Challenge Three - Collage!

Collage is a technique where you create a work of art by cutting and pasting images from unrelated sources to create a new image. Many of us created collages in grammar school, because it's easy to organize and the materials are inexpensive. However, many serious artists specialize in collage and create remarkable works by assembling images in new and interesting ways.

Materials

 * A large piece of paper or cardboard (it can even be interesting to create a collage on full-sized broadsheet from a newspaper, two "pages," 600 mm × 380 mm or 23½ × 15 inches)
 * Magazines, catalogues, advertisements, newspapers, personal photographs or other picture sources
 * Scissors
 * Glue (a glue stick works well, because you can easily move the picture around before it dries)
 * Markers, crayons, paint (optional)

What to do
Set aside at least one hour to work on the collage (though it doesn't have to be done all at once). Look at the images you've gathered and find some that create an interesting juxtaposition (putting the images side-by-side gives them new meaning). Cut them out and arrange them without gluing them down at first. When you are pleased with the arrangement, glue them down, starting with the images lowest in the stack (where they overlap). Feel free to augment the collage by using markers, crayon, or paint to enhance color or add your own commentary.

Why do it?
Composition is an important element of art. (Composition is the harmonious arrangement of the parts of a work of art in relation to each other and to the whole.) Many times, the meaning of a piece can be changed by placing two items closer together or farther apart by fractions of an inch. Collage allows you to play with composition without having to create the images themselves. The results can be shocking, thought-provoking, and often just plain funny while making an important statement.