I have been getting more and more interested in collage and assemblage. What's the difference between collage and assemblage? It's a bit like the difference between a square and a rectangle. Generally speaking collage is mixing together different items to create a new whole, usually attached to a canvas or piece of paper. Assemblage is the act of putting together a three-dimensional piece of art using a collection of objects. This is a piece by one of my favorite assemblage artists, Joseph Cornell.
Isn't it lovely?
I think an interest in collage and assemblage is a natural extension of being a scrapbooker. Scrapbooking is a form of collage after all.
This weekend I grabbed a pile of random supplies and created this tiny treasure. The opening of the frame is a little less than 2"x3". (This picture is bigger than the actual piece.)
It's a tiny, delicious slice of girly-ness! I had so much fun putting it together and so I moved on to something a little bit bigger.
I filled this Printer's Tray with little treasures from my desk. I wanted to create something from all the leftover bits and bobs sitting out, neglected and rejected from other projects. Lots of hand painted goodies and a mixture of fabric, paper, and metal. Interestingly, this tray ended up being a study in adhesives. What's the right adhesive to hold each element in place? I think my favorite nooks are (1) the one holding the fortune cookie fortunes and (2) the large rectangle which houses the blue buttons and the big puffy heart.
Let's take a peek at the details, shall we?
The large accordion folded flower is an unused leftover from a layout I did for Scrapbooking m.m. It's on top of a scrap of Prima lace and two very large white beads. Next to it you can see three rows of freshwater pearls. I have always loved the imperfections in freshwater pearls. Aren't they lovely? And then four rows of lace scraps.
Printed canvas makes up the backdrop. The flowers are from Prima and they are painted with gesso and sprayed with Ranger's new Perfect Pearls mist.
Love, love, love that big puffy heart! I photographed it from every angle, so I guess you can tell that I adore it! I backed that rectangle with a piece of my paint rag and then smothered it in layers of buttons. The heart is also made from a paint rag remnant. Next to it is a strip of tickets from a long ago raffle. The row of metal pieces are a combination of these circle prong things and a decorative dangle. How lucky that I had just enough to fill the length of that rectangle? Then there are two flowers. The green one is a combination of three flowers (the top one is a canvas flower I painted) plus a sparkly sequin center. The purple one is two flowers, sparkly center, and a piece of a catalog page that I painted.
On the left is a collection of fabric beads. A collection of red buttons looks so cool all smushed together! The face painting is something I painted, cut up and decided not to use. The last rectangle contains a puffy kaleidescope bead, large silver ring (the puffy bead is in the center of the ring) and tons and tons of blue beads in two sizes. So much color and fun!
The top left is a book page with a dangle from a chandelier (an extra part from Portrait Bug's chandelier, actually). I curled up some ribbon and tucked it into the next nook. Those are some tiny paper roses nestled just below. And the three white "thing-a-ma-bobs" are actually 6 decorative metal pieces (3 small circles and 3 large ones) that I painted with gesso.
I always take home my fortune cookie fortunes. I have a little drawer of them on my desk. The top center rectangle is several layers of batting, some muslin, a decorative stick pen, and a transparent heart. The painted canvas along the bottom is a remnant from this quilt:
The butterflies are acrylic, reverse painted. And it's hard to see, but they are staggered in height.
It's so nice to be able to take all those things that might have ended up either in the trash or at the bottom of a junk drawer, and showcase them. The beauty in the little things, or something like that.
I had so much fun making these two pieces…I'm thinking that you're going to be seeing a lot more collage and assemblage from me!
Thanks for stopping by!
Love these! That mini framed piece is adorable!
Love these! That mini framed piece is adorable!
Love these! That mini framed piece is adorable!
Love these! That mini framed piece is adorable!
Oh yes, I love that assemn+´blage and you should certainly do more with it!
Irma
Oh yes, I love that assemn+´blage and you should certainly do more with it!
Irma
Oh yes, I love that assemn+´blage and you should certainly do more with it!
Irma
Oh yes, I love that assemn+´blage and you should certainly do more with it!
Irma
Cool…the fabric beads really drew my attention Julie!
Cool…the fabric beads really drew my attention Julie!
