I have been collaging for as long as I can remember, it is such a great way to chill out and do something creative. I love how it allows you to create beautiful art so quickly and easily by using old magazines that would probably otherwise end up in the bin. I mean it is essentially grown-up cutting and sticking with an element of recycling! Who knew art could be so eco-friendly!? Anyway, today I am going to give you a rundown on how I collage and hopefully you will be inspired to get creating.
What you will need | Old Magazines, Papers, Books etc. | Scissors | A Glue Stick or Double-sided Tape | Optional – Pen/Pencil & Rubber | Your Imagination
The way I like to collage is to find pictures where I can cut out areas to fill with unexpected things. The pictures that I choose all have areas that can be cut out without the picture ending up looking disjointed, for example here I cut out several window panes. By carefully removing the window panes without touching the window frame the picture retains its original charm and the area can then be filled with something a bit more quirky, in this case the sea. Remember though, this is only one way to collage and everyone has a different style. You will probably have to try out a few different ways of collaging to see what works best for you, but remember it is all about having fun so go wild.
I wanted to create the feel of the summer coming inside and to do this I used legs and a hand holding shoes to add to my ‘beach’ theme. By having the legs woven behind and in front of the original picture it connected the sea and the interior space, therefore allowing the summer to come directly in and lean its foot on the chair at that! It is a really useful technique to have pieces of the collage that go from behind the main picture to in front of it, it can really help you add depth to a picture and I really recommend you give it a go.
To add the finishing touches to my collage I cut out some pillow like shapes, from the same image of the sea that I used for the background, and placed them on the chair. And there we have it, my finished collage. Just a note of warning: it is really easy to overdo it, so just be careful. I know I have been guilty of this a thousand and one times, oops!
Now I will stick this into my scrapbook and it will join all my other weird and wonderful creations. Want to have a go but struggling to find inspiration? Check out Adam Hale aka. Mr Splice, an amazing collage artist, or perhaps browse Pinterest, there are always ideas there. If you have a go I’d love to see what you have created, email me at theartofbeingholly@gmail.com.
Love Holly x