My Process

Apart from my amazing talent in procrastination and drinking tea, I thought you might like to see how I put my collage work together. I like to think of it like a giant jigsaw - the only thing is there isn't any original picture to copy and the pieces are all random undermined sizes. I treat it very similar to a jigsaw process nonetheless, by obsessing over it to start with and then leaving it (usually on the dining room table!) to drop in on when I've drunk yet more tea and given my eyes (& mind) a rest.

For this large canvas I started with an outline, I don't normally but I wanted to feel sure I had the placement right.

Then I decide on the colours I want to use and get them from my paper collection (which is colour coded) so that I have papers that tone nicely together. Then its time to start sticking, I lightly tack with glue stick first and then later use a paper glue to seal the image. Nothing is thrown away and pieces of cut-offs are usually used again else where in the same piece or put back in my store for future projects.

I've started to fill in the leaves and then I'll work out from the centre of each rose head. When I've done sticking, I then stitch into the image to add more detail. This is another piece I'm doing for my sister-in-laws Deli, hence the grey background - better get back to it!