How to Do a Magazine Collage
Making collages using magazine images is a very creative and enjoyable activity. Your collage can be eclectic, reflecting a variety of interests or emotions, or it can focus on on one specific person, place or theme. Start off with a basic collage and experiment further by adding three-dimensional items or mixing mediums such as paint or watercolor to the collage.
Things You'll Need
- Magazine images
- Rubber cement
- Paint brush
- Scissors
- Newspaper
- Bristol board pr poster board
- Paper towels
- Water
- Craft sealant
Instructions
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Prepare your workspace. You will need a large, flat surface area to work on. Check to see that you have all the materials you need to get started. Decide on what kind of theme you want to do. If you are really into sports, you could do a collage of athletes participating in various sports or feature sporting equipment such as different balls, bats, helmets, goal posts, golf clubs etc. Ask yourself what you want to express in your collage.
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Cut out the images that speak to you or draw you in. Before you start affixing anything, experiment with different images and colors. Decide if you want a rugged look by tearing magazine images or if you want the clean lines you get when you use scissors. Place images in various positions on the bristol board to see where you want put specific images.
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Apply rubber cement to the back of an image with a paint and apply to the bristol board. Smooth out air bubbles by pressing down gently over the image. Wipe off any extra glue using a damp paper towel before it can start to dry. You can overlap images so the entire bristol board is covered with images or you can leave gaps. Keep gluing images until you are satisfied with the results.
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Allow your collage to dry completely. If you want to create a three-dimensional effect, add further items to your collage such as buttons, ticket stubs, feathers, beads or bits of fabric. You could create a collage of a special place you visited and incorporate any item that reminds you of that place. Another option is to incorporate images and items that represent a particular person who is special to you.
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Seal your collage with a clear craft sealant. This is to protect the collage from wear and tear over time. Choose an appropriate frame for your collage so you can display your artwork.
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Tips & Warnings
Rubber cement is preferred over craft glue or white glue because these types of adhesive will cause wrinkles on the paper when applied to the back of magazine images. Also, images applied with glue sticks tend to come off later.
You can use any magazine images you wish for personal use. Be aware, however, that you cannot use other people's copyrighted photos/artwork for commercial purposes without written permission.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
