You don’t have to be an experienced artists to express yourself creatively in paper collage. Even if you have never tried it, you can create an interesting and impressive piece if you use your imagination.

Before you start creating your first collage, you will have to gather a few tools and supplies. A sharp scissors is your most valuable tool. You may even want to have a few different scissors at your disposal. For instance, you may need a small manicuring scissors to cut away small areas. You may also want one with a unique edge, like a pinking shear, to create a different look. A craft knife and cutting board is also good to have available. This tool is great for removing the center portion of images without damaging the edges. School glue is usually all that you need when creating a collage, but you can use other types of glue too. A sturdy piece of card stock or cardboard is also needed as your base. If you use thin paper, you might end-up with a rippled look caused by the wet glue. Also consider a tweezers to help you place small items correctly.

After you have collected your tools and have decided what type of image you are going to create, you can gather your paper supplies. There are a variety of different paper options from which you can choose. Your paper choices will depend on the image you want to create and the style you have chosen.

One method of creating paper collage is by cutting images from glossy magazine pages. Its best to have a variety of different magazines and printed catalogs at your disposal. You can create any type of scene with a little imagination. For instance, if you want to create an outdoor scene, find a large panel of blue paper in a magazine. This can be used to create the sky. If you can’t find one large section of blue, consider cutting several smaller sections of blue in a similar shade. Then glue all your blue paper pieces onto your base paper to create the sky. Find an image of grass or cut several pieces of green images to create grass and trees.

Another way to create a paper collage is to use colored paper such as construction paper or colored card stock. You can also use patterned paper like scrapbook or origami paper. Also consider using tissue paper, wall paper or photographs. Cut the shapes you want and layer the paper to create the desired look. If you can’t find the right color for your collage, consider painting white paper the desired shade. You can also tint it with tea for an aged look.

You can also make collages out of found paper. Instead of throwing your gum wrappers and newspapers in the trash, use them to create a unique piece of art. Paper packaging on toys, food and beverage labels and pages torn from books can all be used to create an interesting finished product.

Don’t be intimidated about creating your first collage. If you need inspiration, look at the works of some famous collage artists such as Henri Matisse and Robert Rauschenberg. Just relax and enjoy the process and you might just be amazed and your finished piece.