The Unexpected

I think one of the things I enjoy about creating collage art is the element of surprise or the unexpected like this one:

The assignment in The Collage Workbook By Randel Plowman for week four is Color Charge.  He says; “Experiment with adding color to a collage that is primarily black and white.  A few subtle strokes and bright marks can make a subdued collage really pop.”

In the above 6×6 inch collage, the postage stamp gives a pop of color as does the gelli-prints.  It also helps direct the eye throughout the piece.

In my next one on a 4×6 inch index card, I tried to add pink to make you think of lipstick shades.  The large pink circle is from a paper napkin.  I think it adds balance to the collage.

My last 6×6 inch collage is more simple and yet the red paint circles make you look at the whole collage and find something hidden:

Collage is a lot like a puzzle for me.  How can I help you look further and discover the unexpected?

I’d love to hear what you think!

Cheers! 🙂

Painted Papers

I was hoping to show you today how I created a collage with last Thursday’s paper in my: New Collage Paper Series

BUT I had so much FUN creating new painted papers last Friday – see a “square” sample of each paper in Collage Confetti 

I got a bit distracted…

I discovered that I don’t have to have a Gelli Plate to create the “watery” look of gelli-printed papers.  I can use deli paper – as a printing press!  WHOOT!! 🙂

Here is a photo of some of the supplies I used:

Dixie Kabnet Wax is the brand of deli paper I used.  I purchased a lifetime supply (seems that way) from Amazon.  😉

Other supplies I found helpful were a foam brush, water spray bottle, brayer and some mark making tools (I think I got the 4 texture tools at Dick Blick).

I prefer to use Golden’s Fluid Acrylic paint but I you could use any acrylic paint.

I also like to used a plastic tablecloth to protect my surface.  This is a great activity to do outdoors if possible!   It is winter where I live so I used my kitchen where I have the best light and most room to spread out.

I found that I could put a layer of paint on one sheet of deli paper with a sponge brush or brayer, add water with a spray bottle and then use a mark making tool to create a pattern.  Next, I layed a dry sheet of deli paper on top and made a print!

After the first layer had dried, I could add more layers like the example above.  I used Canson mixed media paper to make the print from deli paper.

I added color like the brown paint above by placing some paint on a paper plate and using one of the plastics texture tools to apply it to the paper.

I discovered that I could even use thin, inexpensive computer paper to make a print like in the top example (below).   The second print (with more blue) was done on the deli paper.

I like the transparency of deli paper in my collages.  And the paper is thin so a glue stick works well for a quick collage like for one of my weird birds such as The Flower Bird

I hope I gave you some ideas for making your own printed collage paper.

Cheers to creative art making that brings you JOY! 🙂

Sew It Seams…

Some days I’m “drawn” to words in the dictionary to create a weird bird.  I often have no idea what I’m going to create and for me this is really fun!  😉

Sew it seams was the case for the Dressmaker bird:

If a bird could design a dress, do you think they would use the feather stitch?

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

Cheers! 🙂

 

 

Seeing Pink

Yesterday, I did a little printing on my Gelli-Plate – and maybe it was the color of the plastic table cloth…

But I was SEEING pink!  🙂

Maybe it was because I took a photo of these pretty pink roses in my yard before Jack Frost arrived:

Or seeing these blushing blueberry bushes:

I was definitely seeing PINK!

I’d love to hear how nature inspires you in your art making – I hope you share it with me!

Cheers! 🙂

A Slide View

I inherited all my parent’s slides and the slide projector.  I have been meaning to view them again.  I have fond memories from my childhood of watching them and eating popcorn in the living room of my family home…

This may sound silly when everything is so digitized today but there was something special about the hum of the fan, the click of the slides and watching photos of us appear on a “big” screen!  🙂

So today’s weird bird, A Slide Masked Owl is in memory of those simpler times:

Perhaps you didn’t grow up viewing slides on a projector but maybe you slid down a slide or two…

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

Hope you “slide” through your day with a smile on your face!

Cheers! 🙂

 

Pair Of Dice?

These birds might hang from a rear-view mirror…

Or perhaps they are rolled in a game of Yahtzee?

But I believe they are Para-dice birds… Flying around in Paradise!

How many weird birds can you find hidden in this picture?

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

Cheers! 🙂

Pink Phlox

My hubby gave me an Easter bouquet with pink Phlox which got me thinking about flocks of birds…

Imaginary birds that is!

I love the “phlox” in this photo too:

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!  I hope this gives you a smile today!

Cheers! 🙂

Creating sdrawkcaB

In case you are confused my title, it says, “Creating Backwards.”  It was my creative prompt on Friday by Carla Sonheim for the year long class I’m taking online.

It challenged me to create this collage in a different order:

Normally, I would create a collaged background with various papers and then paste an old photo over it.  But this time, I collaged a background of old book pages, then the photo and lastly my hand painted gelli-printed deli papers on top.

I like how the patterns and transparentcy of the deli paper add a little mystery to the piece.

I finished by stenciling the number of the day, 41 and a section of the alphabet backwards.

How would you create something in a different order?  You might surprise yourself like I did.  I encourage you to give it a try!

Cheers! 🙂

One Large Schnozzle

Don’t let this tough bird’s schnozzle (beak) fool you:

He is one smart quacker!!

Hope this quacks you up today… or at least helps you quack a smile!! Hehe!

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

Cheers! 🙂

P.S.  Get a grip… don’t let your schnozzle drip!  I’ve been dealing with a cold for over a month now and my hubby just caught it… ugh! 😉

The Willowwack

This strange looking bird lives in the wooded, uninhabited areas of New England:

It is recognized by its artichoke-green beak and its spirographic eyes that glow in the dark protecting it from unwanted preditors.

Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!

I hope this silly bird gives you a smile today!

Cheers!  🙂