Tuesday 29 September 2009

Digital collages



I realise that I am likely to be regarded by all you “real artists” out there as a bit of a charlatan because I have created these collages on the computer instead of using all that messy glue and paint.  In my defence I must say that all elements are my own photographs or scans and in the case of gestural marks were painted by myself and then scanned.


I started out thinking that I would try my hand at collage but would mock something up on the computer first but one thing led to another and here are the results.









This was my first effort which uses elements from an old door rescued from a skip, a rather derelict railway wagon, a letter written in 1925, cracked plaster on a stable wall, a Chinese airplane ticket, bolt heads from a church door and a few textures taken from other images.









I was sufficiently encouraged by this to try another one, this is based on a photograph of a small portion of a rather cracked tiled floor, it is in fact the floor of Hethel church mentioned in my previous blog, although I had no plans to try this when I photographed it, I just liked the colours and shapes.  To this floor image I have added elements from a 19c book, a piece of a very old farm wagon, an envelope from 1930, a small piece from some sheet music, the number 16 from an old railway wagon and a cast iron cog wheel that I found embedded in a wall. The paint drips and the black gestural mark were made on paper and scanned together with the number 7 and added using Photoshop CS4









By this time I thought I should try something rather more abstract and came up with this.  Everything here with the exception of the type was scanned and assembled in Photoshop, the Khadi paper and background texture were existing items and all other marks were painted on paper before scanning.


Although when printed these images lack the tactile and 3 dimensional qualities of a traditional collage they do have the advantage of making use of elements that it would be impossible to use in any other way.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

je fais de vrais collages mais j'utilise aussi fréquemment photoshop. je mélange le vrai avec les pixels. ça ne donne pas la texture du vrai collage mais ça donne de bons résultats pour les illustrations. charlatan ? je ne crois pas.. mais si pour certain c'est cela, alors tant pis = )

translator:

I create real collages but I also use photoshop often. I mix the real with the pixels. it does not give the texture of real collage but it gives good results for the illustrations. charlatan? I don't think .. but if for certain is that, then too bad =)

ceevee said...

You Are an artist. Creating digitally is not easy. I enjoyed seeing your work and how to see more.

Leslie Avon Miller said...

These are fabulous and I wish I had the computer skills to do what I can see in my minds eye. I would combine hands on work with photoshop if I could. Please, do embrace your role as "artist". You are an Artist. Period. Your work is excellent, and requires no apology.

The Artist Within Us said...

I am glad to see that you are expanding your horizon by incorporating photographed, scanned images and art made by hand and all merged on the computer.

Too many individuals dismiss the computer as an artist tool because they feel it is not real, yet it takes human imagination to conceive images as these.

I think you will find that working with the computer as you have with this series of art, that it is also another form of sketching out ideas before painting them or doing a combination of painting and collage.

Enjoy your day
Egmont

Maggie Neale said...

I like all three of these pieces of art, but feel the third is the most free. Many times I work in 3s because the first 2 are process, getting rid of surface crap to get down to something real by 3. Enjoyed my visit here with you.

layers said...

As a collage artist who does it all the old way with glue and papers I want to emphatically tell you that I do not think it makes any difference whether you glue the papers or use a computer and digital images-- either way you move the images, text and so on around-- your sense of composition, placement, elements, unity, balance ALL come into your decision making-- I am strong believer that the medium does not matter-- it is the end result and the artist makes all the decisions. These 'collages' are wonderful.

ArtPropelled said...

Wow! I love that first image!

Kelly M. said...

Mr. Foster -- I found you on Donna's Layers blog -- what a delight to find you. Your digital work is marvelous. I, too, am learning digital manipulation with Corel's Paintshop, which is very similar to Photoshop. I hope you will come by and visit. I also love your country -- my husband and I were there in 1977 and hope to return soon (children are grown). Warmest regards, Kelly M.

merci33 said...

You WOW my artist eye by visiting your artist eye's view...this work is stunning, sophisticated, clean, mysterious, spontaneous and just plain great.
I am offering a studio at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia on the art of Wabi Sabi and visiting your site is part of their homework.
thanks so much for these posts.

bob Cornelis said...

Wonderful collages! Of course, when we're seeing artwork online we're seeing it in digital form anyway. So my experience of your work here isn't in the least bit different than if you had done it with paper and glue!

As a photographer who has also done a fair amount of abstract painting, I'm really drawn to your work and your thought process. I'll be back...

Jala Pfaff said...

Very very cool!

cyanjean said...

Excuse me, but this IS real art. It's fantastic. Composition, colors, elements. Inspiring. Photoshop is just another artist tool and you have mastered it. Looking forward to seeing more images.

mirta said...

I like your work "aspiring artist"....by Mirta from Italy

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