Theprinciple
Cut papers and glue them onto objects to be decorated.
papers can be paper napkins, magazine sheets, sheets made specifically for this purpose with reproduced motifs, Decopatch sheets, handmade papers...
The glue used is transparent when dry, and acts like a varnish: varnish-glue.

Advantages
It's a fast-paced activity, so it's likely to appeal to children. The most time-consuming phase is, of course, cutting, provided the work is done carefully.
Substrates are numerous: On On On On

wood Paper napkin directly on wood

glass Painting on glass + napkin motif

metal Paper napkin motif on metal

terracotta Decopatch on terracotta ashtray

and also polystyrene objects (Christmas baubles), thick cardboard or paper, hard plastic...
The paper collage technique can be used to cover curved objects (vases, lampshade bases, trays with rounded edges, etc.).

Disadvantages
It's difficult to hollow out areas, as napkin paper tears easily. If possible, it's better to choose a background of the same color as the area to be hollowed out.
Wet with glue, towel paper can tear, so use a soft brush or small sponge.

Variants

Click to zoom

to overcome the disadvantages of paper napkins, new papers have emerged. We now have large sheets of Velo paper, thin and strong, with assorted patterns printed on them. Cutting is easier than for napkins, thanks to the quality of the paper, and so is gluing, since this paper doesn't tear. On the other hand, once the glue has dried, the pattern is clear: it doesn't blend in like that of a paper napkin. This can be a plus or a minus, depending on the desired effect! See: Velo paper sheets.

Of course, there are also sheets of Décopatch, a strong paper that allows the tear-and-stick technique...

[Step-by-step paper napkin collage] [Decopatch objects]