The art of collage

In today’s Internet, saturated with visual content, your message has very little time to attract an audience, before it switches to the next one. In this competition for attention, impressive images are a key element. But how to stand out among all the variety of impressive photos and videos on the network? Our answer is creative collages.

Collages can become the highlight of your e-mail, advertising campaign or communication in social networks. In addition to you you do not need to create them personally, because we have collected for you a special collection of original collages that will be perfect for any format. Check it out and choose an image for your next exciting project!

The main thing about the art of collage

As an art form, collage emerged at the beginning of the last century thanks to the work of such famous artists as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Georges Braque. It was they who invented the term “collage”. Although an artistic technique that involves the use of different materials such as paper and cloth existed long before that.

With the advent of digital technology, collage has gone beyond the process of manual cutting and pasting. This is how digital collage appeared, which became even more experimental. Unlike a traditional collage, it is created by superimposing various images and textures. For this, they use programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator and many other applications.

What is the appeal of collages

1. Unique character. By choosing collages, you can be sure that your content will attract interest, because they look original and contain many different elements. This forces viewers to stop and take a closer look at an interesting design.

2. Creative freedom. Collage is a bold artistic technique where there are almost no creative limits. With its help, you can create literally anything mood or embody a certain aesthetic. It’s also a great way to embody abstract concepts that are hard to put into literal terms way.

3. Versatility. Do not think that collages are appropriate only in the creative field. Literally any brand can integrate them into its communication. As an example, we can cite FIFA’s advertising campaign, where they bet on exactly this approach. Collage allows the brand to show itself from the creative side.

4. Visual storytelling. Thanks to the use of different images, whole stories can be created in the collage, which will effectively attract the audience and definitely will cause them an emotional response.

How brands can use collages

• Printed materials. From banners and flyers to posters and packaging, collages are a great addition to marketing messages and will help draw attention to them.

• Merch. How about creating colorful t-shirts, eco bags, stationery and any other souvenir products by decorating her original collages? People will enjoy using these things, which will provide you with free advertising.

• Communication in social networks. Users of social networks constantly consume a huge amount of photo and video content. Offer them something fresh and original in the form of a creative collage.

• E-mail mailings. Think about how many emails with standard images your potential audience receives. Using a non-trivial approach to choosing visual content can be a winning strategy.

• Advertising campaigns. Using the example of the FIFA advertising campaign, we can see how cool and modern collages can look. Think about how you can use this format to promote your brand or product.

• Creative projects. Since creative projects are simply made for creative experiments, it is difficult to find a better way to integration of collages. See how we did it in our guide to popular aesthetics.

Tips for creating creative collages

You can also create creative digital collages yourself for any marketing purposes. For this you need only images that will become the basis of the future design and a special program. You always need visual content found in the Depositphotos library, which contains more than 270 million files. It can also be an assistant in creating a collage our free image background removal tool that allows you to isolate objects in literally seconds.

1. Decide on a topic

A theme is the basis of your design, which will determine the choice of images, colors and composition, as well as set the overall mood work Start with a general idea and focus on the associations it evokes. Great ways to narrow down your topic and make a decision with a common vision will be brainstorming.

2. Create a moodboard

Once you start working with associations, you can move on to finding references and sources of inspiration. These can be images, materials (for example, newspaper clippings or pieces of fabric) — in a word, everything that fits into the theme of the collage and conveys it mood. Having collected all the elements, you can see a complete picture.

3. Choose the relevant colors

Since colors can evoke different emotions, their choice should be approached with all seriousness. Check out the theory color to have an understanding of which shades will help you create the right atmosphere. For example, brown color causes a feeling of comfort and reliability, and gold is associated with power and success.

4. Think over the composition

The main role in creating a visually attractive composition is played by balance. It is about such placement of visual elements, so that no part of the design looks overloaded or, on the contrary, empty. To achieve this you can use the rule of thirds and white space, which allows you to balance the “heavy” elements.

5. Add layers

Layering adds depth and interest to a collage, turning a flat image into a three-dimensional work. To create this one effect, start with the background layer, which will be the basis for the following elements. Start adding them one by one as you build volume and visual variety.

6. Experiment with textures

Textural elements create almost tactile sensations that give collages a unique character. Choose different textures — from rough concrete to delicate flowers. And don’t be afraid to combine them, because thanks to unusual combinations, your design will look good much more effective.

7. Use special effects

With the help of Photoshop, you can create a special aesthetic in your collage, from retro-futuristic to anime. Also we recommend using filters and masks to blend different layers in a collage so that the final result looks holistically

And the last piece of advice: don’t hold back your imagination, because collages are a space of absolute creative freedom. Don’t be afraid to create something strange Such works also have their own appeal. Do not believe? Then check out an exclusive collection of the craziest search queries in our library — from a banana with arms and legs to a man with a horse’s head.

In today’s digital world, the ability of brands to attract attention and leave a lasting impression has taken on a new meaning. In this the importance of creative visual content is difficult to overestimate. If you are looking for bold ideas to engage audience, try integrating collages into your marketing communications. Choose original images in our theme collection or create your own unique design using the tips in this article.