Layers Upon Layers: Mixed Media Art

A photographic collage

by Cyndi on October 24th, 2006

Welcome to another Technique Tuesday!

While there are still beautiful leaves available for the plucking or gathering, here’s another way to store them away for later. Last week on Technique Tuesday, we dealt with the individual leaves, but this week we’re creating backgrounds to use…both now and later!

Start by arranging your leaves all over a large piece of paper. Cover the paper thoroughly, overlapping the leaves. I used white here so it would show up better, but a dark color is better to use for the real thing. Somehow, there is always a white spot that ends up showing through otherwise!

Take lots of photos of the leaves, some close up, some at a distance. Just shoot away at anything that looks good. Store all these files for later use in making digital collages.

While your leaves are still strewn about, add some 3D objects to the mix and snap photos of these too. Wow, two for the price of one…a collage now and more later!

Add any background papers you please behind the shots you decide to keep. I scanned these background papers a long time ago, and now I use them digitally all the time, modifying the size and color to suit.

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POSTED IN: Collage, Digital Art, Photography, Technique Tuesday, Tutorials & Techniques