I'm in the middle of reading this book. Easy to follow, great samples, step by step instructions with photos of each step. Anyhoo, pretty much in the first chapter, Claudine Hellmuth writes that "collage thrives on serendipitous discoveries; sometimes you're not sure if you are creating the artwork or if the artwork is creating itself."That's exactly what happened with this crazy little ATC i created last night while watching tv. I call him Prince Smug.
Without any idea what the end result was going to be, I just picked up scrap piece of paper lying on my coffee table. For no reason, I cut it into a shape of a crown.Much too plain as it was, I stamped it with the word stamp and outlined the crown. Well, since it was blue, it became a crown for a male.
Also on the coffee table was a scrap piece of canvas paper already cut into a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangle. I just set the crown down on the white canvas and knew all that would fit would be a face.
I reached for my oil pastels, rubbed on some blue and yellow grey.
Went to my stamp room and gazed at my stamps. For no reason at all, I picked up the snowflakes, stamped them in the 2 corners.
Then drew a U for his face.
When I drew his eyes they unintentionally came out looking a little mischieveous. So I put a little smirky smile and goatie.
He's faaarrr from good. But he was fun to make because I didn't know where the next step would lead.
I really don't know if I created the art or of the art created itself.
5 comments:
The mis-adventures of the Little Prince all grown up.
He's quite the ladies man, has all the womenfolk in the kingdom in a twitter with his charms and his smooth talking. He gets into a lot of trouble, kissing the girls and making them cry, but he gets out of it, his dad is the King after all.
I love your little prince! I think Phin's got him pegged. He's a charming scoundrel!
BTW I have that same book and I love it! Hellmuth was on Carol Duvall last week using beeswax to make collages on canvas. I taped it thinking as I watched it that beeswax could also be used to collage on gourds. One idea leads to another.
Such is the serendipity she speaks of. Never in my life have I ever had anything turn out remotely like I thought it would when I began it. It's the adventure of doing something new, the possibilities, the unknown... that makes it more like play than like work. And sometimes...I know this is going to sound peculiar...but sometimes I don't even know WHERE things come from. The mind is a strange thing.
Phin - LOL!!! You pegged him all right! Seriously, I keep re-reading your note and keep laughing out loud. That's exactly who he is but I couldn't put it in words.
Cate - ouuu...I'll have to check my tivo, i might have that episode still. I think I've been so prolific in my creations lately because I finally realized that I don't have to plan out every single detail before I execute. Just let the art happen. I have a lot of bloopers, but I just keep chipping away and voila, something happens and it all falls into place...without even really trying. Serendipity. And like you said, it's more like play instead of pressure. And...no...that doesn't sound strange at all. It's a very common thing for me to say "hum. where'd THAT come from?!?"
I think Phinner pegged him well too. He has a wonderful familiarity to him too. Like he you know him even though he isn't real and you've never met. I think it's great. I love when pieces create themselves.
Well isn't he adorable? Isn't it wonderful when art just creates itself right in front of you when you weren't looking? I love that!
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