Collage is a special technique in fine art: what is collage, its types, history of development

Collage is an interesting thing, which in the process of its birth can give you a bunch of bonuses. First and foremost, this is a cool piece of art that can decorate any space. Yes, yes, and your kitchen too. And a bedroom. And the children's room - of course! The main thing is to choose the right theme and color scheme, pay a little attention to the design - and, consider, the house has been transformed. Secondly, do not forget about the therapeutic effect that is present when creating collages with your own hands : art specialists and psychologists have repeatedly talked about how cool it works when a person tries to express his feelings and thoughts, sensations and desires, disappointments and hopes through pictures selected from magazines and newspapers. Thirdly and most importantly, when thinking about how to make a collage with your own hands , you already at the first stage begin to receive a portion of joy and pleasure: any handicraft project in general and such a creative one as a collage in particular are pieces of happiness that you collect for yourself. Don't neglect them!

How to make a collage with your own hands - 5 master classes:

What is collage?

Collage (from the French collage - gluing, gluing) is a technical technique in the fine arts. Initially, the term “collage” was applied to paintings or graphic works created by gluing various objects and materials that differ from the base in color and texture onto any base. But over time, the concept of “collage” began to be used in other genres of art in a broader sense - as a mixture of heterogeneous elements united by a common idea.

Collages are divided into two large groups: volumetric and flat. Volumetric collages are created using a variety of objects and materials, combining them with each other. Flat collages, including photo collages, are made up of images, photographs, drawings and their parts, placing the elements on one surface.

A feature of a collage is the ability to either highlight the main idea of ​​an image, or vice versa – to camouflage it using color and the texture of the materials used.

Machine

Of course, the main and most impressive weapon for boys of all time is the Kalashnikov assault rifle, the legendary AK-47. Designed back in 1947, it is still in the arsenal of 50 countries around the world. The AK-47 marking has become a household name and is used in Western countries to designate all modifications based on the Kalashnikov. They make up 1/5 of the volume of all small automatic weapons in the world. Despite the fact that the Kalashnikov becomes obsolete over time, it does not go out of use. In 2011, a deep modernization of the main model was carried out, initiated by the manufacturer.

You can make an AK-47 assault rifle from paper in several ways, but using the origami technique it turns out to be the most impressive. You will need 4 standard A4 sheets. The handle and magazine are folded out of two, one is used for the body and the last for the barrel.

Here's what the finished model looks like:

It's not difficult to put together, but it does require patience and attention to detail.

Story

The history of collage dates back to the second century BC. In that distant time, the first examples of such art were learned to be made in China. Ancient artists glued pieces of different materials onto paper in addition to ink-drawn images.

In Europe, the first attempts to create collages date back to the 13th century. Craftsmen glued pieces of gold leaf and precious stones onto icons, coats of arms of rulers and the interior walls of Gothic churches. But this practice did not become widespread, and during the Renaissance it was completely replaced by inlay.

The full birth of collage as a technique and a form of fine art took place only at the beginning of the twentieth century, during the period of rapid flowering of new modernist styles and trends in painting:

• Dadaism;
• cubism;
• futurism;
• surrealism;
• synthetism.

Adherents of these trends in art were the first to introduce elements of collage into paintings. A wide variety of materials were used, which were always at hand:

• scraps of old newspapers;
• scraps of fabric;
• labels;
• photos;
• wooden sticks and shavings.

One of the first to use this technique was the brilliant Pablo Picasso. In 1912, he created the famous painting “Still Life with Wicker Chair,” an icon of Cubism. The oil painting is framed with rope, and pieces of oilcloth are glued to part of its surface.

The first wave of collage's popularity in art faded by the end of the 1930s. But after just over 20 years, interest in this technique again appeared in the cultural environment. In November 1962, the New Realist Exhibition was held in New York, which presented the work of young artists in the new style of pop art. Many of the works were created using the collage technique and caused a great stir during the show.

Since that time, collage has taken its rightful place in modern culture. It has become a popular method for artists to express themselves not only in painting, but also in many other forms of art. Even kids in kindergartens today enjoy learning how to make collages, and the public enjoys coming to exhibitions where works by the best masters of this technique are presented.

