Neutral collage clusters have a quiet way of holding space on a page. They do not ask for attention, yet they draw the eye in—through texture, layering, and subtle contrast.
Over time, I found myself creating and collecting many such clusters across my art journals. Some were dense and layered, others sparse and airy. Together, they began to feel like a visual language of their own—soft, grounded, and open-ended.
This post is a visual stack of 30+ neutral collage cluster ideas, gathered in one place. There is no sequence and no expectation—just finished pages and fragments that show how varied neutral collage work can be.
Earthy Tones and Textures
These clusters embrace the calm of natural hues and subtle textures, perfect for a grounding aesthetic in your mixed media art journal.
I also put together a small YouTube video showing my process—how I organized my scraps, created these collage clusters, and then moved on to my artworks. The video walks you through the cluster-making process clearly, and while I don’t show the full collage-making process, you can get a glimpse of how I layered everything together.
Mixed Media Artist Resource Library
Free printables, collage papers, creative prompts & how-to guides
I’ve put together a free resource library designed just for you, packed with everything you need to fuel your creativity. It’s my way of giving back to the mixed media community with resources to inspire your next project. Click here to join.
There is no single right way for a neutral collage art journal page to exist. Some clusters feel full and layered; others remain quiet and spacious. What matters is what feels steady and true to you.
If certain pages stay with you, consider saving them to Pinterest so you can return to them when you need ideas or reassurance. Let this collection become a personal visual reference—something you revisit gently, without expectation.
