Cut loose!
Cutting and sticking really is easy, anyone can do it and, with a few basic supplies, like paper, scissors and a bit of glue, you’ve got yourself a great kit to start working. But this art technique, conceived by Picasso and Braque at the beginning of the 20th century, and which the dadaists would incorporate later as an alternative, renegade response to traditional art, is a bit more than just cutting and sticking: collage is experimentation, investigation, learning, and, among other things, it’s a bit of fun. If you inject some purpose or personal content into your clippings, you’ll succeed in creating a language of your own which will allow you to express your worries or experiences visually. Collage broadens our vision of the world, transforming and recycling images that already exist to create new ones with different meanings and new aesthetics. This is to say nothing of the therapeutic, rewarding experience of the practice itself.
With that in mind, I invite you to immerse yourself in the exercises contained within this book, which are nothing more than suggestions, mere jumping off points for you to create your own visual universe; they help you get to know yourself, to enjoy your work....to unleash your capacity for creativity, and, ultimately, to widen your horizons for expression. It doesn’t matter if you’re tall, small, young, old... or whether you feel feminine or masculine: just for a while, put your labels and standards in a box, mess up your desk, put on some music (at full blast) and just enjoy your creativity. Visual language frees you to express yourself in an enjoyable, personal way, and through this playful exercise, you’ll see your self-esteem boosted too. Besides, at least for the moment (and who can tell what the future holds?), we’re not going to be exhibiting these pieces in the Louvre, nor are we going to put them forward for any global collage competitions, so you don’t need any crazy artistic or expressive skills, your own expression is just that - it’s your own. It’s unique. And that’s what matters most - it’s yours. So don’t worry too much about the aesthetic appeal of the final piece. Don’t give yourself ridiculous challenges. On the contrary, loosen up a bit, don’t censure yourself. Just enjoy
the process; if you do you’ll feel much freer and more able to create, and the result? It’ll surprise you. … Just for a moment, try to channel the rebellious attitude and principles of the dadaists, and get to work: - Get carried away by luck and chance when you start creating.
- Don’t subject yourself to rules of any sort.
- Allow yourself to feel absolutely free while you work through the book; if you like, follow the guidelines we set out, or, alternatively, throw them out the window whenever you feel like it.
In the end, work with passion, enjoy what you are doing, and don’t forget to cut loose!
Materials and tricks of the trade
Almost anything can be used to create collages. From the promotional flyers that fill our letterboxes, to your bus ticket, the latest fashion magazine, an old book you haven’t looked at in ten years but which has really gorgeous illustrations, black and white family photos that you found in Granny’s biscuit tin.... It can all be turned into first-rate material collage is a great way to recycle! Having said all this, if you prefer to look for a specific material with a definite aesthetic, I advise you to turn to a preloved source, like a flea market, or a second-hand bookshop. Books and magazines from yesteryear are a visual treasure trove for our projects.
Old (or current) photographs can also result in an exquisite material, because they house memories and experiences; if it pains you too much to part with them, you can always photocopy them... that way you can leave the originals intact in the family album. When it comes to tools that you’re going to need, go about it in the same way; any clean, well-sharpened scissors you have around the house will work perfectly well for cutting out. And for gluing, anything you have to hand will be useful: glue, sticky tape, a stapler... If you’d rather use more professional materials, I’d recommend that you head to an art supply shop, where you’ll find cutters of all types (for cutting straight lines as well as curves), special scissors, tweezers, rollers for smoothing out joins, cutting plates and other products such as double-sided sticky tape and rubber glue which doesn’t leave stains or wrinkles on your paper. But, if you don’t have a good pair of scissors at your disposal, don’t worry, you have your own hands for ripping paper, crinkling it, separating it, etc.: sometimes, improvising brings us the most surprising results. And, apart from all these materials, remember that you can make a collage from any scrap of fabric, packet of chewing gum, piece of wrapping paper, matchbox, wadding... anything really! Get experimenting!
Change your focus Are you worried about something that consumes your thoughts? By losing yourself in an activity that requires a lot of precision, and concentrating on it completely, you'll feel a sense of relief. For example, sewing!
You won't believe it!
Make your own news, they're the most important headlines. Fill the screens with events that have recently shaped your life.
Share them!
Enjoy good company. Create collages on these pages with someone you'd love to share your ideas with and work as a team.
Love
yourself!
Pay tribute to your greatest virtues. And if they are so many that they don’t fit on these pages, then keep paying tribute outside of this book!
Nothing, no matter how big or how small, is as terrible or wonderful as you imagine. In the green card, write all the things you like, and in the red one, all the things you don't, but remember: they are connected and they complement each other.
Have you been feeling a little scatterbrained lately? Have your thoughts been a bit surreal? Then take advantage and cast them on the moon, see how they shine.
Areyou on the moon?
Let that inner child come out
And give in to the desire to play and enjoy yourself. Stick some photos of moments you enjoyed as a child.
Bye - bye,
fears
Picture your deepest fears, pin them to this wall and forget about them. You'll feel so much stronger!