I feel like I see a lot of people making truly gorgeous collage fodder. It's just so lovely to look at. Not me. I make ugly fugly collage paper. Why? There are a lot of reasons to make ugly collage paper:
ONE: It lowers the stakes around cutting into your collage fodder. Here is a piece of copy paper that I had no problem cutting up.
You can see that the ugly piece of paper makes for beautiful little bits. I used two of them on this mixed media collage:
TWO: You need contrast to make your work sing. If you always use the things you love: i.e. the same colors, patterns, scale, etc. then your work will be boring. Grab that paper that you think is "ugly" — wrong color, wrong pattern, wrong scale…just wrong. Add it to your work and see what happens. For example:
Fat brown and yellow stripes?! Ick! And yet, they help ground the composition and make the "pretty" parts stand out even more.
THREE: If every step of the artistic process involves thinking and planning and judging — it's too exhausting for me. I want the "making collage paper" stage to be without any concerns or expectations. Here are some examples of the treasured ugly collage paper in my stash:
I do have some pretty collage paper because sometimes it happens by accident. But 90% of my stash looks like this:
or this:
And they meld into my finished artwork, as you can see here:
How about you? Do you make ugly collage paper or pretty collage paper?
Thanks for stopping by!
My motto is “never throw anything away”. So I keep ugly background fails and I make ridiculous looking backgrounds by soaking up stray ink and cleaning off my stencils. Then I feel really good about myself when I find the perfect card to make that trash shine. I really enjoyed this post!
My motto is “never throw anything away”. So I keep ugly background fails and I make ridiculous looking backgrounds by soaking up stray ink and cleaning off my stencils. Then I feel really good about myself when I find the perfect card to make that trash shine. I really enjoyed this post!
My motto is “never throw anything away”. So I keep ugly background fails and I make ridiculous looking backgrounds by soaking up stray ink and cleaning off my stencils. Then I feel really good about myself when I find the perfect card to make that trash shine. I really enjoyed this post!
My motto is “never throw anything away”. So I keep ugly background fails and I make ridiculous looking backgrounds by soaking up stray ink and cleaning off my stencils. Then I feel really good about myself when I find the perfect card to make that trash shine. I really enjoyed this post!
My motto is “never throw anything away”. So I keep ugly background fails and I make ridiculous looking backgrounds by soaking up stray ink and cleaning off my stencils. Then I feel really good about myself when I find the perfect card to make that trash shine. I really enjoyed this post!
My motto is “never throw anything away”. So I keep ugly background fails and I make ridiculous looking backgrounds by soaking up stray ink and cleaning off my stencils. Then I feel really good about myself when I find the perfect card to make that trash shine. I really enjoyed this post!
My motto is “never throw anything away”. So I keep ugly background fails and I make ridiculous looking backgrounds by soaking up stray ink and cleaning off my stencils. Then I feel really good about myself when I find the perfect card to make that trash shine. I really enjoyed this post!
Mostly I keep all the odd/ugly bits for future use. One thing I will do deliberately when gelli printing to build my stash is to focus on a particular color –for instance, if I’m getting low on yellows I’ll make a pile with various shades of yellow. And one thing I’ll throw out is if I’ve used a kind of paper that proves to be troublesome — I’d tried making prints on some old sheet music, and the paper was too brittle and just hadn’t taken the paint well.
Mostly I keep all the odd/ugly bits for future use. One thing I will do deliberately when gelli printing to build my stash is to focus on a particular color –for instance, if I’m getting low on yellows I’ll make a pile with various shades of yellow. And one thing I’ll throw out is if I’ve used a kind of paper that proves to be troublesome — I’d tried making prints on some old sheet music, and the paper was too brittle and just hadn’t taken the paint well.
Mostly I keep all the odd/ugly bits for future use. One thing I will do deliberately when gelli printing to build my stash is to focus on a particular color –for instance, if I’m getting low on yellows I’ll make a pile with various shades of yellow. And one thing I’ll throw out is if I’ve used a kind of paper that proves to be troublesome — I’d tried making prints on some old sheet music, and the paper was too brittle and just hadn’t taken the paint well.
