Monday, January 20, 2014

COLLAGE (& PAINT ) WITH PHOTO SCRAPS


Have you saved some of your "bad" photo prints to use in your art-making? Here's a great way to use them up and make wonderful collage - paintings at the same time!

mixed-media, lesson
Either cut or tear the photos into various sizes and shapes.
Find photo images that go with each other, all in a particular motif--such as these botanicals, above. This is a complementary color scheme, with recognizable plant forms. See the finished piece coming up! 
With this piece, since it was far too "busy" already, I obscured some areas with dark green and black. My intent was to unify the artwork, tying together the parts.
how-to, mixed-media
The finished collage - painting.


















tute, mixed-media
Only scraps of photos were used in this unfinished project.
Blue and orange also make a pleasing, complementary color scheme. See the unpainted example here.

Add a traditional image into the layered, shaded mix! Leave space for one striking picture that fits in nicely with the colors or textures of the other shapes. Or insert a piece of text or written material, as shown in the example below.
tutorial, mixed-media
Can you tell I am obsessed with earth colors?Note that a few edges in this artwork have been cut, not torn. 
art, blog, Paula, Guhin

3 comments:

  1. I lIKE the look of the torn edges....REALLY POPS!

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  2. I definitely like the way you toned down the torn edges, though I can see how having them "pop" could be pleasing in some collages. I really like the last collage. As always, I don't know why, but the arrangement of shapes is very pleasing, as is the color palette. The photo scraps add some interesting texture and depth at the same time. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  3. Thanks, Sue and Anon! I knew some viewers would like the unpainted collage (the first one) best...I kinda do, myself! And the last one is called Happy Days because I used photos from Italy! Glad you like it, Anon.

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