PAPER Collage 5 Ways

One of my favorite ways to get into creative mode is by pushing paper around. It gets my right brain thinking and is a simple exercise to get the creative juices flowing.

5 pieces of collage paper + one viewfinder

My objective is to make each collage different from the other. I like to use larger pieces of paper for this exercise so I have room to adjust each piece. I use solid coloured, textured and different weight papers. All painted in different ways - stained, washed, splattered and always some mark making. Oh, and one with some collaged stripes of course.

Thinking about differences, I overlay pieces, tuck others in and adjust their sizes.

I love little pieces peeking through. I love mixing line work in with solids. I love the look of textured beside smooth. Pay attention to what you love. (Its a great reminder to do more of what you love)

I like to observe how my eye is led around the composition. I ask myself

“What parts am I attracted to”

”Is there an area that is really working for me”

“Is it interesting enough”

“Is there enough variation”

“What do I want to see more of”

I love observing how a slight shift in perspective can make a piece feel. Adding a rounded corner can suggest an abstracted hill top while loosely applied lines suggest water. With slightly different shifts of the paper one can mimic a landscape.

Loose collage paper + a viewfinder is a wonderful opportunity to just experiment. The beauty is nothing is permanent until it’s all glued down. Low commitment means more space to play and less stress about the final outcome.

My ultimate goal here is to create something that intrigues me and just feels good. I often snap a photo of these little compositions for yet another perspective. It’s a great opportunity to see what a smaller thumbnail image of the work looks like and a good reminder of your experiments!

Follow your curiosity

Julie