Right now my mind is a blank page that is refusing to be written on. It is resisting every spark of imagination and every stroke of the match of ideas. I would like to write a blog post right now, I need to, but everything is dead. I try to write with emotion and feeling and jokeyness and IT NO COME.
So, right now, I’ve just finished a different blog post that is not to be published yet, and I think it might be horrible. -sigh-
Hey! I’m going to talk about something else!
Okay, so my walls are made of planks of wood, not plaster, or whatever walls are made of AND I CAN’T THINK KF THE PROPER NAME RIGHT NOW…anyway, they’re made of wood, and I don’t like that because EW WOOD PLANKS OF WOOD GROSSSSS! No, actually I don’t like it because the walls are all not-quite-completely smooth and they look like wood. Or something. So my goal is to cover my entire wall with posters and pictures and STUFF. I think it would probably be my goal whether the walls were wood or not, but whatever, think what you find most pleasing.
So I have this HUUUGE pad of paper that is GORGEOUSLY blank, and SPECTACULAR and I’m going to use it. To cover my wall. I’ve already covered one sheet with quotes and lyrics and writing, but NEED MORE.
One thing I have recently begun doing to contribute to what I will now call the Covering the Wall Fund (Creative with names, I am) is making collages out of magazine and then doodling over them.
Collages are super fun to do, and kind of meditative for me in a sort of throwing-stuff-together-puzzle-solving sort of way. Usually I grab two or three random magazines from a pile without glancing at the covers, and I quickly flip through each, haphazardly tearing entire pages out without studying them very much. If I study a page to long, often I’ll get absorbed in the “Adoarble Baby Shower Gifts!” or “Great Tips for a GORGEOUS Spring Garden!” articles and completely forget I’m trying to do something creative.
A few things to remember while creating collages:
1. Observe how different colors work together. Check out how this peach and that turquoise contrast, and look how cool that shade of red looks with that lavender! That sort of thing, right? Maybe choose one or two colors that you want to focus on in one piece.
2. Subjects can be just as important as colors. Making different components work with eachother can bring life to a work. For example, let’s say you cut out a picture of a fish, and find and umbrella to place over it. Add a cloud over the umbrella, but instead of rain, draw snow flakes piling all over your picture, and doodle a snow man befriending your fish. See?
3. Having to many guidelines for a piece can be really restrictive. I even get stressed out if I create too many rules for myself and can’t follow them because I AM A HERMIONE. If I have a subject I want to base my collage around, I don’t choose a pair of colors too. That’s too many things to follow. If you want to really focus on a subject or color, think of things that connect to that thing, or words you think of when you look at your picture or colors. Even drawing a web chart might help sort your thoughts out. Let’s say I cut out a dog food dish for my subject. What’s something I think of when I hear “dog food”? I think of my mother saying we’re having dog food for dinner. A frying pan, maybe? Keep thinking of stories you’ve heard and try to fit them into your collage.
4. When making a collage, it shouldn’t be hard. If I’m having a hard time thinking of what to add or what subject or colors to choose, I need to take a break, maybe go look at Pintrest or listen to music for a little while. Make some tea. If I force an art or writing project, I never feel as proud of it or as good about what I’ve completed. And then I throw it all away and it’s a waste of time.
5. Go with your instincts. If you think something might look good, try it. Be willing to make mistakes.
And that’s all for now! I’m sure I’ll be seeing you all again soon! So long!
~Ellie
