Many academics today write about how collage can be essentially anything that is combined or remixed. From songs to our daily choices of dressing, collage is more than an art – it’s intertwined into our society. By using collage as a tool to live more aligned with your interests, you will find benefits to your life.
As an art form, collage art is versatile. It is an artistic medium which combines physical (and digital) media to create something new. An artist can make fine art or junk journals, zines or sculpture. There are endless possibilities with collage art. Think about it… what do you have in your vicinity that you could collage with? I am sure you can pull at least five elements to collage with right now. But… If you need help finding things to collage with, head to our store!
Reflective
Creating collage art isn’t always just about making something aesthetically pleasing. Transcending the aesthetic and moving into a higher level of creating requires reflection. This is deep and structured. Look at it as a form of narrative therapy for both positive and hard memories. The structure is formed through asking questions in your art journal. Here are some questions to start your journey….
- Why am I making art?
- What is holding me back from making art which is personal?
- What memories am I open to sharing?
- How did I feel in that moment?
- Why does this artwork need to be seen?
- When making art dealing with deep and personal memories, how can I ground myself?
- What elements can I use to reflect this memory?
If you end up making something using this structure, you can submit it on our FREE social media submissions portal, or tag us online (@collagecollective / @collage.collective).
Mindfulness
You know mindfulness… it’s that buzzword that came around social media a few years ago. This is the act of being in the moment, slowing down and allowing our parasympathetic nervous system to relax. Well, collage art promotes mindfulness. Actions such as flicking through new or old magazines & books, cutting out images, and carefully arranging – all of these actions promote mindfulness. Similar examples are seen with meditation.
Routine
When you commit yourself to making collage art, block out time in your calendar. This is your time to slow down and create. Put your phone on do not disturb. Time is infinite, but our time here is limited; make sure to block some time out for you.
By forming this routine, you prove to yourself how easy it is to set some time aside for you. That feeling of self-determination is what fuels future success in other areas of your life.
Start by setting aside 15-minutes to do anything art-related. This might be activities such as organising your materials, setting up your workstation, journalling about your art, or flicking through and finding materials. From there, add an extra 5 to 10-minutes each time you engage with your art. Before you know it, you’ll be making art for 40-minutes each session.
Social Welfare
We’re in a loneliness epidemic. It’s hard to not only keep plans with others but also make new friends. Collage events such as workshops and meet-ups are a great basis to make new friends and be social. Feeling a little shy? Compliment another person’s work, and that can spark a conversation that can start a lifelong friendship!