No, not collEge lab, like chemistry lab or materials science lab! CollAge Lab, a book that will lead you through all the materials and techniques you might ever want to know about for building artistic fun collages in your own unique style!
Collage Lab, Experiments, Investigations, and Exploratory Projects by Bee Shay is part of the “Lab Series” which includes Drawing Lab, Jewelry Lab, Print & Stamp Lab, and more, even an assortment of Kids’ Art Lab selections!
I have owned Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists for a couple years now, but haven’t done much with it. Not because the book isn’t enticing and completely easy to follow, just that the time wasn’t actually right for me to become more of a drawer/sketcher yet. Collage Lab is newer to me, but I’ve had it for a while, too ;) But aren’t new books good at serving the purpose of letting us dream and imagine the possibilities? I love them for that! Later during the summer I will be taking some of these lessons and turning them into blog projects!
(forgive the hotel room photos with a brand new pocket camera!)
This book — all the Lab series books — is divided into 52 lessons (labs) in 12 units. Convenient, that! Set up for self-pacing yourself through the year, you could also cruise through the lessons as fast or as slow as you wish.
Each lab covers one very specific thing, and guides you through a short Materials list, an Instructions list of steps: Step 1, Step 2, etc., a Play and Experiment section that describes ways to change up the basic lesson described in the Steps, and then the lab closes with a Food for Thought section. Food for thought poses some questions that help you decide which experiments are just right for you and your style, for the specific materials you own, and to help you think of even more playing and experimenting you might do. All within that one lab’s specific focus.
For example, gesso. Lab 1 Basic Gesso Surface, is presented on a 2 page spread (as every lab is.) It calls for watercolor paper, gesso, a brush… all pretty obvious needs. Also on the list is acrylic craft paint and some mark making items like sponge, plastic wrap, and bottle caps. Hmm, I can do that! Then in 5 steps, each only 16 words or less, you are given the basic instructions. They are so defined that the last one is even “Step 5: Allow to dry.” Hmm, I can do that, too!
Now that I would have gotten my feet wet (or should that be my hands messy?) with a basic textured gesso surface, I can attack the Play and Experiment section where there are examples of 9 different ways to make a textured foundation surface using gesso, tinted gesso, and a variety of tools including the end of your paintbrush. Well, everything I need is sitting right in front of me; let’s do it, right?
And that’s exactly how each lesson flows. Limited materials, a clear purpose, a basic lesson, and then encouragement to do some more!
You might be wondering what Food for Thought might contain for something as basic as a gesso foundation layer. Questions include asking about the difference in your experiments once they have dried, what was difficult and what worked best, and what else could be used to make marks in the gesso layer. As with most creative and crafty playtimes, your imagination will have been revved up and I can’t even imagine what might come to mind at that point. Because I haven’t been there. Yet!
From another Lab:
If you are anything like me, these Lab books are just the thing to help you break the ice with products and techniques that are new to you. I’m not timid when it comes to breaking crafting rules, I’m not afraid to try new things, BUT I do tend to put off the new experiments indefinitely and keep reaching for what is familiar.
It’s like Collage Lab was written just for me because I love collage art, have dabbled in it while taking an art composition class, but I want to do and learn so much more. I’ve got the book in hand!
I hope you’ll take a look at Collage Lab, and all the Lab Series books to see if any of them are just what YOU might need to help you break into new creative areas with confidence!
Gail
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