Cool…the fabric beads really drew my attention Julie!
Cool…the fabric beads really drew my attention Julie!
I’ve always wanted to try this sort of stuff. But baby steps! I’m still working on art journaling and I think I need to work with wool a bit next. Then maybe I’ll be ready to fill a printer’s tray :o)
I’ve always wanted to try this sort of stuff. But baby steps! I’m still working on art journaling and I think I need to work with wool a bit next. Then maybe I’ll be ready to fill a printer’s tray :o)
I’ve always wanted to try this sort of stuff. But baby steps! I’m still working on art journaling and I think I need to work with wool a bit next. Then maybe I’ll be ready to fill a printer’s tray :o)
I’ve always wanted to try this sort of stuff. But baby steps! I’m still working on art journaling and I think I need to work with wool a bit next. Then maybe I’ll be ready to fill a printer’s tray :o)
Could you PLEASE send me that remnant, lol??? You need to post that at SC so I can put that in my faves. Your tiny collage is phenomenal. The big one too. I left love at SC! I like seeing your work area – looks so dang messy, fun, creative.
Could you PLEASE send me that remnant, lol??? You need to post that at SC so I can put that in my faves. Your tiny collage is phenomenal. The big one too. I left love at SC! I like seeing your work area – looks so dang messy, fun, creative.
Could you PLEASE send me that remnant, lol??? You need to post that at SC so I can put that in my faves. Your tiny collage is phenomenal. The big one too. I left love at SC! I like seeing your work area – looks so dang messy, fun, creative.
Could you PLEASE send me that remnant, lol??? You need to post that at SC so I can put that in my faves. Your tiny collage is phenomenal. The big one too. I left love at SC! I like seeing your work area – looks so dang messy, fun, creative.
Amazing! Blows my creative socks off every time.
Amazing! Blows my creative socks off every time.
Amazing! Blows my creative socks off every time.
Amazing! Blows my creative socks off every time.
ur desk looks waaaaaay more fun that mine!
ur desk looks waaaaaay more fun that mine!
ur desk looks waaaaaay more fun that mine!
ur desk looks waaaaaay more fun that mine!
I love love love this! I am so drawn to collage or I guess it would be assemblage? I’ve yet to try it but I so need to and do just what you did, use up the bits and bobs hanging around my scrap room.
Thanks again for wonderful inspiration.
I love love love this! I am so drawn to collage or I guess it would be assemblage? I’ve yet to try it but I so need to and do just what you did, use up the bits and bobs hanging around my scrap room.
Thanks again for wonderful inspiration.
I love love love this! I am so drawn to collage or I guess it would be assemblage? I’ve yet to try it but I so need to and do just what you did, use up the bits and bobs hanging around my scrap room.
Thanks again for wonderful inspiration.
I love love love this! I am so drawn to collage or I guess it would be assemblage? I’ve yet to try it but I so need to and do just what you did, use up the bits and bobs hanging around my scrap room.
Thanks again for wonderful inspiration.
Love love love both of these pieces. I’ve picked up some of the 7Gypsies printer’s trays and have yet to do anything them. I like how you put yours together, and the stories behind much of what you included. Very cool!
Love love love both of these pieces. I’ve picked up some of the 7Gypsies printer’s trays and have yet to do anything them. I like how you put yours together, and the stories behind much of what you included. Very cool!
Love love love both of these pieces. I’ve picked up some of the 7Gypsies printer’s trays and have yet to do anything them. I like how you put yours together, and the stories behind much of what you included. Very cool!
Love love love both of these pieces. I’ve picked up some of the 7Gypsies printer’s trays and have yet to do anything them. I like how you put yours together, and the stories behind much of what you included. Very cool!
gahhhhh so awesome. i love both projects. i like the little compartments. it reminds me of polly pockets for some reason. ;o)
gahhhhh so awesome. i love both projects. i like the little compartments. it reminds me of polly pockets for some reason. ;o)
gahhhhh so awesome. i love both projects. i like the little compartments. it reminds me of polly pockets for some reason. ;o)
gahhhhh so awesome. i love both projects. i like the little compartments. it reminds me of polly pockets for some reason. ;o)