Tag: Semiotics

Collage Experiments

DemelzaB Leave a comment

When faced with the task of collage-making, my mind was buzzing with ideas. The problem was, I had too many ideas. I decided it was time for a mind map.

After looking at Jelle Martens collages, I thought about using shapes within my own collages. I thought about obscuring my object ‘The Raincoat Girl’. I drew quick sketches to get my ideas down onto paper:

From my artist research, I found I prefer the more simple collage designs. I didn’t want to over-complicate my collages and have them look visually noisy.

I used some magazine images but found it easier to source images from the internet and use my own photos.

Printing photos from my computer also meant I had the option of editing my pictures to suit the artwork and contribute to the message I wanted to create. I could also resize the images and therefore use more creativity. Magazine images can be restrictive but also trigger new ideas due to the spontaneous process of flicking through unknown pages.

All collages are A4 sized.

For this collage, I used images from magazines and my printed out photo of The Raincoat Girl. I tore the paper at the edges to create some texture.
For this collage, I used a photo I took of a brick wall and converted into black and white. I edited the image of my object to make her look more 2D. My concept for this image was mass production of objects.

I used Microsoft Word to edit the photos. For the image of the repeated figure, I clicked ‘Picture Format’ > ‘Artistic Effects’.

I used the outlines of the figures in the previous collage, to give the impression of a mass of face-less figures. The Raincoat Girl stands apart from the others, facing in the opposite direction.

I wanted to use words within a couple of my collages. I wanted to see if words would strengthen the message, compared to a collage where I use no words.

For this collage based on waiting, I used the photo of the 3D collage I made in the previous week. The squashed effect makes her look deflated and bored. I used a photo from the internet of the bus stop. I edited the bus stop image to give it a softer feel and less colour. The red in this collage symbolises the anger that boils under the surface when you have to wait.

For the collage below, I experimented with printing onto sugar paper. I placed pink sugar paper in my printer and printed the black and white photo onto it. I think the sugar paper created a softer looking image. This was what I wanted for the subject of flowers, as petals are soft. In this collage, The Raincoat Girl echoes a flower.

Inspired by John Stezaker, I wanted to dry interesting layering within a collage. In this image, the flowers symbolise the nature of being decorative. This relates to my object, which was manufactured to function as a decoration only.

In my final collage of the day, I used blue card as a backdrop and magazine images in the foreground. The glossiness of the magazine paper complimented the mat quality of the blue card. I wanted to play with the idea of optical illusion. An image that can be viewed in more than 1 way.

Placing the window in place of her heart, symbolises her emotional openness. The brick walls are her emotional boundaries. On the other-hand, we could be looking at a house who has a personality. The feeling of arriving home and feeling like you are being hugged by your house.

3D Collage

DemelzaB Leave a comment

As nouns the difference between assemblage and collage is that assemblage is a collection of things which have been gathered together or assembled while collage is a picture made by sticking other pictures onto a surface.
As a verb collage is to make into a collage.

What is the difference between assemblage and collage? | WikiDiff

I have always thought of collage as a 2D craft- Working on a flat piece of card or paper.

When researching collage artists, I discovered the artists’ ability to use paper in a different way. Today’s workshop encouraged me to think of paper as a 3D material. How could I get it to stand up? How could I layer the paper or break it apart?

I used last week’s photos and my labels, to inspire the way I treated the paper. For example, the photo that mentions ‘old’, guided me to tear up the paper and give it an aged look. This helps to communicate a message to the viewer.

Collage Artists

Craven uses different methods of manipulating paper. I was interested by the way he uses paper folding to alter the compositions. Using one image for the collage means that the result looks harmonious. The edges blend softly.

This folding method means that areas are hidden and are missing from the picture. This takes away visual clues and makes it slightly confusing for the viewer. For example, hiding the person’s facial expression means that we don’t know how the person is feeling. Instead, the viewer needs to make guesses, such as about the identity of the person. The image is then up to interpretation.

Inspired by the technique of paper folding, I took one photo of The Raincoat Girl figurine, and folded the paper diagonally. I left one side of the paper flat and folded the other half into a fan. This method distorted the shape of the figure. The image looked different depending on the angle I then viewed it from. The choice of photo was effective because the background is bold compared to the object. This highlighted the figure’s outline.

Phillipe Jusforgues

By tearing out a section of the collage, the artist brings the image forward into the 3D world. In this case, he draws more attention to the image of the girl by having the section raised off of the surface. The use of a coloured image against a black and white image, also helps to separate the two subjects of human and machine.

I was inspired by the idea of having part of the image come forwards away from the background. The concept for this collage came from the word ‘unbreakable’ and the angle of the figure laying down. I wanted to create a visual break in the image. I chose to do this by doubling up the figure and having half of her slightly mis-aligned and therefore break away from the original girl.

I used a scalpel and cutting mat to carefully cut around the edge of the figure in the lower image. I tore the remaining paper off, to give the ripped effect seen on the left and right of the picture. I used a photo with a dark background to help the outline of the figure show up. I stuck the 2 photos together, allowing a gap for the upper figure to lift off slightly. I then folded this part forward and then made another fold backwards, to ensure the figure was lifted slightly.

