How to Start a Mixed Media Collage Sketchbook : A Step by Step Tutorial

Do you have a mix of art materials you have collected over time? Maybe a few pastels, a couple of markers, some pencils and pens of different colours and a paint brush and nib pen? Here are some ideas on how to use your mixed bag of stuff and a few scraps of paper to create a dynamic sketchbook practice.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

•   Pens, pencils, markers, nib pen and ink (whatever is in your bag of tricks)
•   Container for ink if you are using it.
•   Pastels and/or colour pencils.
•   Scraps of paper, old photographs or any other collage materials
•   Glue & brush if needed
•   Scissors and/or precision cutting knife
•   Your sketchbook

With our supplies in order, let’s jump in! 

Step 1: Pick Your Main Element! 

Collect and lay out your materials onto your workspace. Decide on a central tool or material as the main component on your page that you will respond to. I am going to use collage as my main element.

Step 2: What happens after you have your main element in place?

After you have made a few marks, sketched your coffee cup or cut up some paper, sit back and look at the possibilities your efforts provide. You should consider what your overall design preferences are. White space, patterns on repeat, or perhaps a narrative told through images? In my collage I am exploring adding patterns with a marker to the collage elements.

Step 3: Stop, Look and Repeat 

After you have outlined the cut-outs, made connective marks and/or explored a series of patterns, stop (again) and look at the image as a whole. It is time for another new material or tool? Can you add colour? Or cut out and paste a shape into one of your drawings? I am going to add some colour to my patterns now.

Step 4: (Tea), Repeat and Continue 

After you have used a few different materials be sure to stand back and get some tea or just take a break. It is great when you get in the groove, but a chance to get some distance is always a good idea. Look at composition, colour, pattern and/or narrative. Do you have images that tell a story? Colour that needs some balance? How does your eye move around the piece? Are connecting lines needed? A dab of colour at the edge? I am going to add some more collage materials.

Step 5: How to Know When It is Done. 

Ah, the eternal question. I would say that your style and preferences dictate this for the most part. Do you like a lot of white space around the image? Do you like patterns on repeat across the entire page? Do you want a central element around which a story is told? Have you achieved this yet? Sometime if I am not sure if a piece is done, I leave it and come back to it on another day. For this piece I decided to run a green connecting line through the entire piece.

Finished? Now it is time to add the date if you like. You might even use your journal notes from earlier to title the piece. Yay!!! Remember to set-aside time tomorrow or later in the week to do another page.

About ARTiculations

Serving artists across Canada, ARTiculations carries a curated selection of fine art supplies including sketchbooks, markers, glue, and pens. Visit our online store, or contact us if you have questions about what products are right for your next creative project.