What is a photo collage?

From time immemorial, it has been generally accepted that artistic photography is a separate type of fine art. In 1843, the scope of this concept was expanded somewhat; D. Hill and R. Adamson came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a composition - a photomontage of 500 photographs. The world's first photo collage and photomontage was born, which was called “Meeting of the Free Church in Scotland.”

Today, the interpretation of the definition of “photo collage” has several variations. In this article we will build on the definition of a photo collage as a work that combines several photographs that are similar in meaning and theme.

Traditional

An ideal “model” that involves focusing attention on each image equally. An excellent choice regardless of the topic. A kind of tribute to tradition, in which the center of the design composition is the image, and not the layout.

Thematic

All elements of the collage are connected by one common plot. That is why this option is preferred when the ultimate goal of the creative process is to create a composition that reflects the dynamics of travel, a birthday or a wedding. The highlight of this genre is a photo collage with inscriptions, illustrations or drawings.

Fashionable

Here the emphasis is on the layout. The photo collage template subtly emphasizes the theme of the photos collected together, easily brings static images to life and creates the effect of surprise and delight.

Silhouette

An original composition of photographs representing a silhouette. Such a composition has a double impact on the viewer - both by the photographs themselves and by the silhouette in which they are enclosed. Wedding, New Year, photo collage for an anniversary, photo collage for children - any festive event illuminated in such a creative way will become a pleasant memory for many years.

Photo collage in the form of puzzles

It’s easy to make a collage of birthday photos in the form of puzzles. This is an original version of a photo collage, since it can actually be disassembled and assembled. And if you make the parts of the same shape and size, then the photographs can be swapped at your discretion.

To make a collage puzzle you will need:

1. Puzzle piece blank form (10 cm * 10 cm).
2. 4 photos.
3. White and red paper.
4. Thick cardboard.
5. Glue, scissors, utility knife, tape, rope.

Stages of work:

1. Using a blank puzzle piece, transfer its outline onto white and red paper and then cut it out. You need to make 2 puzzles of each color.
2. Next, you need to assemble 4 puzzle pieces together and glue them onto a sheet of cardboard.
3. The cardboard should be cut along the outer contour of the parts.
4. In the center of each puzzle you need to glue a photo.
5. If the collage is supposed to hang on the wall, then you need to glue a rope to the back of the cardboard using tape. The work is ready.
6. If the photo collage must be disassembled and assembled, then the cardboard should be cut along the contour of the puzzle pieces.
7. If you want to place more photos, you can use the back side of the cardboard. To do this, cut out 2 more pieces from white and red paper and glue them to the back of the cardboard.

The final step is to paste 4 more photographs.

Types of collage

Collage has become a popular technique in various forms of art these days. It is used in their work not only by avant-garde painters who work with canvas and paints by including fragments from different materials into the composition. Collages are very popular today:

1. In photography. Thanks to the unusual combination of several photographs in one picture, a spectacular piece is created. All kinds of photo collages can vary greatly in genre and style.
2. In cinematography and the field of artistic video processing. They are skillfully selected cuts of video materials from different films, united by the author’s original idea.
3. In music. At the beginning of the twentieth century, during the search for new ideas in art, many very famous composers used fragments from the works of their colleagues in their creations. This technique has not lost its relevance today.
4. In literature. Adherents of surrealism, futurism and modernism include extraneous documents and quotations from the works of other writers into their works. This evokes strong emotions in the reader and becomes the subject of heated discussion in the book.

Ideas for designing and decorating a collage for mom

A collage for a gift for mom on Mother's Day is usually made on a family theme. These can be photographs of mother and children separately, or general family photos , photos from family vacations and holidays. These photos should evoke warm feelings. This idea can be used when there are few photos.

The collage benefits from the originality and simplicity of the idea. The photographs in the collage are selected in such a way as to show the mother her achievements in family life. Photos selected in the same style or from the same photo shoot look especially organic.

