Creating Collage Mandalas
If you like cutting papers with scissors, create collage mandalas! And if you need more inspiration for cutting, read this post first: 5 Reasons to Enjoy Cutting Paper with Scissors)
Circles Are Everywhere
For some people, mandalas have spiritual meaning. They usually represent universe or unity. As the word “mandala” means “circle” they can be almost anything and seen almost anywhere. I am often inspired by the circular shapes that I see in nature. Mandalas are usually symmetric, so they are surprisingly fast to make. The mandalas that I made are very straight-forward, yet eye-catching.
Basic Instructions for Creating Collage Mandalas
1) Cut a centerpiece and other pieces (3 to 5 different shapes, 6 to 12 pieces each) from decorated papers. I cut the pieces freely with scissors not worrying too much about their similarity.
2) Glue the pieces on the solid background paper. I used Golden Soft Gel Gloss gel medium, but you can use almost any glue. Measure the middle point of the background paper and start attaching the pieces from there.
3) Draw some more shapes with color pencils.
4) Doodle the finest decorations with a white gel pen and a thin black marker.
If you study my mandalas carefully, you’ll see how carelessly I have cut the shapes. They are not identical or perfect. I think that the result is more human when using scissors instead of cutting machines or shape cutters. Look at that photo of the daisy flower again, doesn’t the flower look more like hand-cut than machine-cut?
I made my mandalas as greeting cards. I think they would make great gifts!
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5 Reasons to Enjoy Cutting Paper with Scissors
I wrote an article about cutting paper with scissors to the Finnish paper crafting magazine “Paperilla.” The collage shown here was made as an illustration for the article. It is called Fruit Tree. For the collage, I picked some solid colored papers and cut them to pieces. After glueing the pieces, I added a black background and thin decorative lines with black markers. So simple yet effective!
I have nothing against die cutting machines but still – think about the possibilities of plain old scissors! It is like all the stencils and cutting files of the world are packed inside of them!
There are at least five reasons to enjoy cutting paper with scissors!
1) Hand cut pieces are 100 % You
People often worry that if they cut by hand, their circles are not perfectly round or their squares perfectly rectangular. I like to call my irregular cuts “organic.” To me, they look unique and full of potential, especially when combined with the other imperfect ones. They are a little bit like my plants – marigolds and geraniums which I grow each year. They might bloom a bit late, and they would not probably be accepted by the finest of the garden centres, but I love them.
2) While hand cutting Your subconscious guides You
When you keep on cutting those odd shapes, your imagination begins to work. Sometimes it takes less time, sometimes more, but when that happens it is like reading an interesting book, like taking a personality test … It is so much fun to find out what those scissors reveal each time!
3) You can repeat Your favorite shapes
Here are the six examples of mine! I have cut them so many time that they come out naturally. I also know a lot of ways to use them. Because of their familiarity, I can easily make variations from them. Finding your favorite shapes can even create the base of your unique style.
I also love to decorate the shapes with some doodling. That makes similar shapes look different from each other.
4) You can use Your own papers – or any papers!
As you know I love to make my own decorated papers. They are often as curvy and irregular as my hand cuts but no worry. With scissors I can cut any paper, thick or thin. I can spend time with fabulous papers or make even the ugly papers fabulous when I cut them thoughtfully. (The papers seen here are the best solids I know – my own watercolored papers where I have used several layers of watercolor to increase the color intensity. There’s gel medium in the jar for glueing the pieces.)
5) You can always think about hand cutting
You can take couple sheets of paper and the scissors with you wherever you go. Or you can just take the scissors and re-use paper from the magazines, tickets, leaflets, etc. Furthermore, I promise, you will begin to see interesting shapes everywhere. (Feel free to copy that crocus shape – a long stem with an oval shape on the top!)
6) Bonus! You are one step closer to being an artist!
Just wait, your art journal, card collection or whatever you do with the hand cut shapes will begin to live and breathe. Just keep on adding those elements!
Think about how this spread would look if I had cut the shapes using a die-cut machine. Nothing alike! Without even mentioning the differences in the experience of cutting and assembling. Art needs freedom, and your scissors can take you there!
