How to Make a Collage 4 Free Mixed Media Collage Techniques Presented by Cloth Paper Scissors®
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how to make a collage 4 free mixed media collage techniques presented by cloth paper scissors® 1 3 4 2 collage to order: objects of my desire: 1 create with words 3 making sewn paper SUSAN BLACK collage collections JENNY COCHRAN LEE the elements of collage: 2 putting it all together reverse collage painting: NICOLE PAISLEY MARTENSEN 4 a bright spot on a winter day HOLLY CHRISTINE MOODY In “Objects of My Desire: Making Sewn Paper Collage Collections,” Jenny Cochran Lee explores how to How to Make a Collage: turn paper scraps into collage art 4 Free Mixed Media treasures. Collage Techniques presented by Finally, Holly Christine Moody Cloth Paper Scissors® offers an easy collage project that ONLINE EDITOR Cate Prato will help you whittle down your decorative paper stash in a fun CREATIVE SERVICES way. In “Reverse Collage Painting,” DIVISION ART DIRECTOR Larissa Davis PHOTOGRAPHER Larry Stein you make a paper collage on a substrate, apply gel medium, Projects and information are for inspiration and personal use only. Interweave Press is not responsible hat is collage art? A and then paint over it. The magic for any liability arising from errors, omissions, or whole lot of fun! At happens when you swipe away mistakes contained in this eBook, and readers should proceed cautiously, especially with respect to technical the most basic level, some of the paint to reveal the information. wyou can make a collage with paper, collage designs below. © F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media glue, and a substrate like a canvas grants permission for any or all pages in this eBook to With How to Make a Collage: 4 Free or watercolor paper. But once you be copied for personal use. Mixed-Media Collage Techniques, expand your supplies to include you’ll learn how to use a variety of other media like paint, stitching, materials and approaches you can photos, and marking tools—the use to make similar collage projects sky’s the limit. or mix and match to create your Where mixed -media In How to Make a Collage: 4 Free own. Mixed-Media Collage Techniques, artists come to play Warmly, you’ll discover four different approaches to collage from expert mixed-media artists. In “Collage to Order: Create with Words,” Susan Black shows how Cate Prato to play with paper and typography Online Editor, to make a collage that captures Cloth Paper Scissors Today a favorite sentiment or a special name. Nicole Paisley Martensen uses a variety of mixed-media collage techniques and transparent fabric layers to blend spontaneity and technical construction in “The Elements of Collage: Putting it All Together.” clothpaperscissors.com How to Make a Collage: 4 Free Mixed Media Collage Techniques clothpaperscissors.com ©F+W Media, Inc. 2 Adapted from CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS® September/October 2012 collage to order create with words How to Make a Collage: 4 Free Mixed Media Collage Techniques clothpaperscissors.com ©F+W Media, Inc. 3 MATERIALS • Watercolor paper (I prefer hot-press, bright white watercolor paper.) BY susan black • Pencil • Eraser s a former graphic designer, I’ve always had a big love for typography • Tracing paper aand for using words to communicate visually and creatively. Add to • Tape that love a big pile of vintage books, a few old atlases, a stack of decorative • Decorative papers: sheet music, patterned, colored, etc. paper, a shoebox of tissue paper in vivid colors, scraps of wrapping paper, • Watercolors postage stamps, some paint and drawing pens, ink, scissors, glue, a passion • Paintbrushes, detail for collage, and “poof” my own typographic mixed-media style began to • Craft knife emerge. • Cutting mat • Scissors I love combining typography with works perfectly to capture a favorite • Glue (I like to use Zig® glue pens pattern and paper and then drawing and/ inspirational sentiment, a line from a and gel medium.) or painting on top. This piece “Call for poem, a child’s name for easy wall art, a • Drawing pen, fine Art” was commissioned for CLOTH PAPER special date, and just about anything else • Gouache or acrylic ink, black SCISSORS magazine, but this technique you can think of. optional • Light box commission notes: If you’ve ever • Scanner/copier considered working on commission pieces, follow along to get a few tips on the process. directions note: I use a small, tabletop light box and have found it to be an indispensable tool. If you don’t have a light box you can use a window and lightly trace your final design onto the top layer of watercolor paper so you’ll have an indication for positioning the letters. commission notes: Once a client contacts you about the commission, meet with them or exchange emails to get a sense of the final piece. 