Basic styles

What can be depicted in a collage? Literally everything that excites, what is loved, what is dear. A collage, like a painting, is a recreation of only a small part of the picture of life, which has no boundaries. And the more an artist sees, hears and remembers, the richer his imagination, the more significant his creative discoveries. However, with all the variety of motifs and subjects, floral collages can be divided into four styles.

Landscape

Landscape collages depict nature (forest, mountains, sea, etc.) and natural phenomena (thunderstorm, wind, rain, etc.). In a landscape collage you can convey the beauty and signs of any time of year or day. The florist must select the material and work with it in such a way that the viewer, looking, for example, at a composition of small coin leaves, has no doubt that in front of him are mighty century-old trees.

Vegetative

This style is very close to landscape: both give a picture of nature. However, in works of the vegetative direction, the emphasis is on depicting the life of plants; it is they who become the main characters of the floristic work. The author must have a good sense of himself and be able to convey to the viewer the beauty of leaves, stems, the sophistication of flower shapes and their colors. The picture should be very believable and recognizable. In a vegetative collage, plants are shown on their own; they do not serve to display natural phenomena. If you add thin, spectacularly bending stems of cereals with beautiful panicles, an unusually pleasing, cheerful inflorescence of dill, similar to a light umbrella, to the background - the sky with clouds - this is most likely a landscape. And if you glue leaves and flowers to a simpler background that doesn’t depict anything specific, which is simply spots of color that are pleasing to the eye, and apply strokes to the stems using a brush with paint, then it will be a vegetative collage. True, it should be recognized that the border between these two styles can be quite arbitrary.

Decorative

The subjects of collages of this style are fantasy. The main thing is an original idea. And they embody it with the help of bright, expressive elements and a colorful background. The viewer, looking at such a collage, tries to guess the mood of the author, his intention. Work in a decorative style should awaken feelings, memories, and associations. This kind of work requires from the author new interesting ideas, beautiful combinations of colors that are pleasing to the eye, and, of course, impeccable execution technique.

Formo-linear

The name of the style speaks for itself. The main load is borne by geometric shapes made of floral material - circle, rhombus, square, triangle, etc., as well as lines. The background can also be a combination of geometric shapes.

Where to start? What first steps should a collagist take in his work to avoid disappointment? You need to start by searching for a topic. “Oh young artist! Are you waiting for the story? But anything can be a plot! - exclaimed E. Delacroix. “The subject is you yourself, these are the impressions and feelings that you experience while looking at nature...” Look around - the ideas for your future collages are nearby, you just need to look at them. Having understood what will be the basis of your plot, decide how you want to present it: realistic or fantasy? This will help you choose a style. Then move on to the practical part.

Types of collage bases

Floral collages can be made on canvas, any fabric, paper, cardboard, leather, metal, glass, etc. And the chosen base either serves as a starting point for creating a background, or is itself a background - unchanged or additionally decorated: with paints, volumetric putty, artistic paste, small decorative elements, etc. The work can be done without a background at all. For example, they create collages on a frame.

Collage on canvas

Canvas is a primed fabric, most often linen, which is the most durable. Finished canvases are usually primed with an emulsion primer that includes glue and oil. Canvas is a fairly elastic base stretched on a stretcher.

The background on the canvas can be created by painting it with oil paints, or you can apply putty. Accordingly, the collage elements can be fixed with glue, or they can be placed in wet putty. The latter option is most suitable for materials such as sand, gravel, buckwheat, coffee beans, broken glass, shells, etc. Then they can be covered with a layer of PVA glue. Collages that use only one type of decorative material look very good. For example, if you randomly fix hydrangea or bougainvillea flowers in putty. To make such works more expressive, you can treat their surfaces with a spray that creates a shiny effect.

Collage on fabric

Almost any fabric - cotton, silk, linen, velvet, etc. - can serve not only as a basis, but also as an excellent background for a floral collage. The fabric is stretched onto a stretcher or glued onto cardboard using a floral gun. The elements of the composition are fixed directly to the surface of the fabric using a glue gun. The main thing is to accurately arrange the floral material, as required by the design and laws of composition. You should also consider the room in which your work is destined to be located. Thus, it is unlikely that elaborate works done on silk and velvet would be appropriate in a modest country house. But collages based on chintz, linen, and canvas will probably come in handy.