Vanessa Lamounier de Assis
Image from The Age of Collage
http://www.anyonegirl.com/vanessa-lamounier-de-assis/?posts-page=3#more-posts

Vanessa Lamounier de Assis creates paper models of semi- abstracted body parts. Her art talks about sexuality, consumer culture and beauty standards. Her pieces stand alone and have a solid look to them, despite being made from a light-weight material. She combines separate images within a single collage to create new meanings.

Phillipe Jusforgues and Vanessa Lamounier de Assis use tearing when manipulating paper for their collage. I took this idea further by allowing a section of paper to curl outwards. The tear creates an emotional impact because it disrupts the peaceful balance of the original photograph. The rough edge of the torn paper is in contrast to the pastel colours in the original photo, as pastel colours give a sense of calm within an image.

I was interested in playing with paper to create a solid-looking structure. This photo of the raincoat girl has a statuesque quality. For this reason, I wanted to emphasise this impression using paper. I cut around the figure, leaving the background attached at the bottom of the page, for added weight and therefore stability.

I folded the base of the paper figure, but it was not standing up. I then scrunched the paper to add more weight to it. This helped. I bent the bottom section upwards and pinched the upper half of the sculpture. This method brings the subject to life by creating an imitation of a statue or ornament. But made from paper, it looks more delicate.

Another collage technique used by artists such as Bobby Neel Adams, is to tear or cut and image in half and piece is back with a separate image, therefore creating imaginary faces and scenarios. For this piece, I reassembled the paper using masking tape. The result is harsh looking and signifies repairing a broken object.

Andrew Lundwell

Lundwell’s use of tearing paper gives this composition an organic appearance. This is suitable for the natural themes within the photographs.

I wanted to create a worn, old look to this picture, to reference the phrase ‘old-fashioned’. I avoided making the words unreadable, because the word is a part of the meaning of the composition. I used scissors to drag and cut through the paper. Obscuring her face has the effect of making her appear damaged or affected. It has more of an emotional impact that if I had damaged only the background and avoided the figurine.

Artists’ work (unless stated otherwise) from The Age of Collage – Contemporary Collage in Modern Art by Silke Krohn

003 Artists & Words

DemelzaB Leave a comment

I was interested in looking at how words can affect the meaning of an image or sign. Words are signs in themselves. To combine them with images can change the meaning completely, emphasise the meaning, or create a sense of irony and humour.

First, I looked at They Key of Dreams by Rene Magritte:


The Key of Dreams, 1927 (oil on canvas) (bridgemanimages.com)

First, I looked at They Key of Dreams by Rene Magritte. In this painting he presents the viewer with a selection of different objects, divided by frames. The division gives us a sense that the artist doesn’t want us to connect the meanings between objects. The painted representations are detailed and realistic. Because of this, they could be considered icons.

A bag, a penknife, a leaf and a sponge are all common items. A sponge and leaf are natural, and the bag and knife are man-made. He then gives them inaccurate labels: Le ciel is the sky. L’oiseau is a bird. La table is a table. However, L’eponge is the sponge, which he labels correctly. In giving these objects different names, the viewer is led to question the use of the object and whether there may be some resemblance between the object being named and the object pictured.

Is a bag open like the open sky? Is a bird’s beak sharp like a knife? Could a leaf possibly be used as a table? Or are tables made from the same tree as a leaf comes from? The contradictions make for an interesting piece. They make the viewer think, and I really like that.

Brian Rea

Brian Rea is an illustrator based in Los Angeles. His drawings and animations are playful and easy to understand. His style can be decorative but not overworked or garish. I like his restricted colour palette and hand-drawn lines. Several of his illustrations incorporate words. With few words he is able to say a lot. And this is because of how he has used the words.

(All images from BrianRea.com)

In this first example, there is the element of needing to know some background knowledge. A symbol is a sign that communicates a concept. In this instance, Rea is referring to social media likes. He signifies this without needing to draw a phone or computer screen. The words and the thumbs up icon are enough to reference the social media structure to an audience who has knowledge of social media programmes.


With this image, you would need to understand written English to be able to understand the message.

When viewing this piece, the viewer is putting together the meaning in their mind. The words and images here are of equal importance to communicate the meaning.

I then thought of words I could associate with my chosen object, The Raincoat Girl:

I cut out the labels and placed them next to the figurine. I wanted to see the effect of adding words and what I could be signifying, with the addition of these words.

The sign ‘Waiting’ suggests a narrative. The figurine is holding 2 umbrellas. The viewer can add together these 2 signs and decide that The Raincoat Girl is waiting for somebody to arrive.

I noticed that I saw the figurine in a different light depending on these captions. For instance, her expression looked more bored when she was placed next to the ‘Waiting’ sign and looked defiant when placed next to the sign that says ‘Unbreakable’. Am I imagining this? What do you think?