1. Roughly sketch or trace a few ideas in pencil on paper, refining the design as you go. (Figure 1) Add patterns to the letters, like the leaves in the top row “L” and the rose pattern in the letter Figure 1 “A.” How to Make a Collage: 4 Free Mixed Media Collage Techniques clothpaperscissors.com ©F+W Media, Inc. 4 commission notes: Now’s the time to get some client feedback. You may have to tweak one or two elements. If you do, make sure to run the final piece with the changes by the client. 2. Once you have a design you’re all happy with, redraw the design to size or use your scanner and computer (or photocopier) to enlarge the design and then print it out in the size you want the final art to be. 3. Redraw your design on a piece of tracing paper. This will allow you to audition the decorative papers beneath the tracing paper, and make Figure 2 it much easier to cut the letters out. 4. Tape the tracing paper drawing to the back of the watercolor paper along the top edge, like a hinge, so you can flip the watercolor paper out of the way as needed. You’ll see the design quite clearly through the paper. tip: Try different bold-colored or patterned papers for your background. A solid sheet of vintage book paper or kraft paper looks fantastic, too. Figure 3 5. Decide on your color palette and indicate these color choices on the drawing. (Figure 2) I like to keep my palette simple and prefer the pale cream of vintage book pages with kraft and black papers for my neutrals, and then I add one predominant color—in this case red. commission notes: Share your color options with the client and let them choose their favorite palette of colors. Figure 4 How to Make a Collage: 4 Free Mixed Media Collage Techniques clothpaperscissors.com ©F+W Media, Inc. 5 6. Once you’ve chosen your palette, paint the areas of color in any pattern you’ve drawn into the design. (Figure 3) tip: I find simplifying a palette makes for a stronger design. Too many different colors can distract from the words, letters, and the meaning of the piece. 7. Tape the tracing paper onto a window or the light box and place your first paper choice over the design. Flip the watercolor paper up and tape it out of the way, if necessary. Trace the outline of the letter onto the paper with pencil. I used sheet music. Figure 5 Cut the letter out, erase any pencil marks, and put the letter aside. Repeat for the rest of the letters. (Figure 4) tip: When working with dark paper that’s difficult to see through, use a small piece of tracing paper to draw the outline of the letter. Place the tracing paper over the dark patterned paper, deciding what part of the pattern you want the letter to contain, and then cut out the letter from the tracing paper and paper while holding the tracing Figure 6 paper in position. You could also use a bit of repositionable glue to hold the tracing paper in place. (Figure 5) 8. I like to cut out all of the letters first and position them on the watercolor paper before gluing to make sure I’m pleased with the final composition and the mix of patterns and colors. Once you’re absolutely sure of the layout, glue the letters in place and let dry. (Figure 6) Figure 7 How to Make a Collage: 4 Free Mixed Media Collage Techniques clothpaperscissors.com ©F+W Media, Inc. 6 9. Use the drawing pen to add the line details in any of the painted pattern areas. (Figure 7) 10. Using a fairly small paintbrush (or brush pen) and the black gouache or acrylic ink, loosely outline all the letters. The addition of this black line really pulls the whole design together. (Figures 8 and 9) a note on tip: Imperfections add character when papers drawing or painting the details and choosing the paper outlines—the looser the better. Don’t try Figure 8 I used hot-press bright white to follow the edges exactly. Let the brushstrokes be fluid with thick and thin watercolor paper because it has the areas. smoothest surface, and I wanted to add painted elements. If you’re just 11. Trace, cut out, and embellish collaging elements, use any type any top layer or overlapping of background material: cardstock, shapes. I created a banner that I canvas, cardboard, furniture, etc. edged with watered-down black Experiment with different materials. gouache and embellished with gathering your paper stash cut letters before adhering it to • Decorative papers, especially the collage. (Figure 10) those with small prints or commission notes: Now it’s neutrals are a staple in my paper time to wrap up the piece and stash.