Owl Portrait Vintage Printables
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I love vintage portraits, and I recently stumbled upon these adorable owl photos that reminded of the family photos we had taken at a local studio when I was a kid...except black and white...and with owls. I had to turn them into some free collage sheets. These images are perfect for mixed media projects, junk journaling, card making, and much more. In this post, I’ll provide some ideas on how you can use these printables for journaling, DIY cardmaking, etc.
About the Owl Portrait Printables
The owl portraits in these collage sheets come from vintage photographs dating back to the 1870s that capture the beauty of these nocturnal creatures. I created two different layouts:
Rectangular Owl Portraits – These feature nine beautiful sepia-toned owl photos, making them ideal for collage work, journaling, and even mini wall art.
Circular Owl Portraits – This version includes six owl portraits framed in round shapes. These are especially useful for making tags, embellishments, or as accents in scrapbooking projects.
If you love owls, you’ll want to download these free owl collage sheets with illustrations by John James Audubon. You may also enjoy browsing through all of my free bird printables for more journal materials.
Journal Cards
You can download both of these printable collage sheets for free and incorporate them into your creative work in countless ways.
Using Owl Printables in Junk Journals
Junk journals are the perfect home for these vintage owl portraits. Here’s how you can make the most of them:
Journal Cards: Print the images on cardstock, cut them out, and turn them into journal cards. Use a corner punch for a decorative touch, or ink the edges for a distressed look. You can write personal notes on the back, or leave them blank to preserve their vintage charm.
Pocket Inserts: The circular owl portraits are great for creating pocket inserts. After printing and cutting out the circles, tuck them into pockets or envelopes throughout your journal. These inserts are perfect for adding a surprise visual element as the pages are turned.
Tip-ins: Create "tip-ins" by attaching a hinge (made from washi tape or fabric) to the side of a journal page. Use one of the circular portraits as a mini-flip page for extra journaling space beneath it.
Layering: For a more textured look, layer the owl portraits with vintage ephemera, lace, or dried flowers. The mix of textures can give your junk journal spreads a uniquely tactile quality.
Mixed Media Projects with Vintage Owl Prints
Mixed media crafting is all about combining different materials to create something entirely new. These owl printables can serve as focal points or as part of larger mixed media canvases.
Layered Canvases: Use the owl portraits as part of a layered mixed media canvas. Start by creating a background using acrylic paints, inks, or textured pastes. Once the base is dry, glue one or more of the rectangular owl portraits on the canvas, then enhance it with additional layers of stenciling, stamping, or collage.
Tags and Embellishments: The circular owl portraits are ideal for making custom tags or embellishments for mixed media projects. Print them out on thick paper, then add dimensional elements like embossing powder, beads, or small gears for a steampunk twist. Attach these embellished tags to gift packages, journal covers, or wall art.
Altered Books: These owl portraits also work wonderfully in altered book projects. Use them to decorate altered book pages by layering them with other vintage paper elements, like old postage stamps, dictionary ephemera, or pressed flowers.
3D Projects: Print the owl portraits on heavy cardstock and use them in three-dimensional mixed media projects, such as shadow boxes. Combine the images with miniature branches, faux moss, and twine to create a woodland-themed art piece that pops out with depth and character.
Owl Portraits for Scrapbooking and Cardmaking
If you’re a scrapbooker or card maker, these owl portraits can be used in your layouts and designs. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Nature-Themed Scrapbook Pages: These owl images are perfect for creating spreads that focus on the beauty of nature. Use them to accent pages that showcase outdoor adventures, hikes, or visits to the forest. Pair them with earthy colors, dried leaves, and handwritten notes to evoke a natural, vintage feel.
DIY Greeting Cards: Print out the circular owl portraits on cardstock and use them as focal points for handmade greeting cards. You can create cards for various occasions, such as birthdays, “thinking of you” notes, or thank-you cards. To give the card extra dimension, use foam adhesive behind the owl portrait to make it pop off the card base.
Gift Tags: The circular images make perfect gift tags. Punch a hole at the top, thread a bit of twine or ribbon through, and tie them to your gift packages. They add a thoughtful, handmade touch that’s sure to impress.
3" Circles
Art Journaling with Owl Portraits
For those who enjoy art journaling, these owl portraits offer endless possibilities. They can be used to reflect on themes of wisdom, reflection, or transformation — common motifs that owls symbolize. Here are a few ways to include these printables in your art journal:
Symbolic Imagery: Let the owl portraits represent a theme or personal narrative in your art journal. Use them to evoke thoughts about intuition, learning, or nighttime dreams. Pair the images with meaningful quotes, personal reflections, or freeform doodles.
Collaged Pages: Art journaling often involves combining various papers, paints, and textures. The owl portraits can serve as striking visual elements on collaged pages. Try tearing the edges of the printed images for a more distressed, aged look, then layer them with pages from old books, sheet music, or maps.
Mood Pages: Create mood or theme-based pages around the owl portraits. For instance, if you’re reflecting on a particular feeling, like calmness or mystery, let the serene or enigmatic expressions of the owls guide your artistic choices in color, texture, and imagery.
Home Décor Ideas Using Owl Printables
Lastly, these owl printables can be used to create charming home décor. Their vintage aesthetic fits well in a variety of settings, from rustic cottages to shabby-chic spaces.
Framed Wall Art: Print out the rectangular portraits on high-quality paper and place them in vintage-style frames. Arrange them as a gallery wall in your home office, living room, or bedroom. The neutral sepia tones ensure they’ll blend with many different interior styles.
Wood Plaques: Decoupage the owl images onto wooden plaques for a more rustic look using Mod Podge. Create a collage including ephemera such as old dictionary pages, sewing patterns, sheet music, etc. Once adhered, sand the edges lightly to enhance the vintage appearance.
Seasonal Décor: While these owls work year-round, they can also be incorporated into seasonal décor, especially for fall. Use them in autumnal wreaths or as part of a mantel display featuring pumpkins, pinecones, and candles.
These free vintage owl portrait printables are a great addition to your craft supplies. Whether you’re working on a junk journal, a mixed media canvas, or want to add some art to your home, these owls are sure to inspire. Download them today, experiment with different techniques, and let your creativity take flight!
If you enjoy these free printables, be sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest, so you’ll see when I post new ones.
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: art journals, scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
