The Art Of Collage Art and Gel Press Printing By Elissa Tracy
Collage, as an art form and technique, involves assembling individual pieces or materials into a new body of artwork with a predominantly two-dimensional character. An authentic collage artist uses photographs from books and magazines as found material, deconstructing and reconstructing them using paint as a visual method to create systematic artwork on paper.
In the early twentieth century, collage as an artistic technique emerged primarily by Cubism’s greatest masters, Pablo Picasso & Georges Braque. Picasso’s "Still Life with Chair Caning" is considered one of the earliest forms of collage art in Western art history, leading to the term 'collage' originated from the French word 'coller,' which means 'to glue' or 'to stick.’
The gel press printing technique offers another perspective within the collage art medium. The "Gelli Arts" printing plate entered the market in 2011. Similar to silkscreen painting, the process relies on image transfer lifted from the gel press plate, providing artists with a full range of layering techniques, especially useful for those who enjoy collage. Layering techniques incorporating calligraphy and manipulating ink, can transform imagery and text from printed media into dynamic compositions.
Materials used in gel printing include acrylic paint, a roller, printmaking paper, and chosen mediums for image transfer. These materials range from magazine pages, drawings, and book pages to fabric, poster fragments, and lettering. This echoes the sources used by original collage artists in the early twentieth century, emphasizing that while nothing is entirely new, it is presented in new multifaceted ways.
Art offers numerous techniques to express creativity and transcend the ordinary. Contemporary American abstract painter and collage artist Elliott Hundley stated, “Collage has been one of the most relevant forms of art making. It's resonant because it is made of the stuff that we see every day. It's familiar. It reflects our reality.”
Sir Peter Thomas Blake, a British pop artist born in 1932, gained fame for his work on the sleeve design of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles. He painted with inspiration from images in popular culture, creating collages that were bright, exciting, and "popped" from the canvas.
Gel press printing plate starter kits are available on various art sites across the web, a fun cost effective way to explore and challenge yourself to a new art medium. If you have always wanted to paint or draw but felt lacking in skill, Collage and Gel Art printing are mediums to consider. Printing, accompanied by layering techniques, creates one-of-a-kind prints suitable for personalized cards, journaling, printmaking, or mixed media projects. What is essential is not always skill level, but perhaps our awareness of beauty and being open to trying new creative endeavors.