Equally important is the correct combination of fabric and plant material. To decorate linen fabric, canvas or chintz, choose “modest” plants that are familiar to everyone from childhood - dill, physalis, pansy flowers, daisies. For fine silk and mysterious velvet, more sophisticated flowers, such as orchids, delphiniums, and freesias, are suitable.

Collage on batik

Batik is a multi-colored cotton or silk fabric, the design on which is obtained by applying and fixing paints with wax. Essentially, batik collage is a variation of the previous collage making technique. Since batik is very effective in itself, floral material is used in minimal quantities. The base (aka background) and the elements of the composition complement each other’s beauty. We must admit: creating a collage on batik is a delicate job.

Collage on paper

The basis for a floral collage can be, for example, ordinary velvet paper. To make the work effective, use dark-colored paper (rich burgundy, black or deep blue). Against this background, poplar fluff or white cotton wool from a cotton box looks great. In addition, wrapping paper is also suitable for creating a background. We are not talking about bright shiny sheets in which gifts are traditionally wrapped - any composition of dried plants and other natural and artificial materials will be lost on them.

Wrapping paper in calm, soft colors is a different matter. You can also use corrugated paper, but creating compositions on it is very difficult! But if you try, you will get a very original work. Good background material and colored paper for pastels. But perhaps the ideal choice is floral paper with natural inclusions, such as leaves and small flowers.

Collage without background

Such a collage can be made on wooden frames or on frames made of flexible branches, bamboo sticks, wire, etc. - the elements of the composition are fixed directly to them. You can also use a ready-made frame purchased at a floral supply store. There is no background as such in such works. However, the color of the wall on which the work made of floral material will be placed can act in this capacity. A plain wall is a better option than wallpaper with a pattern: it can prevent your work from appearing in all its glory.

How to do it?

What is needed to create a collage from First of all - an idea. Think carefully, develop a composition. If the panel will decorate the wall in the kitchen, it is wise to select food pictures. If the collage is on a first aid kit box, then the drawings are matched with medicines or doctors.

Having decided on the idea, we find the necessary magazines and the following materials:

• scissors;
• glue;
• acrylic lacquer;
• scotch.

How to do it yourself:

1. First, prepare the surface, if necessary.
2. Cut out the pictures. It is important to choose the right size. For a small area - small, for walls - large.
3. We determine the composition before starting work. We place large pictures in the center, smaller ones at the edges.
4. Glue the cutouts to the surface using glue or tape.
5. We fix it with acrylic varnish.

The manufacturing process is quite simple and does not require expensive materials. A magazine collage is an incredibly stylish and fashionable decor.

Model features

Standard features include a removable magazine, a removable receiver cover, a removable bolt, a removable cleaning rod, and a moving sighting bar.

At the same time, we have an original scale, and a good external resemblance - at night you can rob the stalls. Well, I was joking by the way.

In a word, it's a pretty funny toy. True shooting enthusiasts will appreciate it. And for staged filming, you can arm entire crowds of people at low cost... dreams, dreams.

Process of creation

Creating such objects of art is not at all difficult. You need to turn on your imagination, give free rein to your dreams and imagination, and acquire the necessary materials. Then you can safely begin to implement your plans.

Work on the composition can be divided into three stages:

1. First of all, you need to decide on the topic. This could be a love story, travel, places that have yet to be visited, wedding, family and friend photos.
2. Selection of materials. First of all, you need to look among the old things. Perhaps among them there is something that can be used for creativity. If not, you will have to purchase the missing materials.
3. Manufacturing plan and detailed design. This is the most interesting part of the job. It is important to consider that the finished “picture” must be harmoniously combined with other interior elements.

A paper machine that shoots

Prepare for work: colored paper, glue, tape, scissors.

Let's start making the toy:

Take multi-colored paper and roll up 5 tubes so that their diameter is from 1 to 2 cm. Secure the ends with glue.

Continue two of them with more tubes, from one of which you should cut about 5 cm.