Mostly I keep all the odd/ugly bits for future use. One thing I will do deliberately when gelli printing to build my stash is to focus on a particular color –for instance, if I’m getting low on yellows I’ll make a pile with various shades of yellow. And one thing I’ll throw out is if I’ve used a kind of paper that proves to be troublesome — I’d tried making prints on some old sheet music, and the paper was too brittle and just hadn’t taken the paint well.
Mostly I keep all the odd/ugly bits for future use. One thing I will do deliberately when gelli printing to build my stash is to focus on a particular color –for instance, if I’m getting low on yellows I’ll make a pile with various shades of yellow. And one thing I’ll throw out is if I’ve used a kind of paper that proves to be troublesome — I’d tried making prints on some old sheet music, and the paper was too brittle and just hadn’t taken the paint well.
Mostly I keep all the odd/ugly bits for future use. One thing I will do deliberately when gelli printing to build my stash is to focus on a particular color –for instance, if I’m getting low on yellows I’ll make a pile with various shades of yellow. And one thing I’ll throw out is if I’ve used a kind of paper that proves to be troublesome — I’d tried making prints on some old sheet music, and the paper was too brittle and just hadn’t taken the paint well.
Mostly I keep all the odd/ugly bits for future use. One thing I will do deliberately when gelli printing to build my stash is to focus on a particular color –for instance, if I’m getting low on yellows I’ll make a pile with various shades of yellow. And one thing I’ll throw out is if I’ve used a kind of paper that proves to be troublesome — I’d tried making prints on some old sheet music, and the paper was too brittle and just hadn’t taken the paint well.
What a brilliant post! I keep it in my stash, but don’t often reach for it. Time to rethink THAT.
What a brilliant post! I keep it in my stash, but don’t often reach for it. Time to rethink THAT.
What a brilliant post! I keep it in my stash, but don’t often reach for it. Time to rethink THAT.
What a brilliant post! I keep it in my stash, but don’t often reach for it. Time to rethink THAT.
What a brilliant post! I keep it in my stash, but don’t often reach for it. Time to rethink THAT.
What a brilliant post! I keep it in my stash, but don’t often reach for it. Time to rethink THAT.
What a brilliant post! I keep it in my stash, but don’t often reach for it. Time to rethink THAT.
but how to you store your collage paper so your studio is not buried in piles of collage paper-ugly or not.
but how to you store your collage paper so your studio is not buried in piles of collage paper-ugly or not.
but how to you store your collage paper so your studio is not buried in piles of collage paper-ugly or not.
but how to you store your collage paper so your studio is not buried in piles of collage paper-ugly or not.
but how to you store your collage paper so your studio is not buried in piles of collage paper-ugly or not.
but how to you store your collage paper so your studio is not buried in piles of collage paper-ugly or not.
but how to you store your collage paper so your studio is not buried in piles of collage paper-ugly or not.
Great idea. I am going to do this!
Great idea. I am going to do this!
Great idea. I am going to do this!
Great idea. I am going to do this!
Great idea. I am going to do this!
Great idea. I am going to do this!
Great idea. I am going to do this!
I just make it, grabbing whatever supply might be at hand. Sometimes it isn’t ugly, but I can live with that!
I just make it, grabbing whatever supply might be at hand. Sometimes it isn’t ugly, but I can live with that!
I just make it, grabbing whatever supply might be at hand. Sometimes it isn’t ugly, but I can live with that!
I just make it, grabbing whatever supply might be at hand. Sometimes it isn’t ugly, but I can live with that!
I just make it, grabbing whatever supply might be at hand. Sometimes it isn’t ugly, but I can live with that!
I just make it, grabbing whatever supply might be at hand. Sometimes it isn’t ugly, but I can live with that!
I just make it, grabbing whatever supply might be at hand. Sometimes it isn’t ugly, but I can live with that!
Great! That is my next project. Thanks!
