Saturday, May 23, 2009

Butterfly Collage


Close up section, iron on butterfly and fabric flower on panels of printed paper and glitter patterned cardstock.

handcut butterfly made with golden outline sticker, on panels of printed paper and fabric flower.


A view of the whole collage before it was framed, I have used so many sources - butterflies cut from tissue box panels, paper tole, scrapbook paper, rhinestone flower, fabric flowers, iron on butterfly motif, ribbon, glitter outlines, and royalty free clip art squares.
You could easily achieve a papercrafted collage for a gift for someone in your life. Here are some of my tips for gathering sources, and compiling the collage....
You have two options for your gift project - framed or unframed. If you give the collage unframed to the recipient they will have the burden of finding a suitable frame for the piece, and it will be easier for them if you stick to traditional dimensions as they can easily purchase a frame. If you, like me, prefer to frame your work yourself you should select a frame and mount before you begin as your piece will be tailor made for the specific dimensions, this is crucial if you do not want to go to a professional framer. Framing yourself cuts your costs but you need to purchase a frame and mount that will fit the piece - far easier the other way round, trust me. Find a frame, then make the collage.
Select a theme - as you have seen I have done a Russian Doll theme in the past, and on this occasion a butterfly theme. Select your subject matter, then your colour scheme, then textures and materials.
My butterfly collage came together because I love butterflies, and I love the colours I used, and I knew I had some of the items sitting in my house that would flesh it out. I had a tissue box with flowers and butterflies on it - I cut the butterflies out. I had the lilac iron butterfly motif, so I knew I would be using that. I came home from the craft fair with the golden outline stickers and applied them to patterned paper and cut around them, giving me two more butterflies in my collage.
I needed a background and I chose to use panels of different size and shaped patterned and printed papers, includind paper tole for an interesting texture. I also used four very small square print royalty free clip art (you can see the bright pink flowers are two of them). You can use royalty free clip art in your recreational work but not for commercial use and it must be declared if you intend to enter an art or craft show.
It was fun playing around with the shapes and laying things out into the finished arrangement, I used mounting tape and glue, when you make your arrangement you want to distribute the colours in an interesting way - the piece will want highlights and lowlights just like your hair ladies, and you don't want the edges all laid out in a regimented line, you can play around with shapes and alignment and don't forget to place some small panels over the top of larger ones like an inset on a map.
Go forth and create, it is one of the most joyous and relaxing things you can do, and will make a one-off original gift from the heart.

2 comments:

mandy said...

Nat this is simply stunning....I love butterflies, I have them throughout my bedroom...They give me suxh peace....
You have done a wonderful job with this and I actually might get creative myself and try make one....

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

I LOVE IT! I love butterflies too...and this was so great...especially with Shelley Duvalls song playing in the background. I may have to try my hand at this too! AWESOME!