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Creative Gift Wrapping using Collage

There are many different ways of gift wrapping that do not follow the conventional ideas of wrapping paper round a gift, securing it with transparent sticky tape and maybe attaching a ribbon. There is nothing wrong with this, and if we are in a hurry and have a large number of presents to wrap, say late on Christmas Eve, then it is a highly efficient way of doing things. However, for that special occasion when time is not an issue it is worth putting in that extra effort to produce a beautifully wrapped present that is entirely original. This can be very rewarding for the giver and will be very much appreciated by the receiver.

One highly creative way of wrapping presents is to use a collage. In order to achieve an attractive collage effect you can use a huge variety of different materials. These may be scraps of conventional wrapping paper, coloured art paper, images from magazines, pieces of greeting cards, strips of coloured cardboard, coloured tissue paper, coloured prints you have made from your computer, cloth materials, odd bits of ribbon, feathers, in fact anything that comes to hand.

In designing your collage you should try to imagine an overall theme before you start. This mental image does not need to be precise and you can change it as you go on, but it is worth visualising at the outset how you would like the final wrapped gift to appear. In doing this you should aim at both contrast and complementarity. This applies to colour selection, patterns, textures, materials, and layout. If you are acquainted with the rules of formal composition, then this is an ideal opportunity to use them, or if you prefer to go just with your head, that is fine too.

Don’t expect every attempt to be perfect, but as you practice this technique you will find what works for you and what does not. Your end results will be unique and satisfying, and the recipient of your gift will be delighted with the result.

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