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An independent guide

Froissage: the art of crumpled paper

Crumple a sheet, open it, wash it with ink and look for the image hiding in the creases. Our guides cover the method step by step, its history in Czech and French art, the artists who made it famous and projects for every classroom.

What is froissage?
Old sheet of brown paper covered in fine creases and folds
Photo: Ake, CC0, via Openverse
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Sharpened graphite pencil and white eraser resting on a blank page of a spiral sketchbook
Technique Automatic Drawing: The Surrealist Exercise, Step by Step Automatic drawing explained: where the Surrealist method came from, how André Masson and Joan Miró used it, and a step-by-step exercise you can try today. October 17, 2026
  1. 01 Crumpled Paper Christmas Crafts: 8 Easy Festive ProjectsCrumpled paper Christmas crafts for home and class: froissage cards, scrunched trees, paper snowballs, ornaments and wreaths, plus recycling and safety tips.
  2. 02 Ellsworth Kelly's Chance Collages: Spectrum Colors, 1951Ellsworth Kelly's chance collages: how the Paris years, Jean Arp and numbered slips of paper led to Spectrum Colors Arranged by Chance, plus a class version.
  3. 03 Frank Gehry and Crumpled Paper: The Myth and the MethodDid Frank Gehry design buildings from crumpled paper? The Simpsons joke, the Sydney paper bag building and how Gehry really worked with sketches and models.

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An independent guide to froissage, the technique of drawing and painting from the creases of crumpled paper: methods, history, artists and classroom projects.

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Rows of carved jack-o'-lantern pumpkins with different faces arranged on straw bales
Classroom Halloween Froissage Monsters: Crumpled Paper Art Project Halloween froissage monsters: crumple paper, wash it in orange, purple and black, and find ghosts, bats and creatures in the creases. A 45-60 minute class plan. October 17, 2026
Layers of cream, pink, grey and dark blue paint scraped and flaking to reveal the colours underneath
Artists Jean Dubuffet Texturologies: Paintings of Soil and Chance Jean Dubuffet's Texturologies of 1957-58 and his Phénomènes prints: how he spattered, scratched and printed textures of soil and walls, and what to try. October 17, 2026
Black and white photogram shown as negative and positive side by side, with film strips, discs and loops of string forming white and black shapes
Technique How to Make a Photogram: Cameraless Pictures From Objects How to make a photogram with sun-print paper or in a darkroom, plus the history from Talbot and Anna Atkins to Man Ray's rayographs, and crumpled-paper ideas. October 17, 2026
Children painting at tables in an art class
Classroom Paper Batik With Crumpled Paper: Crayon Resist Project Paper batik with crumpled paper, step by step: wax crayon drawing, crumpling, a dark wash that fills the creases, ironing tips and ideas for every age group. October 17, 2026
Printmaking rollers and inked surfaces on a workshop table
Technique String Pull Painting: How to Make Pulled String Art String pull painting step by step: dipping string in paint, folding and pulling it out, flower and feather shapes, materials, mistakes to avoid and ideas. October 17, 2026
Victor Hugo's 1857 ink-wash drawing Souvenir of a Castle in Vosges, a pale castle on a crag against a dark brown sky
History Victor Hugo Ink Drawings: Blots, Stencils and Stains Victor Hugo ink drawings explained: how the novelist used blots, stencils, lace and folding, his main periods, where to see the originals and how to try it. October 17, 2026
Large pink tissue paper heart covered in wrinkles and creases, lying on a cream paper-wrapped package
Classroom Wrinkled Heart Activity: Crumpled Paper Kindness Lesson The wrinkled heart activity step by step: how the crumpled paper heart lesson works, discussion questions by age, a follow-up art idea and tips for running it. October 17, 2026
Red, orange and yellow maple leaves lying on green grass
Classroom Autumn Leaves Crumpled Paper Art: A Froissage Project An autumn leaves crumpled paper art project: crumple, wash in fall colours, cut out leaves and draw veins from the creases. Steps, materials and leaf science. October 16, 2026
Crumpled ball of thin material on a plain surface, its folds catching the light
Artists Brassaï Involuntary Sculptures: Dalí, Minotaure and Paper Brassaï's Involuntary Sculptures: the 1933 Minotaure photographs made with Dalí of rolled bus tickets and crumpled scraps, and why they matter for froissage. October 16, 2026
Young woman blowing a stream of iridescent soap bubbles from a red bubble wand outdoors
Classroom Bubble Painting: How to Print Colourful Bubble Patterns Bubble painting step by step: mixing paint with bubble solution, blowing safely through a straw, printing the foam onto paper, plus colour ideas and fixes. October 16, 2026
Canvas covered in pink, orange and lime-green paint running downward in long vertical drips
Technique Drip Painting Technique: Pouring Paint and Letting It Fall Drip painting technique explained: from Ernst, Sobel and Pollock to a safe home or classroom method, with paints, tools, step-by-step pours and common mistakes. October 16, 2026
Shaded relief map showing mountain ridges and river valleys in a pattern like crumpled paper
Classroom Crumpled Paper Watershed Model: A Classroom Activity Build a crumpled paper watershed model: mark ridges with washable marker, spray rain, watch runoff collect, then add land use to show how pollution travels. October 16, 2026
01

Sourced

Dates, names and attributions come from museums, encyclopedias and publishers, and every guide lists its sources.

02

Practical

Step-by-step methods with ordinary paper, ink and watercolour, written for beginners, families and art teachers.

03

Respectful of copyright

We link to museum collections instead of copying artworks, and every photo we use is openly licensed and credited.