How to make a digital collage

Watch our workshop from Black History Month 2024 with artist Lela Harris, who demonstrates how collage art can tell stories about historical Black figures.

Find out how to use simple tools and techniques to create collages online, using material from our Black heritage gallery.

Take a look at some of the artworks created by participants and then have a go at making your own!

Ana Stjelja was inspired by the topic of liberation and the pursuit of freedom in harmony with nature.

Bárbara Ruiz’s work represents the curiosity to learn about different topics we don’t know much about.

Sabine Mordini-Pound was inspired by Mary Seacole and used collage as a way to capture her radiance.

Cristina Paveri’s inspiration was honouring Josephine Baker’s multifaceted life and her enduring impact on history.

Here’s how you can make your own digital collage art using cultural heritage material.

1. Start with a blank canvas

Head on over to Photopea (it’s free) and check out our Black heritage gallery. Think about the story you want to tell and choose your images carefully - then download them. Lela put Josephine Baker on the image of the Brooklyn bridge to symbolise her start in Broadway. She also chose to only represent women as they are often overlooked in Black history.

If you’re not sure what to do, then recreate Lela’s collage by downloading these images.

Watch the video to find out how to start a collage template for print on Photopea.

2. Adding colour, texture and transparency

To start to bring some life to your base collage, watch the video on adding colour, texture and transparency.

3. Viewing sections and uploading your images

If you want to learn how to upload your images onto Photopea and view specific sections of your collage while hiding other parts, watch this part of the workshop.

4. Cutting, layering, shaping and saving

Find out how to cut your images and lock specific layers to make sure they don’t move as you work on them. You will also find out how to create and add shapes to your collages and save your file so you can work on it another day.

5. Undoing steps and the magic wand

If you’ve moved an item around but you aren’t happy with it, this section shows you how to take a step back. Curious about what the magic wand tool does and how to use it? Watch the following section of the video in which Lela walks you through using it.

You’ve now been shown some simple ways to make a digital collage. We invite you to use Black heritage materials to celebrate, share and expose hidden stories through this visual medium.

Through this creative process, we can highlight the importance of representation and the contributions and impact made by so many Black figures throughout history. Create your own collage and help us share with the world the idea that our diversity is what makes us stronger.