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How to Create Tissue Paper Collage
Here’s what I did today: the collage of spring flowers using tissue papers!
The idea for the tissue paper collage came from a visual arts teacher who sent me an email asking if I had any ideas about creating art using tissue papers and markers. I had some tissue paper in the storage, and when I went to fetch them, several ideas came to my mind.
Decorating Tissue Papers
As I love to make my own collage elements, I began with decorating the tissue papers. Alcohol-based markers are best for the job. I used PITT pens, but any markers will do really. You can also use color pencils if you do not have any markers. It is just a bit easier to draw with the markers on the thin tissue paper than with sharp pencils.
The great thing about tissue paper is that you can use both sides and create interesting layers. Create color motifs on one side (step 1), then turn the paper and do the same there (step 2). I always use various thicknesses of pens as it makes the decoration more interesting. You can add finer details on both sides (steps 3 and 4). This way you have created a paper that you can use either side up in your artwork.
If you have alcohol inks, they add color and interest, especially when layered. White pens or correction pens can be used for the decoration too.
Finally, you’ll have something quite different from the original solid colored papers! The actual making of a collage can now begin.
Tissue Paper Collage
You can use plain white paper as a background, but I could not do that. I am too much of a color person. I grabbed some of my handmade background papers. This background is made using acrylics, stencils and color mists but you can use any techniques for the background. I have some instructions for the backgrounds: see a patterned paper with layers or the frugal version using fewer supplies.
Cut the papers into small pieces. Grab some white paper (I used a thin marker paper) and cut small pieces of that too (image 1). Then glue the pieces together to create small clusters (image 2). Use the white paper between layers to create color variation and lighter shades. I always use matte gel medium to glue the elements together (image 3). If you do not have gel medium, you can use PVC glue with some water. But if you make collages or scrapbook the matte gel medium is a good investment. After gluing the elements create new details with markers and color pencils (image 4).
Here’s a detail of the finished tissue paper collage. It looks like there are lots of layers even if the structure is fairly simple. When creating this also some other ideas came to my mind. Maybe I will return to my tissue paper stash some other time to try those. What I represented here does not require a wide range of materials.
Many times creativity is the best material you have. I strongly believe that even if there are so beautiful papers in the craft stores, the best papers are those you create yourself!
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How to Make Paper Flowers
Once you have made your own patterned paper, why not turn them into adorable paper flowers!
I just love the way they go along with the papers. Once you have developed your own style, anything you do can be combined together. As I have said, the best shop for papers and embellishments is the one you can set up for yourself!
So take out your hand decorated papers (I have quite a pile of them) and start making flowers! In addition to papers, you will only need correction pen, black marker (I love PITT artist pens), some embroidery floss, glue (Tombow is my favorite) and scissors.
Pick three papers that work well together. Remember to ensure there’s enough contrast between them.
Cut three circles, a small one, a medium one and a large one. My largest one is about 3 inches (7,5 cm) but you can make them in various sizes. Just be sure the smallest circle is big enough to add details like button holes.
If you have made your papers drawing layered circles, you have your circles ready to be cut. I cut the circles free hand as I am not so fussy about making them accurate.
After cutting the circles, take the biggest one and draw the shape of the flower with the black marker. I like my flowers to be asymmetrical. I think they look more artsy that way!
Cut by following the marker line so that the black marker line remains visible. The line frames your flower and make it look more dimensional.
You can also change the shape of the second circle if it feels right. I often find myself adjusting the shapes of the circles during the process.
Make the smallest circle to look like a button by drawing circles with the marker and the correction pen. Then add holes with the marker. Big holes look better than small ones.
Now you have the three parts of the flower ready to be attached. Glue the parts together. Then take your needle and sew the buttonhole. After this phase I often add details with the marker. Here I have added little dots around the button and circled the second circle. As I love adding layers to my work, I finally glued the flower to another paper (blue one in the picture) and cut it out.
Here’s the finished piece. Have fun with your papers!
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