collage Archives - Page 3 of 5

Making for the mind

artist book, collage, drawings, inspiration / Linda Germain / November 16, 2021

I have been playing with drawing and collage lately. I can do these activities while I watch a funny show or listen to upbeat music.

Printmaking is a bit more physical and takes more focus.

Am I tired? Hmmm? Am I looking for a more relaxing making activity?

I am not sure. I don’t think this was a conscious decision. But in the process I have embraced some processes that are relaxing and fun. And I think that these new practices are developing my seeing and design skills.

For more art making habits check out this post on Ways to motivate. Enjoy!

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Use your paper scraps

collage, inspiration, relief prints / Linda Germain / June 8, 2021

I trim a lot of paper and usually have a lot of scraps of the same size.

I use these paper trimmings to make:

small books
cards
to do list papers

My everyday print paper is Pacon heavyweight drawing paper, 90lb. I like to buy the ream 12″ x 18″. Then I can cut some common sizes that are easy to frame.

Most recently I have been making a daily collage with odd scraps in the recycle bin. I pull out 5 pieces of paper and give myself 15 minutes to make a collage.

One time I used the trimmed paper from a book project to make a long skinny book for foam relief prints. So don’t throw those paper trimmings away.

I use a lot of little “To Do” lists. So I added some stamped marks to the bottom of some waste paper and made my lists a little more fun!

So what do you think you could do with your paper scraps and trimmings? I hope I have stimulated your thoughts and you make some fun stuff!

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Failure informs

artist book, collage, inspiration, mixed media printmaking, monotype print / Linda Germain / April 23, 2021

Every time things don’t work out as I had hoped, it is an opportunity for me to learn something.

I could learn:

I don’t really like that technique
I need more instructions
I could use some practice
Am I using the right tools?
Maybe I need more time
Is it possible with the way that I am approaching it?

I could ask those kinds of questions about almost any situation in life, art, business, family or well being.

And I think for me it is easier to fail, and asks those questions in the art area of my life. For some reason, I have let it be a process of discovery that includes lots of learning through “failing.”

I have said it before, but if I get two out of 10 prints that I love, then I consider that a success. And it usually takes learning something from those other 8 prints to get those prints that I love.

So it is important that I enjoy the process and not just the end result.

I have been doing stuff in sketchbooks lately. And I realized I wanted the end result faster, I wanted to finish the sketchbook. Hmmm? This was not me loving the process.

I tried different approaches:

Made smaller books
Tried different book forms
Carried it with me
Allowed myself to write, doodle, collage, paint, print, what ever

I have not found my happy sketchbook practice yet, but I am learning a lot in the process.

If you would like some guidance and support in Simplifying your gelatin prints, then join us in the online workshop –SIMPLIFY- make powerful gelatin prints. Get all the details on the workshop page.

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Found Poems

artist book, book arts, collage / Linda Germain / March 10, 2021

I am getting ready for the Books as ART Materials class and having fun making found poems.

Books are mostly words and pages, so I like to find ways to use those elements in new art work.

I like to:

Cut words and phrases out of several different books, with different font sizes
Then rearrange the words into a 4 line poem
Some poems I really love
And some are just part of the process of making

I also use old book pages at scrap to catch excess glue from the glue stick.

Give this meditative poem making a try!

If you want to explore more ways to use old books, then join us in Books As ART Materials, the online class. Read the details here.

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Qualities of Books – as ART Materials

artist book, book arts, collage / Linda Germain / March 3, 2021

I wanted to share the qualities that I look for in books to be used as ART Materials.

When I use books as ART Materials I use:

Cover cloth – collage and journals
Book board – new books
Pages and text – poems and printmaking
Spine materials and bits – collage
pockets and old marks – collage

So if you are hunting and gathering books for re-use look at those parts closely.

It is fun to see books with new eyes for what is possible. Sometimes I just use pages as newsprint pickups when gelatin printing.

But then other times the bits and pieces can be worked into an abstract landscape collage.

I hope I have given you some new ways to look at old books that were headed for the recycling bin. Want to join us in the online class, Books as at Materials? Read the details and join us today.

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