Materials:

• Heavy Weight Paper
• Assorted Papers 
• Magazine Clippings
• Markers
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Pencil

Step 1: Choose a face shape for the portrait. Faces can be round, diamond, oblong, heart-shaped, oval, or square. 

Step 2: Sketch the face shape. Begin by sketching a vertical line down the center of the face. Next, sketch a horizontal line along the eye line. Then outline the outside contour line of the face shape. 

Step 3: Choose a collage style. This tutorial experiments with two styles: papier collé and photomontage. Papier collé means “pasted paper” or “paper cut-out.” It is a collaging technique in which printed or decorated paper is applied to a flat surface. The photomontage is a collage created by cutting and gluing photographs to create a new image. 

Step 4: To begin a papier collé, choose an assortment of colored and printed papers. 

Step 5: Cut shapes and place them onto the face. Do not apply glue until the placement is final. 

Step 6: When you’re confident in the placement, glue the first layer of shapes. 

Step 7: Add features such as eyelashes, eyebrows, bangs, lips, nose, etc.

Step 8: Use markers or other drawing mediums to accentuate the features and add background texture. 

Step 9: To begin a photomontage, search through favorite magazines or photos and cut out the ones to use in the collage. 

Step 10: Experiment with the placement of the photos. Apply glue when the images are in their final places. 

Ideas to take collage portraits to the next level:

• Incorporate nature into your collage. Use leaves, sticks, and dried flowers as elements of your portrait. 
• Create drawings on paper and use them in a papier collé collage.