Poetic Papers

Collage Fodder Class

Create yummy, one-of-a-kind and vintage-inspired collage papers that will inspire unique art!

 

Click the video to see inside the class!

 
 
 

Do you wish you were full of creative inspiration, easily able to get in the flow and make lots of beautiful work you love, but…

 
 

You often feel uninspired or stuck in one of your creative projects?

Take a break and make some papers instead! With no end result in mind and no expectations, it takes away the pressure of "making art".

Your inner critic often interrupts your art-making?

Playing and getting messy helps you become more creative and silence your inner critic, so your inner artist can flourish. Art should be fun!

You always seem to end up using the same papers over and over again?

At some point, it's good to renew your stash with fresh ideas. Your new papers will inspire new art!

 

When you're a collage addict like me, with a big stash of papers in your drawers, it's easy to get precious about them — especially the vintage papers that aren’t always easy to come by — so you end up never using them.

It's time to take them out and do something with these beauties!

 

What if...

  • you could unleash your creativity as you alter a whole variety of reclaimed papers with art supplies and some unusual techniques.

  • you could turn materials you already own into a whole stash of beautiful collage papers to use in your art for months and even years to come!

  • you could play with subtle effects to create unexpected, slightly moody and vintage-inspired collage papers that convey your emotions and tell a story.

Get ready to get creative and blissfully messy! What better way to create unique art than with unique materials?

Hi, I’m Laly Mille

Like many mixed media creatives, I'm a little bit obsessed with interesting reclaimed papers. I collect them all! Family and friends keep them for me (a paper doily from the restaurant, wrapping paper with a floral pattern...). I just can't throw away a pretty scrap and I even have a big basket where I gather all these tiny treasures.

The vintage ones feel especially precious, full of stories and mystery. When you're an artist who uses collage a lot, then the kind of paper you use really becomes a part of your signature style, which is why I love to customize my papers to make them even more special and unique.

I often create my collage papers very organically and unexpectedly, inviting serendipity by using leftover scraps and paints or playing with new supplies and creating “happy accidents.” But it can be just as much fun to be more deliberate and create yummy, unique papers by experimenting with various elements, which is what I’ll show you in this class.

what Students said:

“What a wonderful stash of collage papers I now have. I will never have to purchase any again!”

— JENNY D.

“I really enjoyed this lesson. I think it’s the best way for me to create/play intuitively.”

— TAWNYA O.

“I can’t stress enough how with Laly’s guidance and loving lessons, we can all create beautiful things.”

— DIANE F.

START YOUR JOURNEY!

37 USD / 37 EUR

1+ Hours Of Video Lessons    Self-paced Online Art Class    Instant, Lifetime Access    Private Community Forum

The Lessons

With over 1 hour of video lessons, you’ll be right here with me in the studio as I play and experiment with various papers and unusual materials, and explain every little detail of what I do and why!

 Watercolor

Watercolors and paper are a match made in heaven! I love the subtle effects and the vintage feel you can achieve with neutral and faded colors.

Text Stamp

I’ll show you how to use an alphabet stamp and ink pad to add a phrase to your pages. Give white ink a try to create a lovely, subtle look on neutral pages or a bolder look on dark pages.

 Customized Book Page

We’ll tone down the text with white gesso, then stamp into it with bubble wrap and use beautiful pre-made stamps.

 

Aged Photocopy

I love the look of vintage paper, old sheet music and book pages... They have such beautiful warm tones and carry the stories of times past. But we don't always have access to these beauties, so what if we made our own?

Salt Marks

Salt is always fun to experiment with. Sprinkle it over paint to create beautiful and unexpected marks like little sparkly stars!

Doodling

As I always say "the magic is in the layers"! Let's add some color, contrast, marks and words to make our papers that much more poetic and inspiring.

 
 

Rust Prints

Are you ready to get even messier and create some magical, unexpected effects? Then let's have fun with rust prints! I’ll show you how to make them in a safe and lovely way with… tea!

 Stencil & Gesso

White gesso is a bit like the bread-and-butter of mixed media. You can use it in thin layers for some subtle, veiled effects, or you can also use it really thick to create texture. You can even push a stamp into it to create an embossed surface!

 
 
 

In total, Poetic Papers has over 1 hour of high-quality video and jam-packed with a whole variety of techniques.

