Fall Collage
The Set Up
Spread the table with a harvest of scraps in autumn colours. Fabric offcuts, shiny foil, paint swatches, pressed leaves, and pieces of bark all belong here. Add in old postcards, pages from past artworks, washi tape, and anything else waiting for a second life. Keep scissors, glue, and shape punches close at hand.
For an extra spark, include thin foil (kitchen foil or saved wrappers). Press a leaf under the foil and gently rub across it with the side of an oil pastel or paint stick. Suddenly the veins and edges appear in shimmering relief, like a fossil. These embossed foils become striking elements to layer into the collage.
The Making
Press a leaf under the foil and rub until its veins appear like a secret map.
Rip or cut…which feels better in your hands? Layer bark across shiny paper, then cover it with fabric and peel a corner back so the textures jostle against each other. Could a collage feel more like a landscape, or maybe like a basket of treasures tipped out on the table? Try tucking scraps under each other, scattering pieces loosely, or building up thick ridges of texture. Every choice changes the story, and every page ends up gorgeously different!
Variations
Add simple shadow play: fold paper scraps or mount pieces onto cardboard strips so they lift off the page. Under a lamp, the collage throws shadows that move and change throughout the day.
Stain the base paper first with natural inks made from beetroot, onion skins, or turmeric. The earthy washes give the whole piece a warm undertone before the collage even begins.
Materials
Fabric scraps, foil, paint swatches
Pressed leaves, bark, seeds
Thin foil sheets for embossing
Oil pastels or paint sticks
Old postcards or recycled artworks
Washi tape and stickers
Scissors, glue sticks or PVA
Shape punches (optional)