Collage Making MODULE - 3
Making of Collage,
Graphics and Different
Art forms
7
Notes
COLLAGE MAKING
Collage is a technique primarily used in visual art where artwork is made from
an assemblage of different forms and mediums, thus creating a new whole.
The various materials are creatively and selectively arranged on the surface of
the paper, after which the same is fixed with glue to create artwork. Collage-
making is an extremely creative form of art whose history dates back to as early
as 200. B.C.E. Techniques of collage were first used at the time of the invention
of paper in China. The use of collage, however remained very limited until the
10th century C.E. in Japan, when calligraphers began to apply glued paper, use
text on surfaces, and writing their poems. The technique of collage appeared
in medieval Europe during the 13th Century C.E. Gold leaf panels, gems stones,
and other precious metals was applied to religious images. In the 19th century
C.E., collage methods were used for creating photo albums. The 19th-century
tradition of physically joining multiple images into press photography and offset
lithography continued until the introduction of digital image editing. Creating
a photo collage has become easier with the advent of computer software like
adobe, Photoshop, pixel image editor etc.
The term collage was coined by Picasso and Braque, which in french means
glue. Collage was first used as an artist’s technique in the 20th Century C.E.
Collage as an artistic concept was associated with the beginning of modernism.
Picasso was the first to use the collage technique in his painting in 1912. He
painted “Still life With Chair Canning”, where he pasted a patch of oilcloth with
a chair cane design onto the canvas. Braque applied collage techniques to his
charcoal drawings. Surrealist artists have made extensive use of collage. The
material used for making it include a wide variety of material like newspaper
clippings, coloured or handmade papers, ribbon, rags, threads, a portion of other
artwork or texts, photograph or any other objects.
Painting 85
MODULE - 3 Collage Making
Making of Collage,
Graphics and Different
Art forms
OBJECTIVES
The learner will be able to:
z create a collage using various materials;
Notes z apply various methods like cutting, tearing, folding for making a collage;
z use balance and proportion for creating an artwork;
z use shading concept with different materials, i.e. paper, stone etc.;
z explore the effect of different materials on a canvas or paper; and
z making of paper collage step by step by hand tearing on canvas
7.1 MATERIALS TO BE USED
z Paper z Magazine z Glue
z Scissors z Picture book z Photos
z Illustrations z Empty chocolate case z Straw
z Other waste materials
7.2 TECHNIQUE AND METHODS OF COLLAGE MAKING
According to the technique and materials used for making a collage, it can be
classified in quite a fair number of categories.
7.2.1 Paper collage
Made by using cut-out, teared, stifled clippings of paper.
7.2.2 Wood collage
Made by using barks of wood, wooden sheets, ply, broken furniture parts, wood
moulding, and wooden railing scraps, either on a massive scale or glued to the
canvas.
7.2.3 Decoupage
A collage is usually defined as a craft where a picture is pasted on an object
for decoration. The picture can be further painted with paint to create the desired
impact. The picture is often coated with varnish for beauty and protection.
Decoupage can be used to decorate lanterns, windows, boxes, and other objects.
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Collage Making MODULE - 3
Making of Collage,
7.2.4 Mosaic Graphics and Different
Art forms
It is the art of putting together or assembling a small pieces of paper, tiles, marble
stones etc. they are often found in churches and temples or as the interior designs
of buildings. Small pieces of stone or glass of different colours, known as
tesserae, are used to create a pattern or picture.
Notes
7.2.5 Photomontage
Collage made from photographs is called Photomontage; the process includes
joining various photographs to make a composite photograph.
7.2.6 Three-Dimensional Collage
Three-diamensional collage is the art of putting together Three-dimensional
objects such as rocks, beads, buttons, coins or even soil to form a new object.
7.2.7 Digital Collage
Where the collage is prepared by using computer applications. A wide variety
of collages can be prepared digitally.
EXERCISE 1
Creating Collage with Tearing of Coloured Papers
Collage is commonly used as a technique in children’s picture book illustrations
apart from its several other uses like in the film industry, music, literature etc.
Keep in mind that whatever colour you may choose should have three different
variations if you choose blue, it should be dark, light and medium shades of
blue, likewise, if you are to apply yellow in your artwork, then collect light,
middle and deep tones of yellow and place them in different containers, small
bowls may serve as a container for collecting papers.
