CC Classroom Course: Collage For The Terrified

5-Layer Collage by Carole Pivarnik

Publisher of Paperpourri: The Multimedia Papercrafts Zine

Collage is a hallmark of my work and most of my classes incorporate it in some way. However, I often find that my students are intimidated by it…they are not sure how to tear, layer, or arrange the various collage materials to achieve the organic, blended look featured in my projects. So I came up with a process I call 5-Layer Collage. There’s nothing new or unique about it—it’s just an easy structured way to approach the process of collage that can help you get over your uncertainty about slapping paper down in a pleasing or effective arrangement!

In this lesson, we’ll apply the technique to an ATC. I like working with the small canvas offered by ATCs because it doesn’t take long to see results and if you don’t like what you came up with, you have very little time invested.

The 5-Layer Collage technique has…you guessed it…5 steps:

1) Apply paint

2) Apply text bits

3) Stamp image

4) Apply decorative paper

5) Embellish

Doesn’t that sound easy? Before we start, here is a list of what you’ll need to do the project in this lesson:

· Glue stick

· Scissors

· Cosmetic wedge

· Small paper plate to use as palette

· An old playing card

· 1 vivid yellow or orange acrylic paint

· 2 contrasting other colors of acrylic paint (at least 1 should be metallic)

· Rubber stamp of your choice

· Dark color StazOn or other ink pad for non-porous/glossy surfaces

· Small amount of text ephemera

· Small amount of decorative napkin, gift wrap, or other printed paper

· Charms or other embellishments

Step 1: Apply Paint

The key word here is SMOOSH. This is not the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. So…put one teaspoon sized dollop of each color of paint on your paper plate. Then:

· Pick up some of the yellow with the wide flat end of the cosmetic wedge. Smoosh it onto the card randomly from the top left corner to the lower right corner in a wide swath…just BLOB it on there.

· Then pick up some of your next darkest color and blob it along the right edge of the card, making sure it blends some with the yellow. That’s right, we didn’t clean the sponge. No need for such a fussy activity—this is COLLAGE!!! Let it flow, baby.

· Then pick up some of your darkest color and smoosh it onto the left side of the card, blending a bit into the yellow.

· Did your yellow get lost in the other color? If so, pick some more up yellow and smoosh it on over top of the yellow that you originally painted.

· Finally, lay the card paint side down onto a paper towel and ever so gently tap it a few times to get some of the excess paint off.

Now you should have a nice smooshy painterly look like the card below:

If desired, put the hair dryer on it to get that paint to dry faster…but not too hot, cuz the acrylic paint will bubble and the card will warp if you get it too hot.

Step 2: Add Text Bits

Before you add text bits to the card, glaze it with the “dirty” cosmetic wedge. This means smear the color all over the text in a light wash. It will add a nice tone to the text to make it blend in more with the background.

Once the text is glazed and has dried, tear it into one or two wedge-shaped pieces. No need to fret over this, just tear nice and steady at an angle to get a pleasantly random edge.

Now figure out where you want to put your text wedges on the card. My suggestion is one about a third of the way from top, pointing right and perhaps another a third of the way from the bottom pointing left. Or they can point up and down. Or you can use just one piece. Try to position at least one piece in the area where you will stamp your image, however…because it provides a “highlight” of sorts behind the image. Once you know where you want your text bits, apply glue with the glue stick and stick ‘em on the card. You should end up with something like this:

Step 3: Stamp Image

Ready? Ink up your stamp REALLY GOOD, then stamp it in the middle, slightly above center. Make sure to press down firmly to get a good impression on the somewhat textured surface of the paint. You should end up with something like this:

If necessary, apply a little warm air with your hair dryer to encourage the ink to dry.

Step 4: Add decorative paper

Tear your decorative paper at an angle and glue it to the bottom of the card, ever so slightly overlapping the stamped image. Translucent papers like tissue, napkins, or vellum are great for this step because the background can be seen more or less through them. You MIGHT want to glaze the edge of the decorative paper with your cosmetic wedge. Then, glue it up and slap it down on the card. If you’re feeling like a rebel, you might also want to add another bit of your text ephemera on top of it…perhaps at an opposing angle. You should end up with something like this:

Step 5: Embellish

Now’s the time to add a charm or two, maybe some fibers, or any other type of embellishment that you like. It doesn’t take much to make a statement.

That’s it. Wasn’t that the easiest collage you’ve ever done? And look how beautiful it is!

NOTE: No playing cards were harmed in the making of this project. However, you might notice that each image uses a different playing card, as I created a series of cards each with one additional step completed.