Inspiration
I’m looking to combine my love of multi-media art with this upcycle project. I have a lot of paper scraps, paper bags, magazines, and various art utensils laying around my house that I want to put to good use! I also know that I want to make something somewhat practical, more than just decor. I decided to make collage cards (be it thank you cards, happy birthday cards, valentines cards, etc) so that I can give them to friends and family and everyone can enjoy a thoughtful, homemade collage card. I am inspired by both the process and end-product in this type of work. The process can be somewhat tedious, constantly snipping, placing, and pasting materials, however I find it rather therapeutic. Then the end-product is always a unique piece that is brimming with personality.
Images (in order): Christine Stoll, Jennifer Wilkin Penick, Isabelle Plasschaert
What Aesthetic is This?
I would define the paper collage aesthetic as maximalist, vintage, retro, or natural. The maximalist vibe comes from having a lot of items pasted on a surface together – there’s plenty of things for your eyes to follow. The vintage/retro aesthetic comes from the materials used in the collage. If it’s a postcard from the 60s, or an old newspaper, or a magazine containing film photos, it will likely give the card a vintage/retro style. I mention a natural, earth-tone aesthetic because many upcycled or recycled materials are not stark white or fresh-out-of-the-factory feeling. Brown paper bags and torn-up, wrinkled materials with organic edges and textures create this aesthetic. Many collages can also feel nostalgic and whimsical, like a storybook.
Images (in order): Jennifer Wilkin Penick, Emily Blitzer, Chelsea Reagan
Materials
I have many brown paper Trader Joe’s bags that will be the base of the cards. I also have cardstock, old ribbon scraps, stickers, glue sticks, patterned paper, and maybe even gemstones. Most of my cards will involve putting together different colored paper scraps to make a cohesive design, For example, 3 stacked rectangle patches to make a tiered birthday cake. Additional materials I’d like to include in my cards are: vintage stamps, ribbon scraps, textured papers, old maps, and newspapers.
Image: Paula Bierdall Krieg
Project Plan
To supplement the materials I already have at home, I’m planning a visit to Art Parts to gather some more paper supplies. They often sell ½” of cardstock for 50 cents, or a handful of vintage postcards for $1. I’d like to get inspired by the materials themselves, then decide what to put on the cards, rather than the other way around. I also plan on making envelopes for the cards, and if I find the right supplies, maybe even gift boxes. Since cards are relatively simple and inexpensive to make (compared to other methods such as woodworking or 3D printing), I plan on making at least 10 cards.
Image: Chelsea Reagan
Links
Image 1:
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Image 3:
https://www.pinterest.com/bobonnebybebelle/
Image 4:
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Image 6:
https://www.chelsearagan.com/cards
Image 7:
https://bookzoompa.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/retro-grocery-bag-book-cover/
Image 8:
https://www.chelsearagan.com/cards
4 Comments. Leave new
Hi Abby! Your upcycled collage card project is a cool mix of creativity, sustainability, and practicality. The use of vintage and natural materials gives each piece a nostalgic and whimsical charm, and adds a sentimental feel to the cards. I love that the process itself is part of the appeal, you can see the time and attention in a collage, turning something tedious into something therapeutic is a great way to put it. Overall, this is a lovely and resourceful way to repurpose materials into meaningful art. Hope it all goes well, can’t wait to see the final result!
Thanks for the comment! I agree that collages often display tiny details that are telling of attention and care, adding a lot of meaning to the work.
Abby, I really like the thought behind this project! The aesthetic as well is something very unique. Having such a large quantity of layers and detail with all different kinds of paper makes the end product really interesting. One thing I am curious about is, what is more of a factor when deciding what card to make, the material/texture or the color/pattern?
Thanks for the comment Jack! I definitely plan on using all the layering techniques in the final products. Plus, since I’ll be making multiple cards, I’ll be able to explore a couple different methods of layering/material combinations/compositions. Your question is a hard one to answer. I’d say that for me personally, material and texture matter more than color and pattern because they are capable of providing more depth to a collage. However, I believe a good collage much have cohesive colors/patterns AND variety of textures/materials. I’m excited to explore both of these facets.