Make a Collage of Houses by the Meadows
First step
Tear photos from the magazine or picture books. Separate papers of different
colours and keep them in separate boxes. Now tear the coloured papers in small
pieces, keep and stick them into respective boxes or containers (See Fig. 7.1).
Painting 87
MODULE - 3 Collage Making
Making of Collage,
Graphics and Different
Art forms
Notes
Fig. 7.1
Second step
Now mark the picture with a pencil according to the tones to be applied, e.g.
in the mentioned picture. The house has been marked with letters L, M and D,
denoting light medium, and dark shades. The shades shall be applied according
to basic shading rules, i.e. the areas facing a source of light shall be the brightest.
The shadowed areas are darkest with the middle tone mixing the shades of light
and dark(See Fig. 7.2).
Fig. 7.2
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Collage Making MODULE - 3
Making of Collage,
Third step Graphics and Different
Art forms
Start applying the paper pieces with the glue on the drawing sheet from light
to dark or dark to light. Start working from the top of the sheet. Paste light
blue from the left.
Apply medium shades in the middle and dark shades of blue in the extreme right.
Like this, keeping the source of the light in mind apply paper pieces in all the Notes
portions like the trees, the mountains, the lands etc. Now the collage is complete.
You can mount it with white paper and enjoy this beautiful piece of art (See
Fig. 7.3).
Fig. 7.3
EXERSISE 2
Create Photomontage of Cityscape
First step
Collect photographs according to the theme. This particular work has been done
by photographs collected from newspapers and magazines.
Painting 89
MODULE - 3 Collage Making
Making of Collage,
Graphics and Different
Art forms
Notes
Fig. 7.4
Second step
Cut the photos with scissors where necessary; otherwise, you can tear some
paper pieces for different effects. For example, make the reflection of the
building by cut out of different photographs. Make the effects of the clouds and
the foreground by paper tearing.
Fig. 7.5
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Collage Making MODULE - 3
Making of Collage,
EXERCISE 3 Graphics and Different
Art forms
Collage by using waste materials
Material required: Old magazines, Newspapers, scissors, gum, chocolate
wrappers straw, and other waste materials.
First Step
Notes
Cut out a face and paste it on a dark background (See Fig. 7.6).
Fig. 7.6
Second Step
Cut out different faces of women with other expressions. Paste a zip on the
lips (see Fig. 7.7).
Fig. 7.7
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MODULE - 3 Collage Making
Making of Collage,
Graphics and Different Third step
Art forms Paste the two bigger picture on both sides (See Fig. 7.8).
Notes
Fig. 7.8
Paste the empty chocolate cases around the neck of the women to create
jewellery. Arrange the faces of women around the large face. Cut out the text
and thin strips of paper to decorate the collage.
WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT
Collage
Create new Technique
form used
Used hand made Visual art
papers
Made form
Used waste
objects Assemblege
Different
forms
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Collage Making MODULE - 3
Making of Collage,
Graphics and Different
Art forms
TERMINAL QUESTIONS
1. What is a collage?
2. What are the materials commonly used for making a collage?
3. What does the word ‘Collage’ mean in French?
4. Mention some categories of collage-making. Notes
5. Make a decoupage on a flower vase or plate.
6. Make a collage paper tearing.
7. Make a poster by using the collage technique (Road Safety).
8. Make an illustration using the collage technique (with paper).
9. Make a mosaic with paper pieces.
GLOSSARY
Visual Art Form of art in which visual language is used for expression.
Collage Joining cutouts of different materials to make a visual impact.
Decoupage A method of creating a collage on a particular object like a
flower vase, Lantern, or pots by sticking pictures and creating
a particular background.
Pasting Sticking paper cloth or any other materials with glue on a
surface.
Mosaic Small pieces of tile, and paper cut in uniform shape, pasted
on the wall or paper.
Photo montage Collage made by pasting different photographs.
Illustration Colourful-or-black and white drawing made to represent or
explain a text.
Tearing To rip apart paper or cloth in regular or irregular pieces.
Wood Collage Collage made by using a wood piece or sheets of wood.
Cubist Artist, who uses a cubic pattern to construct a composition.
Gem stone Precious stone used for making jewels.
Painting 93