Painted Paper and Floral Collage

Hello there! Today we're going to paint some paper and make a collage out of it.

I learned this technique from Andrea Nelson at Workshop Week. If you're not familiar, Workshop Week is a series of virtual art classes that will definitely turn your creativity from blah to TADA! If you'd like to participate this year (June 2 to 6, 2025), you can sign up here. It's free to join!

Andrea's session, "Watercolor Floral Collage," was super fun, approachable, and anyone can do it, whether or not you have experience making art. 

I followed along as she demonstrated the project -- I made a tiny version in my sketchbook (top left corner)...TADA! 

Here is a closer look. The vase and flowers are paper cutouts that were glued to the page. While the leaves, background, and table surface are painted on using watercolor.

Let me show you how it's made:

Get a blank sheet of paper. Andrea uses regular copy paper and I'm using this brown paper bag. I cut open the sides and bottom so I can spread it out. That way, it'll be easier to paint.  

Paint the paper using acrylic or watercolors. This part of the paper will be the flowers. Make sure to vary the shades and values of color to give your flowers dimension. 

I'm also making some blue flowers. The paper painted black will be for the flower centers and the abstract side (black with white marks) will be used for the vase. Remember, this is just a guide. You can use whatever colors and patterns you want. 

Once the paint is dry, cut them into shapes. The flowers are freeform or you can use a rubber stamp and ink pad for more defined flowers. Cut out small circles in a contrasting color and glue these to the center of the flowers. 

You can also draw the flowers on the paper with a black marker before cutting them. Experiment with different shapes and sizes.

To make the collage, get another sheet of paper (this is cardstock) and have your glue ready. Cut a vase shape out of the patterned paper and glue this on the cardstock. 

Paint on some stems and leaves using watercolor and let this dry. 

Layout the flowers and when you've decided on where you like them to go, glue them in place. I like to use an odd number of flowers (ex. three, five, seven, nine, etc.).

Paint on a surface (ex. tabletop) and some shadows just below the vase. 

And here it is, our floral collage...TADA! Wasn't that simple?

I made a few more versions in postcard form: 

This is the cover of a blank greeting card...TADA!

And this one is a page from my art journal...TADA!

Isn't it so easy to make art? And it's equally easy to turn a brown paper bag from blah to TADA!

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