Free Magazines for Making Collage

As a SoulCollage® and JourneyCircles™ facilitator, I often get asked where people can find free magazines or images to use in their collage work. Finding free magazines for making collage is easier than you think as often people would rather gift them than put them in the trash or recycling.

Here are a few of places to look or ask for free magazines for making collage.

1. Post a notice on Craigslist or Nextdoor asking for magazines. I recently received a lovely variety from a nearby resident who had posted he had magazines to give away.
2. Search Craigslist for National Geographic magazines – these are awesome for doing intuitive collage and people often have garages full of them. I have received a few boxes full this way.
3. Your local library often has old magazines to give away or sell for a low price.
4. Ask your Mom – she probably still gets subscriptions to a few favorites.
5. Ask girlfriends or neighbors if they have any they are recycling.
6. Ask your hairdresser what they do with old magazines in the waiting area.
7. Check your junk mail, catalogs and brochures for images.
8. Think beyond the magazine to old picture books or coffee table style books you no longer read and are collecting dust. Cut them up!
9. Libraries often retire old books that are not in good shape to lend or sell.
10. Thrift stores can also be a great resource for inexpensive books and magazines to add to your stash.

Think beyond the magazine

Here are a few other ideas for collecting collage supplies:

You can also print images from online but beware copyright issues. Use sites like Unsplash.com that are copyright free.

Go through old boxes of printed photos that you never look at and use some of your own images. Use the actual photos or make color copies to use in your creative work.

Use old wrapping paper, scrapbooking paper, even pretty paper napkins or tissue paper can work. Look around the house and gather what you have.

Finding a selection of free magazines for making collage is easier than you think. I justify buying the occasional new magazine, knowing that it will get recycled and reused in my art after I read it from cover to cover.