DIY FRAMELESS COLLAGE ART
Whenever I have some time to myself you can find me doing one of two things: 1. watching The Office or 2. scrolling through craftgawker looking for project inspiration. I can say with complete honesty that recently I have had ZERO time to sit down with my supplies and get crafty, but I’m determined to find ways to work creative time into my schedule. I just had the first whole day to myself in what feels like forever, so I took the opportunity to make something pretty with my own two hands. The result is an art print made with collaged magazine cut-outs on top of a watercolor background made by yours truly. Keep on scrolling to find out how to make a masterpiece of your own. :)
All you need is:
Watercolor paper
Various pretty magazines that you'd be willing to cut to pieces for art's sake
Regular watercolors
Various sized paint brushes (small to medium)
Scissors
Exacto knife
Elmer's School Glue
Flip through a few magazines to find eye-catching images you want to cut and paste onto your piece. My art teacher taught me that the "rule of threes" is your best friend when it comes to collaging. By this I mean choose three main images to be the focus of your work in order to keep things uncluttered. Think about adornments only after you've got your three main attractions. I recommend choosing images that truly grab your attention and look cohesive. Otherwise, you'll end up with a messy looking piece that will feel more kitsch than sophisticated. In short, keep it simple.
Once you've picked the perfect pictures, start arranging them on a piece of watercolor paper until you come up with a placement that you're happy with.
Next, take a piece of watercolor paper and paint on a thin layer of the color you decide to go with. Let it dry outside in the sun for 10 minutes, bring it back in for a second coat, and then leave it out in the sun for another 10 minutes.
My advice in terms of choosing the perfect background color is to pick something that won't distract from your collaged pieces. Something neutral but not boring like this butter yellow paired well with the vibrant pinks and greens in my magazine pieces. Don't be afraid to experiment with a few colors before settling!
Here comes the fun part. Ready to channel your inner Jackson Pollock? Once your solid background is dry, take a small paint brush and load it up with a color of your choice and lots of water. Hot pink went nicely with the pink shoes I found in a Miu Miu ad. ;) From above your watercolor paper, tap your finger on the handle of the brush to lightly sprinkle the paper with paint. Pollock's got nothing on you. :)
After you finish splattering, place the paper outside to dry for another 10 minutes. Once all of the paint droplets look dry, bring it back inside and place the paper under some books for 20 minutes to flatten the whole thing out.
Now it's time to glue it all down! Take a small paintbrush and some clear-drying glue and lightly/quickly apply it to the back of each of your images. Then place your cut out pieces carefully down on your watercolor background and gently smooth out each of the photos. Once everything is securely glued onto the paper, place the piece under some books with a paper towel in between so nothing sticks together.
It was only this year that I realized how incredibly intricate and beautiful photography, graphics, and typography are inside the glossy pages of some of my favorite magazines. I love buying photo-heavy magazines that I can repurpose into my very own artwork! In a class I took this year I made tons of collage-based works using magazine cut-outs and backgrounds that I made on a fancy printmaker. Since I don't have the equipment at home to make said prints I decided to use the watercolors that I had on hand to make another type of one-of-a-kind background. I have to say that I'm pretty happy with the results, and I'm thinking about making a few more to go along with the one above. I love that I didn't even need to buy a frame for this piece because it looks just as nice without one. Hurray for simplicity and pretty art!
Until next time,
Emma :)