Over the years, as a collage artist, I have become increasingly dissatisfied with the quality and quantity of the imagery in magazines. For this reason, I prefer to purchase older magazines from thrift stores, as the quality of paper and imagery is so much better.
Magazines are also so much thinner than they used to be but I am still subscribing to various magazines for the time being. Even though the imagery is more sparse and limited, I start cutting them up for collage as soon as they are delivered to my door!
Adapting with the times, I have recently been experimenting with abstract collage, and I am really enjoying it! Not so reliant on imagery, I have been cutting up bits of patterns and colours in interesting shapes.
Since I no longer have the need to process such heavy emotions through my art, my collage process has become much more peaceful and contemplative. If you would like to follow my process, I am documenting my contemplative abstract collages on Instagram.
I find that abstract collage suits my meditative purpose very well, as I like to sit in quietude contemplating my different compositions. I usually work on 3-6 collages at a time - sometimes for a very long time.
Expressive Art Process:
~ Choose several colourful and patterned pages out of a magazine. You might also use patterned scrapbook papers.
~ Cut your papers and pages into geometric and organic shapes.
~ Spend some time meditatively rearranging your shapes on your backing paper.
~ When you feel satisfied with the arrangement of your abstract shapes, glue all of the pieces down with a glue stick.
