Free Printable Hot Air Balloon Ephemera – Vintage Travel Collage Sheets for Junk Journals
Adventure Awaits: Vintage Hot Air Balloon Ephemera for Creative Projects
At a Glance
Three free printable collage sheets featuring vintage hot air balloon illustrations
Perfect for travel-themed junk journals, whimsical collages, and steampunk-inspired art
Drawn from various 19th-century printed ephemera sources
These free printable collage sheets bring a touch of skyward magic to your creative space. Featuring antique hot air balloons sourced from 1800s advertising and engravings, they're perfect for crafting projects with themes of travel, exploration, wonder, or whimsy. These beautifully restored illustrations recall a time when flight was still a fantasy, and the balloon was the ultimate symbol of adventure.
Whether you’re building a travel journal, layering a collage with vintage science ephemera, or simply looking for something playful and nostalgic, these printables offer a fresh way to elevate your next spread.
What You’ll Find on the Sheets
The collage sheets include a variety of balloon designs, from colorful striped aerostats to intricate, woodcut-style engravings. Some are decorated with flourishes such as banners, people waving from the baskets, or skies dotted with birds. Originally used in Victorian-era advertising, these images blend whimsy with elegance.
The mix of styles and scales makes the sheets ideal for layering, clustering, or using as focal points.
30 x 44mm Ovals
Creative Ways to Use the Balloon Printables
Here are just a few ways these uplifting images can take your work to new heights:
Use them as the centerpiece of a travel-themed junk journal spread
Pair them with map ephemera, passport stamps, or handwritten itineraries
Create an “up in the air” collage with clouds, birds, or quotes about freedom
Add to altered books about exploration, science, or time travel
Combine with gears, clocks, or metallics for a steampunk aesthetic
Incorporate into school or homeschool projects about early aviation history
Try printing on lightly stained paper for that aged, authentic look, or layer with vellum and washi tape to keep things light and ethereal.
2” Squares
More Free Printables to Pair with These Sheets
Looking to build a whole skyward or wanderlust-inspired kit? Pair these balloons with:
World Maps Collage Sheet – Create the feeling of a journey across continents
Whales Collage Sheet – Blend sea and sky themes for a full explorer’s aesthetic
Victorian Hats Collage Sheet – A great match for historical or steampunk-inspired journaling
Business Card Ephemera Sheet – Adds period-authentic text blocks and structure
Explore more free printable vintage ephemera for travel, fantasy, and art journaling.
Love These Printables? Support The Art Scavenger!
I love sharing free vintage printables, and if you enjoy them, there are easy ways to support my work so I can continue creating and offering more free designs:
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: 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. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated!
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.
