I created 4 more pages today in my little cloth book. Adding to this little book bit by bit each day, while in isolation.
Archive for the ‘fabric collage’ Category
Little Cloth Book. In Isolation.
Sunday, April 19th, 2020Art & Recycling. Textiles & Mixed media.
Friday, January 18th, 2019Art and recycling goes hand-in-hand in the textile and mixed- media side of my arts practice.
My artworks are often created from old, discarded clothing, vintage and antique textiles, papers and found objects. I enjoy making use of stuff that has had a life already; a life that is often purely functional and as far removed from ‘art’ as you can imagine.
I’ve been recycling all my life to make art. As a child, I pulled apart, old clothing and nylon stockings “I used to collect fabric waste from mum’s sewing and knitting basket, making wall hangings out of that.” Nowadays, I cut up my own clothing and others, antique quilts, vintage linens, fancywork and men’s suits.
The process of searching and collecting materials, is also, a very important part of my art’s making. It may take weeks, months, even years, to find a piece that talks to me. Most of the time though, a fragment of fabric, clothing or object, will trigger off the idea. I collect and document many of the pieces I find, by labeling or remembering, its history of when & where it was found. This gives me another layer to work with.
The search for materials has taken me to many weird and wonderful places over the years.
The sometimes, dodgy, back streets of cities, in Barcelona, Italy and France. Markets and charity shops in Australia, France and England. Underground spaces, abandoned buildings, coast lines and vacant beaches. Friends, family and strangers, have also, donated materials to use in my work.
By transforming old, recycled and reused materials, it enriches the stories I like to tell in my contemporary art and gives a new life, to materials destined to be wasted and thrown away.
How to make Collages from Old Damaged Books.
Wednesday, August 9th, 2017Re: Artwork & Article Published in US. Magazine.
Vintage Pulp
As, mentioned in an earlier post , (Vintage Pulp Fiction Collages) here are some photos of my published article last year, in “Sew Somerset Summer 2016” magazine. (Now Sold Out) I have also included below, how you can to make your own mixed – media collage and drawings from damaged books. I get really addicted to making these little artworks and love reclaiming, tattered books, destined for the garbage, giving them a new life.
Supplies:
Supplies:
Damaged vintage “Pulp Fiction” books, or any other book
Acrylic gesso paint.
Coloured pencils, pens, inks, crayons etc. (I wouldn’t use felt pens as they might seep through)
Vintage fabric. (Damaged, stained, vintage tablecloths, tea towels, even old doilies)
Glue stick
Needle
Threads (any colour)
Equipment
Cutting mat
Box knife or scalpel
Scissors
Sewing machine (Optional)
Small cheap paint brush or, sponge brush
A few rags for wiping paint or glue
Instructions
Carefully cut or tear out a page from the book. This will be used for your artwork base.
To stabilize the delicate book page, paint each side with acrylic Gesso paint, leaving sections of text, and images showing.
Now for the fun part. Once the Gesso paint is dry, draw, paint, scribble and smudge, onto one side of the paper only. You can use paint, coloured pencils, ink, pens etc. Start gluing on bits of found text and images, cut from other pages in the book. It doesn’t have to make sense. It’s fun creating nonsense “gibber jabber”
Next, cut a piece of vintage cloth, about 1 inch – 2cm. larger, than the book page.
Leaving the edges of the cloth raw, hand or machine stitch the cloth to the page, on all 4 sides. Without being too precious, make random marks, by stitching and detouring across and through the piece, as you like.
Continue working on the collage with more stitching, marks and text, until satisfied.
Note: On the underside of the collage the stitching will have left some very interesting marks. Two artworks in one!
Displaying your artwork
The finished artwork could be displayed in a conventional frame, or in a double sided, glass or acrylic frame. As an installation, hang a piece of string from the ceiling and peg the artwork to the string. Both sides can be viewed when it swings around. Several collages could be used for journal pages, book making, or just as a piece of artwork to sit on a shelf in a special place.
Tips
Using damaged vintage books and vintage fabrics, adds to the character of the artwork and saves it from landfill.
Collect found papers, textile scraps and text to make collage.
Old books can be found cheaply, from second-hand shops, flea markets and library throw outs.
A sharp scalpel is very good for cutting close to the book spine.
Add a tiny amount of water to your Gesso paint to make it more translucent.
To give your page a more aged appearance, stain with a tea dye. Put any amount of tea bags in a sink, 1/4 filled with hot water. Plunge and leave until stained, then bake the page in a low oven for around 10 minutes.
Hope you enjoy creating your collage.
Old Army Blanket and Collage.
Friday, April 21st, 2017Still working on small textile collages.
I found an old army blanket from my childhood and couldn’t resist it’s raggedy worn, loveliness and further rusted it. Leaving it in the elements outside for a few weeks.
It can take ages moving pieces around to get the right composition.
then sometimes it just happens straight away.
Adding more marks…
The good thing about using a stretched canvas as a base, I can stitch right into it.
Just like using a embroidery hoop.
3 New Collages using fragments.
Friday, March 3rd, 2017100 yr old cotton textile fragments, vintage found objects, oil pigments,vintage card, linen thread, linen cloth.
The pieces of cloth are extremely fragile so each piece
needs to be reinforced and sealed and stitched into very carefully
before being attached to book board.
Building Layers. Mixed Media. Cradled Boards.
Sunday, April 19th, 2015Building Layers. Mixed Media. Cradled Boards.
Mixed-media art works on cradled birch boards, I started a few weeks ago.
Working on board allows me to scrape back, sand & scratch into the surface
I have left areas raw to show the grain. Building layers with shellac stains, found papers and textiles.
More oil pigments, graphite dust and inks.
I may add some encaustic wax, as well.
See the beginning of the series here
Thoughts on Collage.
Sunday, August 31st, 2014
My 10 quick thoughts on creating original collage.
“13 pour” Jenny Davis
1. Just when you think you’ve got it licked, it can change, by adding one tiny piece of paper, or mark.
“Bitter Interception” Jenny Davis
2. Collage can’t be controlled, trust in the doing.
“No” Jenny Davis
3. If you don’t like something tear it off, paint or paste over it.
“Generous Nation” Jenny Davis
4. By elimination, breaking and tearing to restructure the work, you can open up a new vision.
“Clash 3” Jenny Davis
5. Text adds interest and throws it off again. Do you take it literally, or as a design element?
“De’ranger” Jenny Davis
6. Working on the whole collage at once and not just in one area, is more satisfying.
“Clash” Jenny Davis
7. Elements of design come into play too. Colour, shape, texture, line and form.
“84” Jenny Davis
8. When creating collage, I use the same cognitive process as when painting.
“Torn” Jenny Davis
9. It’s all about trusting the creative process, your intuition, taking risks and challenging yourself.
“Paris Burning” Jenny Davis
10. It’s also heaps of fun expressing yourself in this way!
Back to “Free Tutorials”