How I build collages

Quick and easy using fav stuff from my stash

My particular favorite way to create a collage is to grab a couple of my plastic IKEA Smula trays and fill them with focal images and old papers.

I take my time (literally days!) layering and moving pieces around on hand torn backgrounds of 100% cotton paper, or on antique book pages that I often emboss. I work several collages at a time.

I love that tactile experience of layering the papers and images. It's like piecing together a beautiful mystery puzzle with no idea about the end result other than it's pleasing to my eyes.

Starting to build up layers

Pic below a first go laying the bits about and moving them around. I generally stick with a max of six pieces (images, papers, ephemera) or less per collage. I don't coat the tops of my papers with a medium - I like the layers to stick up a bit so they're visible and not perfectly flat. I glue just the undersides of the layers to fix them in place. I create my collages for framing under glass.

I love a maximalist look but I generally try to get something like that from the images I choose rather than the number of pieces I use. PS those little gold strips in pic, above, are the gold papers from Ferrero Roche chocolates. You can't throw that stuff away, amiright?!

The larger gold embossed papers to the right are lovely Caspari wrapping papers I purchased decades ago. I am constantly scoping out cool old books and papers so I can squirrel them a way for 20 years before I have the nerve to use them.

Getting a kick out of embossing

I run torn pieces of the wrapping papers through my embossing maching (Big Kick) and often time loosely brush gold gesso over them and spritz with inks. The backside of these particular sheets are a kraft color which also makes for a nice background.

Gluing stuff down

When I'm ready to commit - my favorite glue to use is Bearly Art. I like that it dries clear and it stays flexible so the papers still bend. Just a personal preference.

I also love the fine tips that come with the glue for detailed gluing, especially since I work small and use small pieces of paper in my collages.

If they're old papers they can be quite fragile so a fine gluing tip makes it easier for me to get the glue exactly where I want it without ripping papers. Little dabs will do you!

I generally grab this glue on Amazon but it's also available through dickblick.com (a fav online discounted art supply store) and several others like scrapbook.com and heroarts.com. A quick google search will point you in the right direction. 

Finishing it up and hanging

And then I frame! I am a huge fan of looking for frames whenever we go thrifting and antiquing. My eyea are always peeled for a good looking frame. I also have purchased frames on Amazon but my fav is to find a treasure with a little bit of history and wear to it. Goodwill is a great place to scout out inexpensive and attractive frames. I never pass up on an opportunity to look for old frames.

And et voila! Framed and hanging. Or... Setting upon.