Take an A4 sheet of paper of any color and wrap all the tubes at once, but not quite tightly so that they have the opportunity to move. Secure with tape.

Manufacturing with software

The main action in this procedure will be to move photos to the hard drive of your computer or laptop.

You will also need to install a photo editor on your PC. Another option is to use the on-line service to create the necessary sketch of the future collage.

Let's consider the main stages of working with standard photo editor programs.

After downloading and installing the program, we need to create a new project. In the list that appears, you need to select a template to work with (usually there are a sufficient number of options presented). After this, you need to go to the settings and set the necessary parameters.

After creating a project template, you can customize the background of the sketch, insert a frame, an additional photo collage with effects, write text, tilt or resize the picture, remove unnecessary template elements and add your own.

The resulting finished work must be scaled to the required size so that it can later be printed on photo paper of the required dimensions.

Are captions needed?

Inscriptions on the collage allow you to make the gift more personal.

People with humor can come up with funny comments for photos. On the collage you can write your wishes on the occasion of a festive event. If the collage is made for a colleague or on the occasion of graduation from school or college, then the inscriptions after many years will serve as a reminder of past events and people whom we have not seen for a long time.

Tips for organizing work

In order for the floral collage you created to meet your expectations, so that you can call it successful, you must adhere to certain rules and a certain sequence of actions in your work. Then, as you gain experience, you will follow them automatically.

If, when looking at a marvelous flower or an exotically shaped leaf, a fancifully curved branch or the iridescent feather of an overseas bird, inspiration did not strike you, which would immediately give you a vision of the plot, create a collage step by step. In general terms, it looks like this: first they develop a sketch, then they make a background (in our practice it is mainly picturesque), then they fill it with floral material. But in any case, first of all, a plan must appear. He is the foundation. Without a deep, moving thought, nothing will happen. Then comes the preliminary preparation - and the actual process of creating a collage. The stages of all work look like this.

1. Think about the topic of your work. The theme is what the artist wanted to say. Decide how you will express your attitude towards it - this is how you will determine the idea of ​​the work, clarify your plan. For example, let's say you want to create a collage with an autumn theme. What is it like for you? What do you love most about it? Maybe Indian summer, when the warm sun is still warm and the trees stand in the multicolored autumn foliage? Or maybe you like the time when autumn is coming to an end and frosty winter is already on the doorstep, when nature is preparing to plunge into sadness and peace?
2. The same idea can be implemented in different styles, so choose the one that suits you best. Let's say you want to create a collage called "Rush". In a landscape style, the solution may be this: you will show a tree bent under a strong gust of wind, torn leaves carried away by this gust into the distance. The background is a dark sky with a single ray of sun breaking through the clouds. The same collage in a decorative style requires creating the illusion of movement, rapid and sharp. The interweaving of well-chosen and correctly placed strokes of paint and floral material will help convey the idea to the viewer.
3. Make a sketch: it can be just a sketch on an arbitrary scale, or a development in the format of a future collage. The sketch will clearly show where all the elements of the composition will be located. Remember perspective and balance.
4. Determine if you need a scenic backdrop. if not, what will replace it. To create a picturesque background, if you prefer it, choose paints, prepare appropriate paper, etc.
5. Make several background options. This way you can not only choose the most successful one, but also save paint. The remaining blanks may be useful another time.
6. When the completed background has dried, select a floral material, based on the fact that some elements should emphasize others with texture, shape and color, complement and shade them.
7. Use a variety of materials. On the other hand, know how to stop in time so as not to litter your work.
8. Proceed to gluing the decorative material. Use only a well-heated gun, otherwise, applying additional force to the tool button may break it. Hold the gun in your right hand and press the button gently so that too much glue does not spill out. With your left hand, slightly lift the material and gradually, step by step, glue the collage elements. By combining different materials, placing them on top of each other (and not just laying them next to each other), combining elements into a single whole with the background, its colors and texture, you can get an extraordinary result.

