Collage Lab

In a bid to experiment more with mixed media this year, I bought a copy of Collage Lab by Bee Shay. At first glance, it looks like exactly what I need to encourage me.

The book is split into 12 units, beginning with Building the Foundation, moving through Texture, Gesso, Colour, Surface Design, Line and  Form, Papers, Paper Play, Mediums, Imagery and ending with Visual Dictionary and Unification and Composition.

Each unit comprises 4 or 5 different ‘labs’ which are structured in the same way.

• Materials
• Instructions
• Play and Experiment
• Food for Thought

‘Seeing, doing, learning is the key to keeping the knowledge and information that has been acquired along the way through experience and will build a useful and very personal reference guide for years to come.’

You are encouraged to keep a journal of the labs, as you work through them, which I plan to do. I can note down the specific supplies I use, what did/didn’t work and it will be handy to be able to refer back to it in future.

I have also discovered (this afternoon) that there is a companion blog. I haven’t looked past the front page, as I thought I might be some time! The photo above is from that page and relates to Lab 6 Organics. I’m looking forward to exploring it, once the children are in bed.

The eagle eyed among you will have noticed the two slips of paper on the book cover. They are the winners of the Lovefilm Gift Vouchers, ably drawn by my lovely assistant. Congratulations to Alexa and Michelle. Drop me an email with your address and I’ll get them in the post.

I’ll be back on Wednesday with the contents of my desk for your perusal.