Homage to CollAHge

Over at Art Journal Journey the theme this month is Collage.  Back in 2008 I created an entire altered book called Coll-AH-ge.  I have NO idea where the book is now, but I have many of the pages scanned.  Although the scanner was inferior to the one I have now, you can get an idea of what I created.

As I explained in 2008, this book came about because I was trying to improve my composition skills.  Ever since joining my first RR (round robin), I've struggled to make ABs where the side by side pages match.  However, my background is not in scrapbooking, so those side by side spreads don't come natural or easy to me, no matter how many I make.

Since I'm not an artist by trade, profession, or degree, for the first two years, practically everything I made was a tip-in*. I acquired what I often call "Tip-in mentality." By that, I mean my spreads are often designed back to back, not side by side. To unite the two sides, I would often use similar or same images, elements, or backgrounds on both sides, sometimes wrapping one element around both sides.

* A tip-in is a page created outside a book, then "tipped in" using one of several methods.  If you are unfamiliar with tip-ins and would like a detailed explanation of them and want to know how to place them in a book, please visit this post.  I explain everything about half way down the page.

Those who know me, know I struggle with composition. It really, really needs work. Read any book on art and you'll read that you can't get better unless you practice, practice, practice.

With those thoughts in mind, my Coll-AH-ge altered book (AB) was born. By definition, collage is flat, two dimensional. There aren't a lot of bulky embellishments, 3-D elements, and fru frus on a collage. If there were, the artwork would be called mixed media or assemblage.  Therefore, each page in my Coll-AH-ge AB was a stand alone page with few, if any, embellishments.

I did NOT, nor do I plan to enter these in the AJJ challenge.  It wouldn't be fair, since these are not new spreads.  However, I wanted to share them with a few of my AJJ friends whose collages I have been enjoying this month.

Locked :  Pigment ink,  scrapbook paper, paper scraps, magazine image.

Designed by Architects : scrapbook paper, hand painted paper, magazine images, mica powder added to silverware handles.

Cry Baby : images from various magazines, computer generated text and matching background design.

Flawed Memories : paste paper background, postcard sanded and distressed, book images, magazine image, hand painted paper, small art card, computer generated text.

The Universe : textured handmade, hand painted background paper, cardboard mats spray painted green and gold, trimmed in gold ink, words and central image from a science book.

Word : textured background paper, hand painted and stamped frame, focal image was part of a swap exchange, words are from a magazine.

Flower girl : Easter Seal stickers and magazine image.  This one took much, much longer than one would imagine.

The little naked boy :  background of spritzed color mists on a paper towel, brass stencil spritzed with color washes, then used as a mask over card stock.  When dry, laid back in place and applied texture paste in stencil holes.  Statue was fussy cut.  Non-symmetrical swirls/doodles were added.

Christmas Kitsch : adorable images fussy cut from a magazine, hearts cut from colored book pages, three tickets, shaving cream paper background.


A new year : This was my final entry in my CollAHge AB.  Handmade (by me) paper background, Dover images, computer generated text, 2009 marker die cut (not my die) from a soda can.

The Ringmaster : fussy cut magazine image, fussy cut botanical book image, ticket.

Behind the Eight Ball : Images taken from four different magazines.  Rowboat and eight ball fussy cut.  Possibly my favorite collage of all.

And finally I give you

The Collage Artist's Tool Box :  Scrapbook paper turned into a collage box, various supplies one would need to create a collage.  Just add glue and scissors.

There are lots more of these collAHges, but these were my favorites.  Thanks for looking.  I hope they make you as happy as they did me when I made them from March through the end of December in 2008.