Last night we had another session with our friends online and I made one of my random collages. There’s no rhyme or reason to how I put these things together.
A magazine collaging itself! A composite image from a series of pages where I have already cut things out.
I’m working from scraps of magazines that have already been cutting up and that are literally lying around on my desk. So nothing particularly planned. Just trying to work with what I have, and trying to make it succeed.
My one hour collage.
Whether that’s happened on not I don’t know. I think just even doing this on a regular basis is the sort of thing that’s exercising those artistic muscles, playing, which is what we all need to do to make our art better.
Every weekend we have a Zoom call with some fellow artists in the UK. We meet for an hour to make art and chat. We started this during COVID, so its great that we continue to meet, both online, and now twice in person.
One of the sides, in book form
There’s no program, other than what we feel like doing. Before we start there’s always a discussion about what we will do tonight (our time).
The other side, in book form
I went back to some collage yesterday. I found a large envelope that I decided to turn into a small ‘maze’ book. Having cut the basic shape I started applying very random collage and marks.
One side as collaged
In the end it did take more than our one hour to complete, but by thar stage I was so engaged in the process that I kept going until I was done.
The other side as collage
For the first time in quite a few months I felt the stirrings of excitement, the potential to make new work. I can see several ways to proceed. While it is a ‘work’ in itself I see the possibility of using it as a springboard to new pieces, where they draw on the colours and marks in the book. There’s also the potential to work directly back into the book itself.
Random abstract collageMarks made with watercolour pencilsThere are endless options to work from
I was out with Urban Sketchers Canberra at the Kambah Woolshed, this past weekend, attempting to make a collage in a very stiff wind.
Every collage brings new learnings – particularly when working in a representational style – compared to the more common free-form approach.
Kambah Woolshed
Working from the background to the foreground is the most practical way to start. Of course, I still trip myself up and have to re-glue or correct sections.
Having a clear picture of the tonal values is critical. Particularly when deciding on the background to the subject.
Sometimes, the tonal values don’t get completely nailed down until late in the process. The thin diagonal line on the roof on the right side was close to the last piece I added. This made so much difference to the roofline.
The collage and original subject
After looking at this piece when I got home my partner pointed out that one of the columns didn’t appear to be in correct perspective. He was right. I’d carried it through to the roofline when there was a section of planking that ran in front of it.
Here’s the final version.
The finished collage after one final tweak
I continue to be surprised that this process takes pretty much the same amount of time as my regular watercolour sketches do. I’m happy with the result.
For a few months now I have been joining a group of people via Zoom for Sunday Art Time. They live on the other side of the world to me and I didn’t know any of them when this started. That hasn’t stopped us getting together for an hour each week just to chat and make art.
One of my earlier mini-zines made from various pages from Mindfood magazine.
Working with collage and simple book forms let’s me make work that can be finished in one or two sessions. I like the ability to make a work quickly, given most of my serious textile work takes ages to complete.
Featuring adventure penguins.More adventurous penguins on luxury yachts!And concluding with the one and only Mr John Waters
I have also found some good ideas from the broader reaches of the “junk journaling ” movement, such as cutting up large print books for useful phrases.
“A wild ass from North Africa “, a work in progress.
These mini-zines and collages give rein to the less formal (aka sillier) side of my art and has given me a lot of enjoyment in these grim times.
Sound advice for the masses. A mash-up of paint sample chips with rose names.
leonieandrews 