Collage is one of my all-time favorite ways to make art and these collage hearts are so much fun to make if you’re also in the paper-loving camp.
I have stacks of collage papers, scrapbook paper, old book pages, and painted paper, and this activity came from an idea of incorporating these textured beauties into a Valentine’s Day card. You could use this same concept for a piece of art for the wall or an anytime card – birthdays, thanks you cards, or just a “hello, I’m thinking about you card.”
A fun bonus is that you get to make four collage hearts in one go. These are kind of addictive, and it’s fun to experiment, so be prepared to make more than four if this catches your eye.
Supplies for Four Section Collage Hearts
Watercolor paper (this is your base)
4 pieces of collage paper, roughly the same size
Scissors
Glue
Paint and/or colored pencils
Step 1: Cut one piece of watercolor paper into 4 sections.
Step 2: Fold all of the collage papers in half and cut a heart shape to fit inside one of the watercolor papers. If your child is new to cutting hearts and they want to try this step, these are easy steps to learn how to cut a heart out of paper.
You should now have 4 hearts, all the same size.
Step 3: Stack the hearts and cut them in half. You don’t have to be precise.
Step 4: Cut the hearts in half again. You now have four sections of each heart.
Step 5: Glue the heart pieces to your watercolor paper, with a four different quadrants for each heart.
Step 6: Decorate the background of your collage hearts however you like.
Since you’ll have four different hearts, this is a great opportunity to experiment with paint, colored pencils, pen, or other materials.
Turn the cards over to write a message.
Learning opportunities with Four Section Collage Hearts
- Math: Teach kids about geometric shapes (yes, hearts are geometric shapes!), mirroring, and symmetry. Symmetry is when you have exactly the same parts facing each other, as if they’re across a mirror.
- Mixed Media Art: Discuss mixed media art, which is art where more than one media is used. In this case, we’re using collage paper plus paint, colored pencil, and/or pen.
Extend it!
- Mail these as postcards: Cover the collage with a layer of glue or Mod Podge so the paper doesn’t rip in transit.
- Make folded cards: You can get watercolor paper cards that come with envelopes for something a little more fancy.
You have so many great ideas! Thank you so much for sharing!