Sunday, May 3, 2020

Collage + quote every week of 2020



Few years ago I discovered http://www.swap-bot.com/. A place where you can participate in different snail mail swaps. And soon I discovered the technique I love the most is collage. 




And I watched tons of youtube videos and discovered art journaling. All the journals were so pretty! But I am not the paint kind of girl. And I don't like using actual journal. I like loose pages. Maybe because I created postcards for so long, maybe because I can just throw away the page if I don't like it. 



But as the year 2020 was beginning, I decided I want to have my own art journal. My way. Loose pages, collages, quotes or song lyrics. I made so many pretty collages over the years and I send them away. I wanted to have something that I can keep and flip through it, when I seek inspiration.

I came up with the idea of creating collage + quote every week of 2020. I shared the pages on social media. And people liked it and wanted to join me and to know more about the project. But is there more? It is just my way to make an art journal. What they want me to share about it? They want to know how they can join me...



So I promised a blog post. There is no big project or every week prompts. I can only share what I do. And you can find your own way to do something like this, be inspired by my idea and make your own project or just create a page or postcard.




I type the quotes I like to a document and print them out. Then I make copies on brown Kraft paper and velum. I tear each quote out and store them in a binder in those 9 pocket protectors people use for pocket letters. 

I use font called Veteran Typewriter. And where I find my quotes? Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, songs, books, other peoples art journals... I like these two sources a lot - Typewriters voice and Word Porn




I have bunch of pages from printer paper cut to size (A6, close to a postcard size) and with punched holes ready. And a make a collage. And store the finished pages in a binder. I know, I know, you want to know HOW I do it. Honestly, I just do. Which is not the answer you want, I get it. So I will try to explain it a bit more.



Sometimes I just play with pieces of paper. I store magazine images in plastic envelopes and use also bits of scrapbook paper, music sheets, book pages... And I am using glue stick.



I trim excess paper from around the page and find the quote and focal image.


I usually add stamping and some fun details. And that's it. 




Sometimes I pick the focal image first and build the collage around it (dog page), sometimes I pick the quote that speaks to me the most and find perfect focal image at the same time (unplug page). There is no right or wrong way, there is no I do it this way every time. 


And here is a process of this week's collage in pictures: 


Here are some quotes for you to print out, if I inspired you to play with collage. 


And that is all. Create something with the quotes I shared or your quotes. And if you post on social media, let me know or use #53collages

Dasha