5 Recycled Materials to Incorporate into Your Collage Art

While you might associate collage with childhood activities like gluing magazine cutouts onto construction paper, it has evolved into a serious art form. In the early 1900s, artists like Pablo Picasso and George Braque ignited a new movement by adhering pieces of paper and fabric to their oil paintings, adding texture and abstraction to their work [source: Britannica].

Today, the legacy of collage continues with groups like the National Collage Society, which promotes the art form; Global Collage, an online community for collage artists worldwide; and The International Museum of Collage, Assemblage and Construction in Fort Worth, Texas, which showcases contemporary works alongside the early modernists who brought collage into the limelight.

That doesn't mean you need to be a professional artist to get creative with glue. You're in good company.

To begin, all you need is a solid base (typically thick paper or poster board, though wood, metal, and other durable materials also work), some glue, and various found objects. Good places to hunt for materials include your junk drawer, magazine stack, or the box full of items you’re unsure about but can't bring yourself to toss out [source: Love To Know Crafts]. Don’t forget to check your recycling bin for more treasures.

While you search, remember that with collage, the possibilities are endless—anything goes, even the materials themselves. You can work freely and spontaneously or follow a theme such as travel, water, love, pets, childhood, or holidays. You can either lay out the entire composition before gluing, or attach elements as you go along [source: Grant].

A collage should reflect who you are, what interests you, and what resonates with you, based on the objects you choose to include on your canvas.

Keep reading to discover how you can use recycled plastic, glass, natural materials, metal, and paper to craft your own unique piece. Picasso would surely be impressed.

5. Plastic Items

Think of your collage as a puzzle. You’re arranging pieces to create a cohesive whole, but unlike a traditional puzzle, the pieces don’t need to fit perfectly together. In fact, it's better when they don't. This is the essence of collage and why it's referred to as mixed media—combining diverse materials in a single work.

Consider adding items like plastic buttons, game pieces, beads, miniature toys, doll furniture, dice, soda bottles, bottle caps, plastic eyeglass frames, or barrettes to your collage [source: Collage College].

You can make a statement about the environment by incorporating plastic bags, or give your work an electronic vibe by including a plastic circuit board from a computer.

In collage, anything is possible. The beauty of using plastic items is that they can introduce a three-dimensional effect, adding texture and variety. Don’t shy away from bold color choices or mixing seemingly mismatched elements, like a toy soldier next to a cherished photograph [source: Grant].

To find interesting plastic items, start by exploring your home. Check the kids' toy box, the recycling bin, the kitchen, garage, and sewing box. Then expand your search to garage sales, flea markets, and dollar stores for hidden plastic treasures [source: Collage College].

When working with plastics, remember that the right adhesive is crucial to ensure everything stays in place. Experienced collagers suggest using glues such as Golden Matte Medium, Liquitex, or Tacky Glue [source: Collage College]. Allow your work to dry thoroughly. If you're using a plastic item that may bend or fold as the glue sets, weigh it down until the glue is fully dry.

Keep reading to learn how you can bring some sparkle to your collage with recycled glass.

4. Glass Items

Did the dog knock over and break yet another glass vase? Don’t worry — it doesn’t have to be thrown away. Turn those shattered glass pieces into a creative masterpiece.

Glass is another fantastic material to use in collage. It brings sparkle, texture, color, and even magnification to your artwork.

When searching for glass elements for your collage, consider using items like chandelier crystals, watch faces, miniature perfume bottles, marbles, colored beads, broken beer or wine bottles, pocket mirrors, and rhinestones [source: Hunot].

Gather these items from around the house, lay down some newspaper or a drop cloth, and pile them up on your kitchen table or the living room floor. Mix in the other materials you’ve found on your hunt and start selecting the pieces that speak to you. Decide if you want your collage to be abstract or based on a theme.

The term 'collage' comes from the French word "coller," meaning to glue. But as you know, it’s so much more than that. It’s the materials you choose to glue onto your background that really make your piece unique. So choose thoughtfully, but don’t let that stifle your creativity [source: Grant].

When attaching recycled glass to your background, make sure to use a stronger adhesive or a hot glue gun to ensure it stays in place. If you're working with broken glass, prioritize safety. Wear gloves to protect your hands, and after gluing the glass, consider outlining the edges with clear caulk or colored puffy fabric paint to cover any sharp points.

Keep reading to find inspiration from the natural world.

3. Nature Items

Nature offers an endless array of materials perfect for artistic creation. The world is your canvas — and an oyster shell could even become part of your ocean-inspired collage if you wish.

