Mixed Media Collage for Beginners [Collage with Me]

Okay, so I decided to make some art today! I grabbed a vintage postcard with a cute little boy holding the moon and cut it out. I debated how to use it and went with a landscape layout.

For this project, I love using collage – it’s a great way to play with paper and be creative, even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly. It definitely helps when you’re staring at a blank page and feeling stuck.

Speaking of paper, I’m a big fan of using all sorts of fun finds for collages, even things like paint! I actually get a lot of my supplies from Dollar Tree – you wouldn’t believe the quality and variety they have.

The hardest part for me is sometimes figuring out how to arrange everything. I hate making the wrong decision and gluing something down only to regret it later. Luckily, I found a cool trick online – just take a picture of your layout before you glue anything! That way you can play around without ruining anything.

When it comes to gluing, I use matte medium with this wedge tool to stick the paper to my base. Even with a plan, things don’t always go exactly how you expect, but that’s part of the fun!

I also wanted to mention that you don’t need fancy supplies to make art. I’m using some inexpensive watercolor paper and brushes, and they work just fine. Don’t be afraid to experiment – the most important thing is to use what you have and have fun with it! In fact, I used to collect supplies all the time but never actually use them. This YouTube channel is helping me change that, hopefully it inspires others too.

By the way, this watercolor paper might not be the best for watercolors, but it’s perfect for collage projects.

Speaking of videos, I know I might have sped through some parts. Still figuring out what kind of video style you guys prefer. I also like to do voiceovers after I finish projects, so you don’t have to watch me glue things down for ages!

Okay, back to the art! I let everything dry completely before adding the boy and the moon. By the way, inkjet prints can be tricky with water – the ink can smear easily, so be careful.

To give everything a more unified look, I applied some gesso, which kind of mutes the colors a bit. I love the vintage vibe of the postcard scans – they have that perfect aged feel.

I wanted the boy to really pop, so I tried to separate the papers around him to create a kind of frame. Then I carefully glued him and the moon down.

Next up, some glazing! I mixed black umber with matte medium to create a glaze that would add some texture and color. This would also help the boy blend in a bit more and give him a little something to stand on visually. Glazing on paper is awesome – it lets you build up layers and see all the cool details underneath. It’s also a great way to fix colors that just don’t seem to work together.

I had to be careful while glazing so I wouldn’t cover the boy. I also added a touch of violet glaze to the bottom for some extra detail and to tie in with the black umber. Maybe I should do a whole video on glazing sometime…

Now for some fun details! I used a stylus I got from Dollar Tree (love that place!) to add some stars for contrast. White is great for highlights, and the black and white against all the other colors makes everything stand out nicely.

Almost done! I outlined with a black pen and added some black marks to the ground for definition. It’s always hard to know when to stop adding details, you know?

I think I might add a few more white dots for starlight – just for some variety. I really like this white jelly roll pen – it writes so smoothly.

And there you have it! My collage is pretty much finished. I’m really happy with how it turned out.