There’s something delightfully rebellious about collage. It’s the art form that shrugs at perfection, laughs at clean edges, and embraces the glorious chaos of scraps, textures, found objects, and whatever else you’ve hoarded in that mysterious drawer of “stuff I swear I’ll use someday.”
Here at Art Supply Center, we see collage as one of the most joyful, accessible, and improvisational art practices around. Whether you’re working with vintage postcards, layered textures, glossy magazine cutouts, or the treasures you just unearthed from our Collage Trunk, collage is simply about arranging the world into something uniquely yours.
No rules. No pressure. Just you, your scissors, your glue of choice (we see you, Nori Paste fans), and a table full of possibilities.
What Is Collage, Really?
At its core, collage is the art of assembling disparate pieces (paper, fabric, images, color fields, textures, and even found objects) into one cohesive artwork. The word comes from the French coller, meaning “to glue,” which is fitting because glue truly is the hero holding everything together (even if you sometimes end up gluing your own fingers).
Artists like Picasso and Braque made collage famous, but modern collage makers are wildly diverse — illustrators, painters, scrapbookers, mixed-media artists, art journalers, fiber artists, printmakers, and creative kids with safety scissors and big imaginations.
It’s for everyone. Truly.
Types of Collage (A Choose-Your-Own Adventure)
The beauty of collage is that it adapts to your vibe. A few common flavors:
Flat Paper Collage
The classic. Think magazines, postcards, book pages, scrap paper, tissue layers, typographic bits, and everything in the Collage Trunk you can’t walk away from.
Mixed Media Collage
Part painting, part paper, part texture. Often incorporating acrylics, inks, stamps, stencils, or pastel details. A favorite among artists who like a little chaos in their controlled chaos.
Fabric or Fiber Collage
Textile lovers assemble! Bits of lace, fringe, fabric scraps, threads, trims, and stitched accents.
Found Object Collage
Buttons, ticket stubs, maps, wrappers, pressed flowers, receipts (the ones that magically multiply in the bottom of your bag), fortunes from cookies, whatever you find in your pockets. Yes, it all counts.
Collage Journaling
A deeply satisfying mix of collage, writing, sketching, and layering to create pages full of texture and stories.
The Collage Basics: Tools & Supplies You’ll Love
Every collage artist has their favorite toolkit, but here are the essentials ASC always keeps stocked:
Surfaces
Paper, mixed media pads, Bristol, chipboard, watercolor paper, wooden panels. Anything with a surface is fair game.
Paper & Ephemera
This is where ASC shines. New papers, handmade papers, patterned papers, and of course the legendary Collage Trunk — our overflowing treasure chest of vintage, weird, wonderful, estate-found bits begging to become art.
Adhesives
Here’s where it gets deliciously nerdy:
- Nori Paste (gentle, adjustable, dries clear. Your new best friend)
- PVA glue
- Glue sticks
- Matte medium or gel medium
- Double-sided tape
Whatever you choose depends on how much movement you want before it sets.
(Hot tip: If you haven’t already, read our Nori Paste post, it’s basically required reading for paper nerds.)
Cutting Tools
Scissors for general work.
Craft knives for precision.
Tearing by hand for personality.
Deckle rulers for texture.
Extras
Stamps, stencils, washi tape, ink pads, paint pens, acrylics, pastels… collage is a magnet for mixed media.
How to Start Your Collage (Without Overthinking It)
We’ll let you in on a secret: collage doesn’t start with skill. It starts with curiosity.
Pick a few pieces that speak to you: colors, shapes, textures, images. Move them around. Layer. Rearrange. Layer again. Let your eye tell you when it feels right.
Don’t aim for perfect. Aim for interesting.
If you want a place to begin, try one of these easy prompts:
- Build a collage entirely from neutrals or entirely from brights.
- Make a story using only cut-out shapes.
- Create a collage inspired by a Portland neighborhood.
- Use only pieces from the Collage Trunk and see what happens.
- Start with a single word and collage around its meaning.
You’ll be shocked at how often your hands figure things out before your brain does.
Why Collage Is Pure ASC Energy
Collage aligns perfectly with our favorite things: making a mess, exploring materials, nerding out about paper textures, and celebrating the joy of creative play. It’s eco-friendly (reuse! recycle! reinvent!), affordable, and endlessly different every time you sit down to make something.
And it’s for everyone from seasoned mixed-media artists to brand-new makers who just want to glue pretty things together and call it art.
Spoiler: it is art.
Come dig through the Collage Trunk, grab some Nori Paste, and let us help you build the collage setup of your dreams. Whether you’re experimenting for the first time or refining your mixed-media craft, we’ve got the papers, tools, adhesives, and nerdy enthusiasm to cheer you on. Share your creation by tagging us on Instagram at @ArtSupplyCenter.
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