A simple stroll through the park can spark a wealth of ideas. A day trip to the beach can do the same.

Pick whatever catches your eye, but some natural materials to consider include branches, twigs, leaves, pebbles, acorns, pinecones, flowers, clover, sand, and driftwood. You can use these to create a realistic depiction, like a beach scene or forest [source: Beal], or opt for something more abstract by mixing nature with industrial elements like screws or bits of wire.

Have a collection of seashells from your vacation? Why not transform them into a framed masterpiece. You could paint, draw, or even stamp the background before attaching your beach treasures. To create a unique effect, consider adding spray paint or a glittery varnish to your seashells.

Want to preserve memories from a recent hiking trip? Create a collage to commemorate your family outing by including pieces of bark, flowers, stones, photos from the trip, a piece of your tent’s nylon fabric, and the wrapper from the chocolate you used to make s'mores.

To create a large-scale collage, you can use materials like wooden panels, cardboard, big canvases, or poster board, which are commonly available at most craft stores [source: Collageart].

Keep reading to discover how you can use metal trinkets and small decorative objects in your collage.

Metal makes an extraordinary medium for collage art.

Metal is an excellent material for creating collages. With some creativity, you can transform old bakeware, utensils like forks and spoons, belt buckles, thimbles, pet tags, jewelry, candy tins, and foreign coins into art.

Items like muffin tins, pie pans, and miniature loaf pans can serve as natural frames for a collection of small objects that you can glue inside, such as photographs, mini dolls, plastic animals, costume jewelry, broken watches, bobbins, board game pieces, alphabet letters, marbles, dollhouse furniture, and tiny perfume bottles [source: Hunot]. Other metallic materials to consider include old typewriter keys, zippers, cufflinks, service pins, jacks, and bottle caps.

When gluing a metal object to a metal background, it's essential to roughen the surfaces first. Use sandpaper to scratch each metal piece. To arrange your collage before you start gluing, you have two options: temporarily secure everything with removable adhesive like scotch tape and then glue the pieces one by one, or take a photo of your temporary arrangement and use it as a guide for the final gluing process [source: Hunot].

You can turn belt buckles into picture frames by removing the belt and prong with pliers or a jeweler's saw. Then, trim a photo to fit the buckle frame and glue it in place [source: Hunot]. This technique can also be applied to old metal bangle bracelets, large hoop earrings, and large metal washers.

If you're short on belt buckles but have a stash of bottle caps, use them to create photo frames. First, select the photos you want to use and, using the bottle cap as a template, cut out small images. Apply craft glue in the center of each bottle cap and spread it using a toothpick or the glue nozzle. Then, place the tiny photo in the center of the cap. For an extra touch, you can sprinkle some glitter around the edges to adhere to the excess glue [source: Hunot]. These bottle cap frames can be added to your collage individually or grouped together in a cluster.

In addition to the metal you already have at home, you can find one-of-a-kind pieces at thrift stores, antique shops, flea markets, and estate sales.

Continue reading to explore the charm of paper as a versatile material for collage art.

1. Paper Items

When people think of collage art, paper often comes to mind because it offers such a variety of forms, colors, and textures. Paper is a fantastic material for creating collages. Whether it's photographs, magazine cutouts, newspaper clippings, shopping bags, foil, can labels, matchbooks, old letters, historical documents, discarded textbooks, maps, wallpaper, doilies, postcards, sheet music, or playing cards, all of these make excellent collage materials. And that's just the beginning. There’s no limit to what you can do with paper. For a unique touch, try using sandpaper or blurry photos, or give your paper an antique look by staining it with tea or walnut ink [source: Grant].

You can also try trimming your materials into rounded, wavy edges, or create irregular shapes, using pinking shears for zigzags and other patterns. Experiment by cutting out words or letters to form phrases, or combining two different photographs into one [source: Grant]. You can cut out whole pictures or focus on smaller details—like a nose, part of a leaf, a dog’s tail, or a doorknob. For a different texture, tear the paper for jagged edges, or fold and crumple it. And remember, there's no need to make everything lie flat because when it comes to collage, anything goes.

A cutting mat not only protects your table, but it also ensures smooth cuts when using a utility knife or scissors. For smoother paper handling, consider using rubber cement to prevent crinkling. Glue sticks or Mod Podge are also reliable options.

Once you've finished, you have several ways to protect your collage. You can frame it with glass, have it laminated at a print shop, or apply a thin layer of Mod Podge using a foam paintbrush or spray on some varnish to create a protective seal [source: Love To Know Crafts].