Great! That is my next project. Thanks!
Great! That is my next project. Thanks!
Great! That is my next project. Thanks!
Great! That is my next project. Thanks!
Great! That is my next project. Thanks!
Great! That is my next project. Thanks!
Such a good post. I think you recently said in a member livestream (or wrote somewhere?) not to make some of your gelli printed papers too pretty or too nice because you won’t want to cut them up. That is such spot on advice!
Such a good post. I think you recently said in a member livestream (or wrote somewhere?) not to make some of your gelli printed papers too pretty or too nice because you won’t want to cut them up. That is such spot on advice!
Such a good post. I think you recently said in a member livestream (or wrote somewhere?) not to make some of your gelli printed papers too pretty or too nice because you won’t want to cut them up. That is such spot on advice!
Such a good post. I think you recently said in a member livestream (or wrote somewhere?) not to make some of your gelli printed papers too pretty or too nice because you won’t want to cut them up. That is such spot on advice!
Such a good post. I think you recently said in a member livestream (or wrote somewhere?) not to make some of your gelli printed papers too pretty or too nice because you won’t want to cut them up. That is such spot on advice!
Such a good post. I think you recently said in a member livestream (or wrote somewhere?) not to make some of your gelli printed papers too pretty or too nice because you won’t want to cut them up. That is such spot on advice!
Such a good post. I think you recently said in a member livestream (or wrote somewhere?) not to make some of your gelli printed papers too pretty or too nice because you won’t want to cut them up. That is such spot on advice!
Love it! I have an assortment, some ugly, some nice. It’s amazing how well the ugly ones can work!
Love it! I have an assortment, some ugly, some nice. It’s amazing how well the ugly ones can work!
Love it! I have an assortment, some ugly, some nice. It’s amazing how well the ugly ones can work!
Love it! I have an assortment, some ugly, some nice. It’s amazing how well the ugly ones can work!
Love it! I have an assortment, some ugly, some nice. It’s amazing how well the ugly ones can work!
Love it! I have an assortment, some ugly, some nice. It’s amazing how well the ugly ones can work!
Love it! I have an assortment, some ugly, some nice. It’s amazing how well the ugly ones can work!
some of mine are pretty. but, that’s the problem. then, I don’t want to use it so there it sits…year after year in the stash. I have plenty of ugly ones – especially the ones I save from brayer roll-off. But, I think I’ve tended to make them prettier. I love what you’ve done by just leaving them be.
some of mine are pretty. but, that’s the problem. then, I don’t want to use it so there it sits…year after year in the stash. I have plenty of ugly ones – especially the ones I save from brayer roll-off. But, I think I’ve tended to make them prettier. I love what you’ve done by just leaving them be.
some of mine are pretty. but, that’s the problem. then, I don’t want to use it so there it sits…year after year in the stash. I have plenty of ugly ones – especially the ones I save from brayer roll-off. But, I think I’ve tended to make them prettier. I love what you’ve done by just leaving them be.
some of mine are pretty. but, that’s the problem. then, I don’t want to use it so there it sits…year after year in the stash. I have plenty of ugly ones – especially the ones I save from brayer roll-off. But, I think I’ve tended to make them prettier. I love what you’ve done by just leaving them be.
some of mine are pretty. but, that’s the problem. then, I don’t want to use it so there it sits…year after year in the stash. I have plenty of ugly ones – especially the ones I save from brayer roll-off. But, I think I’ve tended to make them prettier. I love what you’ve done by just leaving them be.
some of mine are pretty. but, that’s the problem. then, I don’t want to use it so there it sits…year after year in the stash. I have plenty of ugly ones – especially the ones I save from brayer roll-off. But, I think I’ve tended to make them prettier. I love what you’ve done by just leaving them be.
some of mine are pretty. but, that’s the problem. then, I don’t want to use it so there it sits…year after year in the stash. I have plenty of ugly ones – especially the ones I save from brayer roll-off. But, I think I’ve tended to make them prettier. I love what you’ve done by just leaving them be.
