Collage and mixed media

Collage means sticking different materials on to a surface to make a picture. It was a radical idea in modern art.

Practise this lesson free (6 questions)

What is collage?

Collage comes from the French word coller, meaning to glue or stick.
Artists cut or tear paper, photographs, fabric, packaging and other materials, then arrange and glue them.
Mixed media means using more than one material in a single artwork, for example collage with paint and pen on top.
Photomontage is a collage made mainly from photographs.

Collage in modern art

Around 1912, Georges Braque (French) and Pablo Picasso (Spanish) began adding real materials, such as printed paper and newspaper, to their Cubist works.
The German Dada artist Hannah Höch (1889 to 1978) made sharp, funny and critical photomontages from magazine photographs.
Late in life, Henri Matisse (French, 1869 to 1954) made large cut-outs from sheets of paper painted with gouache, such as The Snail (1953). He called it drawing with scissors.
The American artist Romare Bearden (1911 to 1988) used collage to show African American life.

Making a collage

Plan a composition: try different arrangements before you glue.
Think about contrast: rough against smooth, bright against dull, torn edges against cut edges.
Layer materials to build depth and texture.
Use a glue stick or PVA for paper; PVA works for heavier materials.
You can draw or paint on top of a collage to pull it together.
Worked example

Explain the difference between collage and photomontage.

  1. Collage means gluing any materials, such as paper, fabric and found objects, on to a surface.
  2. Photomontage is a type of collage made mainly from photographs.
  3. So every photomontage is a collage, but not every collage is a photomontage.

Answer: Collage uses any stuck-down materials; photomontage is a collage made mainly from photographs.

Key idea

Collage (from the French coller, to glue) builds a picture from stuck-down materials. Braque and Picasso brought it into modern art around 1912; Hannah Höch made photomontages; Matisse made paper cut-outs. Mixed media uses more than one material.

Key words
Collage
Art made by sticking paper, photos, fabric or other materials on to a surface. From the French coller, to glue.
Mixed media
Using more than one material or technique in one artwork.
Photomontage
A collage made mainly from photographs.
Gouache
An opaque water-based paint with a matt finish.
Composition
How the parts of an artwork are arranged.
Contrast
A strong difference, for example between light and dark, rough and smooth, or complementary colours.

All KS3 Art and Design key terms and definitions →

Quick check

Try two quick questions

See if it has sunk in. Answers are marked straight away.

Extra practice

2 more questions

Try each one, then tap to check.

  1. Which of these is a collage?

    1. A pencil drawing
    2. A picture made by sticking down paper, fabric and photos
    3. A lino print
    4. A clay pot
    Show the answer

    Answer: A picture made by sticking down paper, fabric and photos

    Collage means stuck-down materials.

  2. Which of these is a mixed media artwork?

    1. A pencil drawing only
    2. A watercolour only
    3. A photograph only
    4. A painting with fabric and newspaper stuck on it
    Show the answer

    Answer: A painting with fabric and newspaper stuck on it

    Mixed media combines materials.

Check you have got it

Answer 6 quick questions with instant marking. If you get one wrong, GCSE-ready shows you why and gives you another go. It is free, and you do not need an account.

Practise this lesson free (6 questions)All KS3 Art and Design lessons

Video for this lesson coming soon. Subscribe on YouTube

Sources and references

Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.