I know I’m not alone in loving ampersands!
This is number 3 of the Ampersand collage series. The more I look at these pieces, the more I want to do more. Watch this space.
Each was more “designed” than the previous piece in the series. This one, Ampersand 03, took a long time in the planning stage. Finding and sorting subtle shades of grey from magazine cuttings was time consuming in itself, never mind placing them within the design.
Ampersand 03 is my favourite of the three I created and is currently hung on a wall in my home.
The artwork is 60x60cm (24x24 inches) square and continues around the edges of the canvas.
The process
First, I search for and carefully select magazine pages and cuttings, giving me a palette to work from – which took much longer for this piece.
A much harder process than picking up a few tubes of paint.
I usually sketch the design onto the canvas, then place each cutting within the design, gluing them to the canvas. I’m trying to develop a looser style, but I guess my approach is born of my design background.
Using glue (I use Mod Podge) and paper on canvas leads to some wrinkling on the surface of the artwork. This is unavoidable due to how paper reacts when wet. But the wrinkles add texture and character to the final piece, which I love.
Why collage?
I love the juxtaposition of complexity and simplicity it allows.
I love the idea of recycling and remixing in art. It isn’t copying, it’s creating something unique from different, existing elements.
When you stand back to view the final piece, your eye combines colours and smaller images on the canvas.
You often notice something new, even after viewing the same piece many times, that you’d never noticed before.
The others in the series
Take a look at my previous posts, with the Ampersand 01 and Ampersand 02 designs:
https://steemit.com/art/@m-ssed-t/original-collage-artwork-ampersand-01
https://steemit.com/art/@m-ssed-t/original-collage-artwork-ampersand-02
This is the final post of the series, but I’ll be sharing more art, and design work in the future, so follow along. I have big plans for Steem and will be releasing lots of new content.
I’d love to hear your thoughts
I created these posts because I’d love to hear your thoughts – on the artwork, the approach, maybe you share my love of ampersands? Which of the three Ampersand pieces do you like the best?