Yay Julie! I thought I was the only one who reached for the “trash paper” more than the “pretty paper” for collage. It seems to have more energy, complexity and possibility. When it’s torn or cut it becomes a gorgeous element in the dance. I love that you posted this and said it so well.
Yay Julie! I thought I was the only one who reached for the “trash paper” more than the “pretty paper” for collage. It seems to have more energy, complexity and possibility. When it’s torn or cut it becomes a gorgeous element in the dance. I love that you posted this and said it so well.
Yay Julie! I thought I was the only one who reached for the “trash paper” more than the “pretty paper” for collage. It seems to have more energy, complexity and possibility. When it’s torn or cut it becomes a gorgeous element in the dance. I love that you posted this and said it so well.
Yay Julie! I thought I was the only one who reached for the “trash paper” more than the “pretty paper” for collage. It seems to have more energy, complexity and possibility. When it’s torn or cut it becomes a gorgeous element in the dance. I love that you posted this and said it so well.
Yay Julie! I thought I was the only one who reached for the “trash paper” more than the “pretty paper” for collage. It seems to have more energy, complexity and possibility. When it’s torn or cut it becomes a gorgeous element in the dance. I love that you posted this and said it so well.
Yay Julie! I thought I was the only one who reached for the “trash paper” more than the “pretty paper” for collage. It seems to have more energy, complexity and possibility. When it’s torn or cut it becomes a gorgeous element in the dance. I love that you posted this and said it so well.
Yay Julie! I thought I was the only one who reached for the “trash paper” more than the “pretty paper” for collage. It seems to have more energy, complexity and possibility. When it’s torn or cut it becomes a gorgeous element in the dance. I love that you posted this and said it so well.
Most of my papers saved are paint run off from gelli printing. I save them for background in my art journal. I doodle over them. I didn’t think of cutting them up for “art parts”. Great idea.
Most of my papers saved are paint run off from gelli printing. I save them for background in my art journal. I doodle over them. I didn’t think of cutting them up for “art parts”. Great idea.
Most of my papers saved are paint run off from gelli printing. I save them for background in my art journal. I doodle over them. I didn’t think of cutting them up for “art parts”. Great idea.
Most of my papers saved are paint run off from gelli printing. I save them for background in my art journal. I doodle over them. I didn’t think of cutting them up for “art parts”. Great idea.
Most of my papers saved are paint run off from gelli printing. I save them for background in my art journal. I doodle over them. I didn’t think of cutting them up for “art parts”. Great idea.
Most of my papers saved are paint run off from gelli printing. I save them for background in my art journal. I doodle over them. I didn’t think of cutting them up for “art parts”. Great idea.
Most of my papers saved are paint run off from gelli printing. I save them for background in my art journal. I doodle over them. I didn’t think of cutting them up for “art parts”. Great idea.
Really appreciate this post. Helps reduce the anxiety of always striving to make “pretty.”
Really appreciate this post. Helps reduce the anxiety of always striving to make “pretty.”
Really appreciate this post. Helps reduce the anxiety of always striving to make “pretty.”
Really appreciate this post. Helps reduce the anxiety of always striving to make “pretty.”
Really appreciate this post. Helps reduce the anxiety of always striving to make “pretty.”
Really appreciate this post. Helps reduce the anxiety of always striving to make “pretty.”
Really appreciate this post. Helps reduce the anxiety of always striving to make “pretty.”
I love this post! I save all the ugly bits too…so much prettier when all cut up!
I love this post! I save all the ugly bits too…so much prettier when all cut up!
I love this post! I save all the ugly bits too…so much prettier when all cut up!
I love this post! I save all the ugly bits too…so much prettier when all cut up!
I love this post! I save all the ugly bits too…so much prettier when all cut up!
I love this post! I save all the ugly bits too…so much prettier when all cut up!
I love this post! I save all the ugly bits too…so much prettier when all cut up!
Yasssss!
Yasssss!
Yasssss!
Yasssss!
Yasssss!
Yasssss!
Yasssss!