Things You'll Need

Instructions

1

Find the proper material for different collage techniques. Paper collages can consist of pages from magazines, bits of newspaper ads or postcards, or just about any paper material you can find. If you want to put a bit more work into locating media, use fabric as the background for your collage. Choose burlap, denim, cotton or any fabric that's conducive to the overall design.
2

Consider the color. Experiment with different hues, but remember that too many colors can overpower the piece and be confusing to the eye. Brush up on color theory by reviewing primary, secondary and complementary colors.
3

Use the illusion of movement to create emotion. Draw the art lover's eyes to particular aspects of your collage by employing an assortment of horizontal or vertical lines. Include complementary objects of different shapes and sizes-include triangles, circles, rectangles and other figures in your collage techniques.
4

Decide on a pattern. By creating a theme and repeating images, shapes, or colors, even a collage that appears incoherent at first glance becomes a unified whole.
5

Determine the shape of the project. The basic background shape needn't be square or rectangular. Look at other shapes, even exotic ones like pentagons and figure how to use texture to your advantage. Devise textures by grouping or overlapping different types of paper in one collage.