A Passion for Creativity

A Peek Into My Collage Process

Today, I prepped some previously printed papers for collage and other mixed media work. The procedure is to coat each side of the paper, letting it dry in between, with gloss polymer gel. That way they will be ready to use in the future. At that time, after arranging the usually torn paper shapes, I apply a tacking iron which seals them to the prepared surface, using a silicone coated paper between the iron and the art paper so the iron doesn’t stick. For that I recycle the glossy, easy release papers that postage stamps or address labels are attached to. Unaltered art papers may also be added at that time to the collage. However, the basic approach can save much frustration in working with glues and sticky fingers. This is a method developed by the collage artist, Jonathan Talbot, that I’ve been experimenting with. My preferred adhesives are the Golden Acrylic Gels.

It’s fun to experiment with different printing materials using relief and intaglio techniques. Clockwise here are: a relief collagraph plate using found items to create 3-D texture; three stamps, the top one is carved from soft Safety-Kut material; the bottom two are incised foam designs mounted on foam blocks; a larger incised foam design and a print from it; a print created with a Gelli plate which is more or less a mono print approach; a plate with a raised surface made using dripped gel or glue on lino; then three more carved Wonder-Cut linoleum blocks.

This rolling print drying rack was a splurge item as I wasn’t sure how much use it would get, but it has worked out nicely. Otherwise there would be papers scattered about on every studio surface on a day like today, as I prepped multiple papers not just printed ones. It’s also handy for drying small paintings.

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