One of my spring rituals is taking a collage class at IS183 with Karen Arp-Sandel. In addition to what I spend on the class, plus what I spend at Dick Blick when I get all excited and go buy more supplies, I usually end up with one nice, $400 collage for my mom for Mother’s Day. But she tells me she likes them. Hi, Mom!
Last week was my first week at the class. I came home all jazzed and immediately started digging through all the estate sale ephemera hoarded in the basement for its and bits with which to craft my Works of Art.
Over the past several days, I knocked out four ATC’s — Artist Trading Cards, 2″ x 3″ mini-collages… a fifth even smaller piece (above)… and a little something gift-card (not shown) that I sent to Annie B. along with a little something vintage that I found for her in my estate sale travels.
Making these little works of art is very gratifying. It really is *therapy.* And, it is a good way for me to focus my Vintage Hoarding. I was paying attention as I made these and noted my design principles:
- (1) I try to only use an odd number of items (not including the card substrate). Of course, I now am counting and see how I am violating this rule. This alarms me. Must be Odd Number…
- (2) I tend to narrow my choice of colors on any individual piece, — too many colors can be a cacophony unless done with a very practiced hand…
- (3) I try to use only one ‘like’ item — for example, one word(s), one photo, one piece of vintage wallpaper, one vintage sticker, one piece of something dimensional…
- (4) I also only use one piece from any given piece of ephemera — no repeating…
- (5) I try to include something dimensional — that is, which sticks out. For those of you doing your kid’s school projects, take note — this really helps you get an A.
- (6) I do not like my collages to be too literal. But, that is a personal choice, there is no *right* or *wrong*.
Haha, no “real” story here on the blog today, because I’ve dialed up the busy-ness of my life yet another serious notch by taking this class. However, in reality, this is a “real” story, because I find that practicing this kind of artwork — which involves carefully choosing and editing colors, shapes, graphics, textures, finishes, dimensions… is pretty darn similar to what we do when we decorate. I do believe there is such as thing as innate artistic talent, or decorating talent. But for most of us, that’s likely the smallest part of it. Practice. It’s all about Practice that you get really good at something. 10% inspiration. 90% perspiration.