Making a collage is a fun, easy project for children using old magazines and greeting cards.
Collage: (noun) An artistic composition made by fixing bits of paper, cloth, string, etc. to a surface. (Oxford American Dictionary)
Collages are a lovely way to express your imagination. They are very easy to do and a lot of fun to make. They are also wonderful gift ideas! A collage can be as fancy or as simple as you like. It is an individual expression of your own personal creativity.
Here's what you need to make a collage:
Old magazines or catalogs
Old greeting cards
Square of heavy paper or cardboard for the background surface
White glue
Scissors
Yarn for trim and hanger
Your imagination
Here's what to do:
Search through the magazines or catalogs and find pictures that interest you. The more colorful the pictures, the better! Using your scissors, carefully cut out the pictures you like and lay them aside. How many pictures you will need depends on how large you want your collage to be. The pictures can be any size and shape.
Gather any old greeting cards that you can find. Christmas cards, valentines, birthday cards, whatever kinds of cards you have will do fine. First make sure that you're not cutting up somebody's special card! Ask permission before you begin cutting. Then cut around the designs or pictures you wish to use and lay them aside. Dispose of any waste paper.
Next lay out the pictures on the square of heavy paper or cardboard you will be using for the collage background. Overlap the pictures. You want to make sure none of the background will show. After you are satisfied with your layout, carefully remove the pictures and lay them on the work space beside the background. Try to lay them out in the order you placed them on the background.
Smooth a thin layer of white glue on a small section of the background. Begin placing your pictures on the background. Don't use too much glue or the edges of your pictures will curl! Using a gentle touch, smooth the pictures. Make sure the edges overlap. Repeat this step until the surface is completely covered; let the glue dry. Drying time may take an hour or more, depending on how much glue you used. To be safe, let the collage dry overnight. After making sure everything is completely dry, trim the excess paper away from the edges of the background.
To make a pretty trim for your collage, glue colorful yarn around the edge of the entire project. Make a hanger for your collage by gluing one end of a length of yarn at each top edge of your collage. Be sure it's long enough so that you can hang it over a door knob or a small nail. Ask an adult to help you hang your collage on the wall. Then admire your work!