I show and explain everything in detail, and I encourage you to make the process yours and work with what you’ve got. If you've ever taken a class with me, you know I like to keep it clear and super inspiring!

The class is in English with English closed captions available.

 
 
 

Recommended Supplies

Here’s a list of supplies for the class.

These are only suggestions and I encourage you to work with whatever materials you already own and love. Inside the class, you’ll get a more detailed list with links.

 
 

All kinds of papers you already own, preferably in neutral tones, like:

  • Book pages

  • Magazine pages

  • Black & white prints/photocopies (text, sheet music…)

  • Tissue (from parcels, shoe boxes, sewing patterns…)

  • Other papers like junk mail, vintage ephemera, library cards, paper doilies, restaurant placemats and anything that catches your fancy!

A few art supplies & tools:

  • White gesso or white acrylic paint

  • Watercolors or inks (or watered-down acrylic paint)

  • A few paint brushes

  • Mark-making tools like bubble wrap, stencils & stamps

  • Pens & pencils of your choice

  • Spray bottle & rag

A few items from around the house:

  • Teabags + hot water

  • Coarse salt

  • Instant coffee or walnut ink granules

  • A few rusty items if you want to try the rust technique (old key, nails, washers, bottle caps…)

  • Something to protect your table (old placemats or tray that you don’t mind staining, packing paper or anything that works for you)

Your Guide
for this creative journey

Hi, I’m Laly and I'm so glad you’re here! I’m a mixed media artist from France, and I’m here to help you grow your artist wings!

I’m sure you’re just like me and want to make art that’s personal and unique. Creating one-of-a-kind materials is a fantastic way to get there! This class is also perfect if you’re needing fresh inspiration or feeling a little off or unmotivated. Sometimes, I just want to create something in a carefree way that doesn’t demand a lot of my energy.

With Poetic Papers, we’re not trying to create a big finished masterpiece. We’re just making little papers that could eventually work their way into a bigger piece of art. This totally takes the pressure off, which opens up feelings of freedom, fun, and simply the pleasure of doing something creative. Without even trying, you’ll ignite your creativity again!

 You may have seen me in

 
Laly Mille in her art studio sitting at table with pink laptop.
 
 

 Your Questions Answered

If you don’t find an answer below, don’t hesitate to reach out by email at support@lalymille.com. We'll do our best to help!

 

I've never tried mixed media before. I can't even draw a straight line! Can I really do this class?

The beauty of creating collage papers is that it’s a very forgiving and easy process perfect for absolute beginners! You don’t need to know how to paint or draw (in fact, none will be required!). You just need to be willing to play and experiment with combining different materials together. This is one of my easiest classes!

I don’t have a lot of art supplies. Will I need to spend hundreds of dollars on papers, paints and materials?

No! This class is all about repurposing and reclaiming papers…You can use magazines, old books, napkins, wrapping paper… anything goes, just use your imagination. As for paints, just choose one or two favorites, use tea bags, and you can make marks and stamps with found objects from around the house.

I’m an experienced artist. Will there be anything I can learn from this class?

Absolutely! Creating your own stash of Poetic Papers is a wonderful opportunity to hone in on your personal style and make art that’s even more unique. Plus, getting messy will help you loosen up and approach your art with renewed joy and energy!

  • First, make sure to add laly@lalymille.com, and lalymille@c.kajabimail.net to your email contacts, to make sure that messages for the class safely reach your inbox.

    You’ll first receive a confirmation email as soon as you sign up.

    Then you’ll receive a Welcome email with your login instructions shortly after registration.

    Login instructions will be sent to the email you used during registration. If you need to update your contact email after check-out, you can do so by clicking on the "preferences" link at the bottom of any of our emails or by contacting us at support@lalymille.com

    If it's the first time you’re taking one of my classes, you’ll be prompted to create a password for your account. If you’re a returning student, the class will be automatically added to your existing member account, provided that you’ve used the same email address when registering.

  • You can check the price conversion with online tools such as xe.com. It fluctuates slightly from day to day. You'll see the correct price in your own currency at checkout on Paypal or Stripe.

  • Because these are digital classes with immediate access to all content, all sales are final and refunds are not offered.

    Before registering, please make sure that your internet connection and device allow you to smoothly stream high-resolution videos online. The videos are not downloadable, and we are not responsible for individual technical issues related to your internet connection, browser, device, or software configuration.

    We encourage you to carefully review our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy before signing up.

