My collage painting process

Q: What is collage painting?

Traditionally, collage is an art form that combines a range of materials and textures to create a finished painting. Collage artists can use photographs, torn or cut paper, old seconds of their own artworks, fabric, prints, just about anything, and combine it with more traditional materials to make a complete work of art. When it comes to how to make collage painting, there really aren't many rules, so get creative!

Q: What is the best base for collage art?

You'll need a strong and absorbent paper such as watercolour paper or mixed media paper with a heavy GSM (I use 250 g/m or 150lb) so that it won't tear, warp or lose shape when you add lots of glues and wet layers. As for glues, you can use standard craft glues like Mod Podge or white glue (provided it dries transparent) but I use a Liquitex Acrylic Satin Varnish and it works just as well, gives my paintings an even finish and avoids a lot of the stickiness during the process!

Chloe
4 days ago
5 min read

The process of collage making is quite different to painting. Painting, for me at least, has always been about starting off with a clear vision, lots of observation, preliminary studies, and a fair idea of what the final painting will look like. Painting with paper is uniquely tactile, and keeps the hands and the mind very busy indeed. In this blog, I'll share the process of taking photographs, creating mood board, sketches and colour studies as I settle on a theme or a starting point. After that though, it all gets a bit...random.

Starting a collage painting

As I've become more interested in exploring flowers and gardens, and have even started to sow some seeds of my own, I've taken plenty of photos to get more familiar with my subjects. I'm usually attracted to a particular colour, or the way the light hits the petals or leaves. But I also love studying plants and flowers at different stages of their development, watching as the buds change from deep pastel green to show a glimmer of the colour of the petals inside.

Some photos from around England and Wales from spring 2025

Creating a mood board

I get my inspiration for my collages from a range of sources. It could be photos from my own garden or ones I've taken when travelling. It could be the works of other artists, or even a particular pattern or colours of clothing on a rack, a fabric print or different textures on a beach. The easiest way to draw inspiration from these diverse sources is to put them into a mood board. Laying them all out in this way helps me to determine any common ideas, shapes or moods, picking out the pieces that will form my "jumping off points".

Painting collage in the sketchbook

I'm slowly adapting to the mindset of the sketchbook as a place to play and experiment, and this is key to the collage process. I might start with a very small and simple pencil sketch, outlining major directions, composition, lights and darks etc. I might also play around with a few different landscape elements or florals.

Sketchbook Painting — *A typical sketchbook page, filled with many scribbles and thumbnail sketches.*

It's at this point that I usually move away from my mood board or any direct reference images and instead I draw ideas from the first marks and sketches. I've usually chosen a colour palette at this point too.

I like to use a limited palette, choosing a base of primary colours, black (a new addition for more vivid darks) and white, and one other major colour. If often depends on the type of mood I'm interested in, and if I've pre-picked out any collage papers or fabrics in a particular colour scheme.

Sketchbook Process Painting with Collage — *Exploring an idea as a thumbnail and a larger study on paper, with plenty of note taking and staring!*

A couple more sketchbook pages will be taken up with various ideas, from some simple blind contour drawing to loosen up my hands, to more detailed thumbnail paintings, exploring different vantage points, compositions etc.

*Often, it takes a change of direction to set me on the right path*

*Sometimes, the thumbnail paintings are little beauties in their own right*

Painting with Procreate

I love using Procreate to experiment with transparent layers and colour palettes before committing anything to canvas. I love being able to explore an idea digitally, whether at conception or even to figure out those final few layers. You can re-do, un-do and test out what you think might work best.

The Procreate mockup and the final painting of Jenny's Garden (right) - I think it worked!

First layers of paint, ink and paper

The first layers on the "final piece" are often chaotic. Though I may have spent days or even weeks exploring the idea and refining it down to the core elements, I prefer to put down the first marks fairly intuitively, having my thumbnails, sketches and colour palettes nearby. I try not to think too much at this point, but I'll choose what I like, whether it's a splash of ink, a scrap of fabric or some shredded papers left over from another project. I'll lay them down on a ground, slowly at first, until something starts to emerge.

How to start collage painting — *First layer of ink and acrylic paint*

*Adding collage, and trying not to be too literal or too careful.*

The ugly middle stage of painting

Artists often talk about the "ugly middle" or "messy middle" of a painting, and it's even more true when painting with collage. I often reach a point when I think, this needs to go in the bin, it'll never work, or "I'm lost". And at this point I'll either:

take a break and come back later
take photos, use Notan to look at value and contrast, or import into Procreate and test out the next steps digitally
keep going, and hope for the best

Honestly: sometimes it doesn't work out, and it'll be in the "paint over" pile or sadly destined for the bin. I actually removed the collage layers from this piece and tore them up to make some beautiful new collage fragments! — *Honestly: sometimes it* *doesn't* *work out, and it'll be in the "paint over" pile or sadly destined for the bin. I actually removed the collage layers from this piece and tore them up to make some beautiful new collage fragments!*

Bringing it all together

After the messy middle, the layers slowly start to come together, and I slow down my process and start applying each piece of paper of fabric more methodically. It becomes a process of taking away or adding. Do I need to add more depth and contrast here? Is the shift in material or texture too drastic there? I'll paint with acrylics in between the collage layers too, either to create a glazing effect - bringing everything together - or to emphasize my focal pointing.

How do I know when a collage is finished? It's a difficult one to answer, but I'll let the images below inspire you to come up with your own answer.

"Jenny's Garden" Wren Collage Painting

Buy Now

How to start collage painting

How do you know when a collage painting is finished?

You don't! There's a fine balance between creating a collage painting and overworking it, and I think this is a struggle that artists have whether they work in oils or acrylic, pencil and paper, or even digitally. I suggest it's better to make one mark too less, than one too many!

What is collage painting?

What is the best base for collage art?

You can view more of my collage paintings in the Wild Gardens collection on my website, or follow me on Instagram (@paintingbeautifulplaces)

Chloe

Comments

Emails to inspire you, not to spam you

Join my studio newsletter, where you'll be the first to know about new collection releases, blogs, plus get special discounts, free resources and plenty more.