Create an Abstract Collage

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 the paper and imagery is significantly 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 arrive at 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 need to process such heavy emotions through my art, my collage process has become much more peaceful and contemplative.

I find that abstract collage suits my meditative purpose very well, as I enjoy sitting in quiet contemplation, pondering my various compositions. I usually work on three to six collages at a 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.