  • How do I know if a class is the right fit for me?

    I’m a self-taught artist and certified creativity coach, and I teach in a heart-centered, non-academic way. In my classes, you’ll see me creating in real time while being gently guided to explore your own inner and outer creative world. My classes are designed to help you connect more deeply with your most authentic creative voice.

    The lessons include many of my personal techniques, some learned over the years and shared in my own way, others discovered through experimentation, intuition, and happy accidents.

    I also share creative tips and gentle strategies to help you develop a meaningful practice, move through creative blocks, and expand your comfort zone with curiosity and kindness.

    To know whether a class is the right fit for you, I encourage you to trust your intuition. If something about it sparks your curiosity, feels exciting, comforting, inspiring, or deeply resonant, then it is likely a beautiful fit for your creative journey.

    On the other hand, if you are looking primarily for highly technical instruction, academic-style teaching, detailed critique, or professional certification, then my classes may not be the best fit for your expectations.

    My teaching style includes intuition, symbolism, mindfulness, and occasional playful creative rituals or oracle cards for inspiration. If these approaches are not your cup of tea, you may prefer a different learning environment.

    If you are unsure, I warmly encourage you to begin with one of my free lessons to experience my teaching style before registering for a paid class.

    Please note that, due to the digital nature of the classes and immediate access to content, refunds are not offered after registration.

  • My classes are e-courses, hosted online, and members get an individual, private account to access all their classes on my teaching platform.

    All classes are self-study and self-paced. They’re not academic classes. There are no assignments to submit, no grades, no schedule, no certificates of completion, no live conferences. There’s no schedule to comply with, no “catching up” or “falling behind”, ever. They’re simply a space of freedom and creativity for you to explore and enjoy.

    Most classes have lifetime access (as per our terms of service, "lifetime" means for the lifetime of the program). The videos are pre-recorded, so you can watch them at your own pace, whenever you want, and as many times as you wish. It’s up to you to find the rhythm that suits you best. Make time regularly to complete your course. It’s a gift you’re giving yourself!

  • For most of my classes, you get lifetime access to the classroom and videos. "Lifetime" technically means for the lifetime of the program. If we were to retire a course (which so far has never happened), we’d give you several months' notice so you have plenty of time to complete the lessons. You can watch the videos within the classroom as often and as many times as you wish.

    To protect the integrity of our content (and all the work that went into creating it) the videos are not downloadable. Therefore, before signing up, please make sure that your internet connection allows you to smoothly stream high-resolution videos online. Refunds will not be made after registration.

  • Yes. We have a private community forum within the classroom site where I check in once a week to answer questions and see what you’ve shared! Of course, I also do my best to offer as much information as possible within the class videos, text and other resources. Don’t hesitate to watch twice and pause the videos! The other participants will also be able to help you.

    Please keep in mind that the classroom site is the place where all the teaching takes place. I won’t answer individual questions by email or on social media. The Classroom Community Forum is accessible directly from within the menu of the classes.

  • Of course! We have the most vibrant, positive and encouraging online community, and we can't wait to welcome you!

    You can share photos of what you create and connect with others in the Classroom Community Forum within the classroom site.

    We also have Instagram hashtags to help participants find each other on this platform.

 

A summary of what you’ll get

1+ hours of detailed video lessons and my best creative tips.

You’ll be right by my side as I share my authentic process and thoughts as I play and experiment. By the end of this class, you’ll be amazed at how many unique papers you've created!

My self-taught artist roots mean you won’t find any dry or technical art language here!

I have a heart-centered, non-academic teaching style perfect for beginners all the way to experienced artists. There are no mistakes, only happy accidents! I encourage you to relax, let go of expectations, play, try new things and trust your intuition. This class is all about your own pleasure and creative fulfillment.

Get ready to go on a creative journey!

If you’re new, returning to art after a break or just need a boost of inspiration, this class will be your beacon of light. My hope is that it will give you techniques and inspiration to awaken your imagination and re-spark your creative fire!

And with lifetime access, you can come back anytime to renew your stash of collage fodder.

Feel part of a creative community.

When you join you'll get access to our private community forum right within the classroom site, where I check in every week. You're welcome to ask questions, the other participants and I will support you!

 
 
 

Register Now!

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Self-paced Online Art Class    Instant, Lifetime Access    Private Community Forum

 
 

All sales are final and no refunds will be made.