mark making!

I love textures and pattern, they form an important part of my collage work. Mark making is great fun and you can quickly build up a wonderful collection of creative papers to use on all sorts of projects.

Here are some of my favourite techniques made from bits and pieces found around the house. No need to order lots of expensive materials! This is a great one for the kids, you can send them on a hunt around to find things that can be pressed into paint or an ink pad and then can be pressed onto paper to make a mark.

I like to use recycled paper and card as much as possible. I use old cereal packets, pages from magazines, envelopes, packaging from delivered parcels, pages from half used note books, really anything I can make a print on! I used gouache paint but you can use any paint you have. I also used stamping ink pads but if you don’t have them they are not essential.

bubble wrap textures

Press bubble wrap into some paint and press down gently on to paper. I like to use one colour and then when that is dry add another.

wrapped string

Wrap a length of string around a piece of cardboard packaging. Dipped into paint and pressed onto paper, makes lovely stripes.

card edges

One of my favourite tools, the edge of some card, pressed into some paint on a plate and then pressed onto paper. Cut the card to different lengths and use different thicknesses , to make stripes and scratchy grids.

pencil eraser

If you have a pencil with an eraser on the top, this makes a great circle pattern.

scrap cardboard

A piece of packing cardboard, a tube and parts of an egg carton all make unusual and exciting patterns.

old paint brushes

Old paintbrushes that have seen better days are good for some nice textures.

layering patterns

I like to layer one pattern over another. Here a piece of kitchen sponge creates the first blocky pattern and then the piece of cardboard packaging creates a contrasting texture over the top.

combining tools

Here I have used the pencil eraser and card.

repeat patterns

Use different size and shape brushes to make repeat patterns.

collage time!

Use all of your wonderful patterns and textures to make beautifully colourful collages. Or have a go at making your very own stand up lion in my cut out lion tutorial.