Hybrid Art: Digital and Paper

I have been struggling with doing an altered book, which requires creating collages that are completely digital, and it has me sitting, staring at the computer a lot. Images like the one above are digital; I combined the picture of the woman which I made translucent and placed over the document. I can do single page collages. Stringing them together into a "story" or altering an existing one is just beyond me so far.

I was never clear until recently how much I am really wedded to creating a single collage of images. I am having to think differently about everything, but it is an interesting challenge. Sort of more like writing, using images to create a narrative. The good thing is that I always like it when I feel like something will be a "cinch" for me "because I've had so much experience" :-)and then find that I am clueless. I have become convinced that this is where learning lives.

FAUX POSTAGE: Step 1

You start by gathering stamps. Ask friends to save them for you. Ebay has great deals on packs of inexpensive stamps. As a life-long stamp collector, I will tell you that even stamps from the late 1800s can be had for pennies, so don't hesitate to try this out. Stamps that come everyday in the mail are just fine as well. It's fun to find more than one stamp still connected. Also, websites like http://www.100ProofPress sell, inexpensively, per-perforated sheets of stamps that are blank and ready to decorate. I also purchase stamps, postcards and ephemera from Europe, very inexpensively at http:www.delcampe.com.

FAUX POSTAGE: Step 2 and 3

At this point, flip the stamp over to the back. This is your canvas! I use yellow sticky notes to mask a narrow border, or youcan ink right over the edges. Draw, stamp, color, paint. Tiny parts of your existing rubber stamps can be used here as well.

FAUX POSTAGE: Step 4

Here is an example of some finished Faux Stamps that I created with rubber stamps and colored pencils. You can also make tiny collages on the backs. Please send me an email at DancingCat@Juno.com if you would like a 2-page instruction sheet, illustrated. Have Fun!

Writing and Art

I am a member of Artelland which is a fabulous site for collage artist and writers (http://www.artellaland.com). Recently there was a challenge to research the meaning of flowers and then write something related to the meaning of a flower. Having completed several pieces that feature Iris' I wrote the following:

The late afternoon sun burned into his nut brown skin. The light breeze swirled the sand at every step as he wound his way past the Sphinx. The damp reed bag slung over his shoulder swayed with the motion of his body. When he reached her grave, he stood for a moment in silence. Slowly he lowered the bag to the ground and sank to his knees. A drop of sweat trickled down his cheek and splashed onto a jewel-like petal of the vilolet-blue iris peeking from the bag.

As the sun moved in the sky, merciless, he remained still, lost in grief and memories. The precious flowers he had so carefully carried here were his final link to her. He knew the etherial purple irises, when planted over her grave, would summon the Goddess to guide her, in death, on her journey.

Shadows grew around him and the dry desert wind became gentle as he took the first steps towards home. Cairo was a long way off, but his heart lifted as he remembered the royal iris, waving gently in the breeze as he left. Surely it was she, herself, bidding him a final, fond farewell, the Goddess standing by her side.

Tiny Little Pieces of Art

One of the changes to creating artwork that has happened as a result of having so much less energy, is that I now enjoy working with small images (like ATC cars and "Inchies"--collages 1"-2" square). The above collage was created from 100s of tiny little images I have punched from old ephemera, magazines and discarded children's books. They are shown at actual size and I have a real love of the tiny illustrations that probably go unnoticed. This was a fun piece to do!

Hybrid Collage

"MENDED WINGS"

One of the things I have begun to play with recently is combining traditional collage with digital elements. This piece of art started out as a watercolor image, with wings added (masking tape and stitched on the wings for mending). I was stuck for a long time, and then I scanned it in and began playing with it in Corel PhotoShop Plus and ended up creating a finished piece I really love. I am using a hybrid approach to Collage more and more.

The only drawback is that all the elements and ephemera, although they fit on my spanking new external drive, are, as they say, "Out of sight, out of mind" and the process isn't as easy as swapping in and out physical pieces like I do in my studio. I'm trying to figure out how to print out a "catalog" of the images but haven't so far. It is intriguing and exciting enough that I will keep trying. For days when I don't have the energy to go to the studio, I love the option of tooling around on the computer for half hour or so.