Assemblage art is all about taking ordinary or discarded objects and transforming them into layered, imaginative creations. When I found an old teapot at the back of my cupboard—bought at a car boot sale over 20 years ago—I knew it was the perfect base for a new project. Rather than throw it away, I decided to upcycle it into steampunk assemblage art.

If you’ve followed my blog, you’ll know how much I love steampunk. The style lends itself beautifully to assemblage because it embraces gears, pipes, mechanical pieces, and textured surfaces. The end result is a piece of art that feels like it could have come from a Victorian workshop or a fantasy world.

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This project is also part of our ‘Do It Over’ Designers Blog Hop, where a group of talented bloggers share their latest recycled and upcycled DIY projects. Links to their amazing creations are at the bottom of this post.

Old Teapot Upcycled into Steampunk Assemblage Art

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Materials Needed

• Old teapot (any style or size)
• Hot glue gun and black glue sticks
• Ultimate Crafter’s Glue/ tacky glue (for glass and heavy embellishments)
• Split conduit or tubing
• Cardstock and embossing press (for texture)
• Embossing folders
• Epoxy Resin and silicone moulds
• Assorted gears, plumbing parts, washers, and scrap hardware
• Old toy parts or Meccano pieces for wheels/engine (optional)
• Black acrylic paint or gesso
• Metallic wax paste (copper, gold, silver, patina tones)
• Paintbrushes, sponges, and soft cloths
• Large skeleton and posable skeleton

Finding the Perfect Teapot to Upcycle

The teapot I chose had been gathering dust for years. Some may gasp at the idea of painting over it, but unused kitchenware can make perfect upcycling projects. Assemblage is all about layering and experimenting with different textures and materials. You can find a beginner-friendly tutorial on how to create assemblage art in this post.

Everyday items, such as paper, resin, and scrap metal, can completely transform a simple object into unique home décor. If you prefer a softer look, you could decoupage your teapot instead. The beauty of this project is that you can adapt it to suit your style.

Decorating the Teapot

To start, I attached a split conduit around the rim using hot glue. Mixed media projects can look messy at first—almost as if a cat has tossed everything together—but don’t give up. The layers come to life once painted. For more tips and tricks on items you can use to add texture to your assemblage projects, this post has it all.

For an industrial steampunk surface, I used an embossing press and cardstock to create textured panels. I glued these overlapping across the teapot with Ultimate Crafter’s Glue.

I also made some embellishments from resin and silicone moulds, while others came from rummaging through my craft room and workshop.

Plumbing-like pieces and gears added to the mechanical steampunk theme.

Heavy items were secured with black hot glue for extra strength.

Painting the Teapot

Once the embellishments were firmly in place, I painted the entire teapot with black acrylic paint. I’ve used gesso in past projects, but this acrylic covered more evenly and gave a solid base.

Adding Metallic Highlights

This is the stage where everything comes together. I used metallic copper wax paste to highlight the raised surfaces, gently rubbing it on with my fingertip. It’s important to leave some of the black paint showing through for depth. If you don’t have bronze wax paste at home, you might already have the ingredients to make your own. You’ll find the recipe in this tutorial.

In hard-to-reach areas, I applied the wax softly with a small brush. Metallic wax comes in a variety of colours, so you can choose gold, silver, or even blue-green patina depending on your décor style.

Seal the surface

To seal and protect the surface, I applied two coats of spray polyurethane. This not only locks in the metallic wax finish but also adds durability, ensuring the piece lasts longer and resists wear. Polyurethane is a great option for mixed media and assemblage art because it provides a strong, clear finish without dulling the textures or colours.

Expanding the Steampunk Story

Assemblage art often tells a story, and I decided my teapot should feel like a machine. I added wheels and a small “engine” built from parts of an old Meccano set.

These details transformed the teapot into a quirky steampunk vehicle.

Displaying Steampunk Assemblage Art

Your assemblage teapot can be displayed as a conversation piece in your home, added to a steampunk vignette, or even used as a Halloween prop by posing a skeleton inside it. The beauty of assemblage is that every piece is unique—no two projects will ever look the same.

This transformation shows how something ordinary, like an unused teapot, can become an imaginative piece of art through layering, texture, and creativity.

Update: A lady reached out to me asking if she could purchase this assemblage. She shared that her young son had recently passed, and the piece reminded her of him flying freely in the sky above her. I didn’t feel the original was worthy of such a special purpose, so I lovingly recreated a new version just for her.

Do It Over’ Designers Blog Hop

It’s time for more ideas, and my friends have lots of them for you.  Be sure to visit them and see what they’ve been upcycling/recycling/DIYing.  Here are the links:

Little Vintage Cottage

Modern on Monticello

Pandora’s Box

Purple Hues & Me

Unique Creations by Anita

My Hubbard Home

The Apple Street Cottage

Birdz of a Feather

Exquisitely Unremarkable

If you’re interested in any of the items used in this project, we’d appreciate it if you used our affiliate links. Clicking these links earns us a small commission at no extra cost to you, helping us create more inspiring and exciting projects to share. We’d also love to hear your thoughts—feel free to leave a comment or share this post!