Freedom knows no bounds when you begin making collages. Express yourself with anything you choose and how you choose it.
Collages can consist of many different types of textures. Some people cut pieces out of magazines, you can use fabric scraps, cardboard, string, wood jewels, silver paper, there are no bounds.
You could make a start by having a hunt around and collecting items you think you could use. You will need a base to work from, so whatever you are using for a background will maybe be needed to be painted and an outline sketch drawn on it. Then you can start by positioning bits and pieces to fill in your sketch and other parts.
At this stage, eliminate anything you are not going to use. You could use crepe paper, but any sort of paper you will need in your collage, is in need of tearing or cutting into various shapes and colour choices.
The glue you actually use to stick your collages is very important to your success. So, if you are using fabrics, you need a glue designed for that purpose. The same applies if you are using paper, as you need to be sure your pieces will hold fast.
The collage I have described here is a pretty basic one, but really, if you want to take this a step further, you can use pastels, leather, metal, gravel, buttons etc. Most things can actually be affixed to a flat surface. The rule is really that you can use any items to support what you have in your mind visually.
Children are forever making collages from magazine cuttings, newspapers, bottle tops, silver paper, bits of plastic, bottles etc. Other people make quite amazing collages by only using pieces of newspaper print in black and white from our daily papers.
At the present time a very popular form of collage is one that is done with photographs. These are often of friends, animals and family pets or family trees, to give you just a few ideas.
Whatever type of collage you make, you need a base to mount it all on, which, for obvious reasons, can vary. The weight of your items has to be taken into consideration. You need a background, painted, can be pasted photos, material, magazine pieces, to work from. You could cover a picture or drawing and can you sketch on to this to map it out.
Now make your choices from your bits and pieces and remove all the unwanted pieces. The ones you are left with can sometimes appear to be a trifle odd ,but don’t let this phase you. They do not all have to be so that you have an even, level, surface.
Lets arrange it all now, move your treasures about and once you are convinced that is where you want them, get the appropriate glue and stick them in place. Wait for this to dry and then, I myself, would actually then apply sealant, to give it a degree of protection.
There are then various types of collage, it could become a wall hanging, a framed picture or a mount on a shelf. There are so many possibilities!
Tags: art, artists, arts, contemporary artist, crafts, Entertainment, paintings, recreations, visual arts
May 22nd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Thank you for your help!