bit of washi tape across the ends there just to make it a bit neater. Which I'm sorry, like that. Okay, I'm gonna do it. I mean, look how beautiful these calories. If we make a little bit of glamour, little bit of bronze bling on it? Yes. What about we just put it just on the ends here where it's a little monkey like that across there. That looks really nice against the black, is quite stunning. What do you think? What do you think? What do you think? I think that's working? I liked the way the feathers are kind of floating when it's hanging on the wall. That'll look really nice. Yeah. I think that I've finished it off nicely. Yeah. Okay. Well, now I'm going to let that dry before we can turn it over and do the back. Stop poking it to just count them. I'll stop poking it and let that dry. Right? My collage has dried up nice. It's not entirely, completely dry. It's dry. And look at my feathers. I'm a pretty, I think they're so pretty. They look beautiful. I really liked the way the hanging there on the canvas. The sides look fabulous. See how much better and Nita it looks when you wrap the sides around with the colors from your collage, It's all looking fabulous Friday. So now we want to type and string the beautiful collage so that we can hang it on the wall. What you're going to need for this section, some code or some string or something to tie up with some tape. I get a framing type from the Framers. I just buy up her role in directions, Eigen things from the hardware store, easy peasy screwdriver. Okay. You don't have to have an electric screwdriver, but I'm too lazy and I don't want to have to do it myself. Scissors and a ruler and a pen, so you can get your measurements. The same. Both sides. Really doesn't matter too much. What measurement and you want to use. You just want to make sure it's the same both sides now, you don't have to type it like I do. This is just what I like to do because I like having the backs nice and clean. I've been doing this for a long time. So it is just automatic for me to make the backs clean and tidy. Especially if you're wanting to exhibit or sell your artwork. It just makes it look more professional to have the backs of finished. So I like to put on some framing tape to make sure it's all neat and tidy on the back. Right. So I'm happy that it's nice and neat and typed up. Like I said, it doesn't matter really what measurement you use. You just have to make sure that it's both the same measurements. So I usually come down on probably a little less than a third so that it hangs well on the wall and put a little mark. Cut yourself some colon. And you're good to go. Now, these D rings I bought from just the hardware store. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Put a D ring in, make sure you measure a little bit, a bit extra so you can tie it off. And then you just put the other day ring on. A good solid nought. And what I like to do then is tape off the ends. Because like I said, I'm pedantic when it comes to having it neat and professional looking. So I like to tape it off like this. Just so it makes the code nice and neat. And it looks more finished. Roll it up like that. And there you go. Hopefully you've got your measurement grades. You're gonna be doing it again. Then it's just a matter of squaring it onto the back of your canvas. Of course, you can just use a good old fashion screwdriver. I wanted to do that when I can use my little electric one. I give it a little bit of a twist so that the cord is nice and tight. Make sure you put it the same side of your mark. On this side, I've put it under the Mac, so that's what I need to put on this side as well. There you go. Just like that. It's beautiful and finished. And ready to hang on the wall. Doesn't that look good? Oh, ready to go? It's so incredibly satisfying when you finish a project like this. And you can put it up on the wall and have that incredible feeling of accomplishment. Yes. I'm pretty happy with this beautiful collage and I'm definitely going to hang it up on the wall. 8. Thank you & Farewell: Thank you for joining me in this art class. I truly hope you find that you've gained new skills and that you've gathered courage to keep developing your own artwork. I would love to see what you've created. So don't forget to post a peak in the project section and show me what papers did you gather along the way? Have you found something that wasn't included in my 20 possibilities? I'd love to know about it. Make sure you include your project. Have a look at my other Skillshare classes because I know that you'll really enjoy learning more techniques and I'd love to see you again in the studio. You can also join me in my private Facebook group, creative adventures making. It's a fabulous group full of friendly people, beautiful artworks, and great conversation. You are very welcome to join us here. You can view my paintings on my website, find out more of who I am and even download a free print and for lab.com all the best with your creative adventures. And I hope to see you again soon.