As for the collage, in the main part of which you placed a flower or leaf that struck your imagination, such compositions are also built according to certain rules. The uniqueness of the form, texture, and finally, the unique decorativeness of the main element should be emphasized by the background. The color scheme of the background should be such that it does not play, as they say, first fiddle, but is a worthy setting for the main floral element of the composition. However, the background can serve as more than just an addition. If it is made contrasting, it will become more active, but at the same time it will again enhance the impression made by the material that is in the very center of attention. Choosing the right background is a very important point, but first you need to decide on what basis the collage will be made.

Create a collage on PC

You can make a collage on your computer quite quickly and easily. To do this, you do not need to have any special skills; it is enough to be an advanced PC user. The main thing is to have the desire and then the collage will turn out unique and beautiful, and most importantly it will please the eye for a long time.

Microsoft Power Point

You can create a collage even using basic tools; this program is available on almost every PC. To do this, you just need to post a photo as you like on an empty slide, and then save the result as a drawing.

Word

The most inconvenient tool for the purpose of creating colleges. However, there are emergency situations when there is simply no time to download other software components. However, with a little practice, you can make a collage in this proposed graphic editor, but it will look simple.

Photoshop

Perhaps this option for creating collages is the most popular among advanced PC users. The most powerful graphic editor currently offered to users. He copes with complex tasks with ease.

Using the program, you can edit photos, create unique collages, and bring all your ideas to life. Making a collage in the program is quite simple. The problem is that you need to really understand it, which will require some time. However, if you learn how to use the proposed product, you can master not only making collages, but also other interesting things.

Picasa

The next program is Picasa. It automatically downloads all the photos from your computer, creating a library. To select pictures to create a collage, click on them with the mouse while holding down the Ctrl key.

• In the top toolbar, select Create and click Create Collage. The following window will appear:

• Change the angle and size of the photo by simply clicking on it. Use your mouse to grab and move your photos around the canvas.
• On the left side of the main Picasa window there is a panel with tools for detailed editing of the picture. To change the background of a photo, use the eyedropper or upload another image.

• At the final stage, add shadows to the objects or, conversely, remove them.
• When you save the collage, the retouching panel opens. Here you can remove red-eye, adjust exposure and hue.

• On the bottom panel of Picasa there are buttons for instant printing, reposting to a Google account, sending to email, and saving work to your computer’s hard drive.

Sources

• https://orname.ru/tutorials/%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B6-%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BE%D0% B1%D0%B0%D1%8F-%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%85%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D0%B2-%D0%B8%D0 %B7%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB.html
• https://veryimportantlot.com/ru/news/blog/kollazh
• https://fotocollage.ru/chto-takoe-collage.php
• https://dekormyhome.ru/sdelaj-sam/elementy-dekora/kollazh-iz-fotografij-svoimi-rukami.html
• https://fotocollage.ru/fotocollage-obzor.php
• https://ru.wikihow.com/%D1%81%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0% BB%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B6
• https://ochumelye.ru/book1/kak-sdelat-fotokollazh-svoimi-rukami-sposoby-izgotovleniya-poshagovaya-instrukcziya/
• https://CompConfig.ru/tips/sozdat-kollazh-iz-fotografij.html

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Famous artists - masters of collage

Among the famous collage masters there are many bright creative personalities who deserve attention. And yet, the greatest contribution to the development of this technique was made by the following artists:

1. Kurt Schwitters is a German artist, poet and artist. Schwitters not only actively used the collage technique in his work, but also used it to create unique abstract compositions.
2. Lee Krasner is an American artist, wife of Jackson Pollock. She gained wide fame thanks to her unusual style of creating collages. Krasner cut her own abstract paintings into pieces and then assembled them into new works of art.
3. Tom Wesselmann is an American artist, author of many numbered still life collages. Wesselmann stood at the origins of pop art, although he never considered himself a supporter of this art direction.
4. John Walker is an English master of painting, famous for his original works. Walker created collages by gluing painted cut pieces of another canvas onto a main canvas.

Modern tendencies

Now let's look at examples of current trends. As you browse through the collages on display, you will discover the following themes: Vintage

The use of vintage images, advertising and materials is perhaps the most significant movement in collage today. Many collage artists find inspiration in vintage art due to its unique style and beauty.

Mixed media