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Art Tip: Something to Watch Out For When Doing Collage With Magazines.
Using my own “Fashion Collage” 8×10 as an example, there is a strange phenomenon that occurs with magazines that are printed in color. In Glossy paper stocks that ink of the printed image tend to ride on top of the paper more than it does with uncoated stocks. Most of us will assemble our collage art with a matte medium of some kind, I myself am using Liquitex Matte Medium. (when applying things heavier than paper to a piece you may have to use a different medium or find other ways to secure the object like wire for example.)
Typically I will follow the same steps when applying any paper to a piece:
1. Coat the surface of the piece that will be mounted to, eg. a painting, with matte medium leaving a heavy layer of the medium on the surface (it dries fast.)
2. Coat the back of the paper or magazine clipping that is to be mounted with a heavy layer of matte medium
3. apply the paper to the painting, taking advantage of the excess matte medium to slide the paper into position where I want it.
4. Once the paper is in place, add more Matte medium to the top and brush with heavy pressure to seal the paper to the piece and remove any bubbles or excess medium under the paper. This is where things can get funny, a brush isnt perfect for this task as it isnt solid, and you cannot use a squeegee. (a squeegee will tear the paper). I use my fingers to squeeze out all of the extra air and medium, If you do this often wear rubber gloves. You must make sure to complete this process in one pass, fast and thorough while the medium is still wet. When matte medium is spread to a thin layer it dries VERY fast. If, after the medium is spread thin, you try to go back and smush out a leftover bubble, the medium has a chance of sticking to your skin and removing the ink layer on the paper when you remove pressure on the bubble.
5. After all the excess medium has been squeezed out from under the paper being applied, I use a clean wet brush or a clean wet paper towel to remove the surrounding puddles of medium that have collected from the squeezing process being extremely careful to not touch the paper and remove more ink.
Dont be afraid to ask questions if I wasn’t thorough.
“Fashion Collage” and Limited edition print are available for sale at my Etsy Store.
The areas of white in the model on her dress and in her hair are small places where the ink has lifted, it may add a little character, but I myself am a crazy perfectionist.
Image © 2009 James H. Pickett.
