To Collage or Not to Collage ...

ATC #36 (left) and ATC #35 (right)

One of the interesting aspects of this daily project of mine is making discoveries about process, theme, and media. 

The last couple of weeks I've had to force myself to sit down and put together the card for the day.  I am cranky about the process of sifting through what seems like six tons of collage and paper ephemera looking for a spark or trying to find materials to match a specific idea I wish to express. (Six tons of collage fodder and paper ephemera not exactly in synch with my intent to reduce clutter and waste in my life).

Yesterday's card was a pleasure to do. I enjoyed sitting down to a piece of watercolor paper and doodling with a pencil and pen, then filling in with colored pencil blended with mineral spirits and a blending stump.  I didn't use any glue.  I didn't use any paper.  The finished piece wasn't all that, but the process was immensely satisfying.

With 329 cards to go (!) I'm going to have to explore different ways of working that don't involve paper or glue (unless I want to continue slapping things together with no meaning or emotional involvement). 

Digital collage is one area I would like to play around with.  For some reason, for this particular project, I am surprised to find a prejudice towards digital collage, that somehow it would be cheating!  Not sure where that came from, but working digitally would be a great way to do collage for this project and learn something new.  The individual cards could still be printed (it is important to me to have something to hold in my hands at the end of the project).

I also really want to learn how to draw or at least elevate my doodles a bit.  Drawing is one of those skills that seems outside my scope on many different levels (I'm not very patient, for example), but the idea of sitting down at my table with one sheet of paper, a pencil, colored pencils, and my imagination, is very appealing.

Comments

[Jessica]

I really like both of the cards, the left and the right. There's something very endearing and sweet about the "doodle" as you call it.

I also find it uplifting that a talented artist such as your self doesn't feel like a strong draw-er. I've never been great at drawing, which has prevented me from doing other art. Maybe drawing isn't a prerequisite... :) Thanks!

[Susan Tuttle]

What great cards! I am enjoying exploring digital art as well--it is an addiction, to say the least.

Great new banner you have!

Happy New Year!

Susan

[Alison Whittington]

I very much like your illustration - she has a lot of life to her.

And some of my favorite artists on etsy are digital artists (madelaine, for example). It seems to me to be a different style from paper collage - not cheating at all, but a unique art form by itself. I've been meaning to try it myself, but haven't quite gotten around to it.