Cabin Fever Handicraft

What a month! This challenge was fun, inspiring, difficult and sometimes exhausting. I’m accustomed to quick and intuitive collage so having to think more critically and creatively every day was sometimes hard. Trying to come up with an idea each morning was tough so I began to batch brainstorm, meaning I’d think about several collage ideas at once. Sometimes this meant simply rummaging through papers and pulling bits out, sometimes a fully fledged idea would spring forth.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not creating masterpieces, merely practicing techniques and pushing myself to experiment. Some I love, some a really do not.

With PINK I stuck to my usual formula and style. I love this illustration and it made a fun focal point. This one has decent balance and movement, with good contrast. It’s a favorite.

For TEETH I knew I didn’t want to do literal teeth. I gave a cursory glance at teeth images, looking for a smile and it bombarded me with loose teeth, skeletons, and rather macabre images. Note to self – learn to use better search terms.

Thus the brainstorming for other types of teeth. I was running out of time in the day so I didn’t spend as much time as I would have liked on this one. I like the concept but would like add some finesse.

Day 24 stumped me. Titanic is a great word. One shadowed by the infamous ship.

I scribbled down so many ideas on how to express something monumental, enormous, serious, colossal and powerful. Godzilla came to mind and I wondered how I might express that scale. I had both these images saved for a long time and when I sifted through my papers they jumped at me. I struggled to get the right placement between buildings because of the way the crabs legs were cut off in the image. But it conveys the idea and it’s not bad.

Day 25 was fun. So many ways to depict WITCH!

I had this image of the girl saved, along with it’s article, for a long time also. It was in a girls magazine, lecturing young women on the dangers of being anything but a “good girl”. That straying even a little will have to becoming a prostitute, thief and chronic jail bird. Doing anything beyond the “perfect” labeled you some pretty terrible things.

Looking at this piece right now compels me to add a scarlet “A” in the bit of white space in the center.

Day 26 XRAY had me puzzled yet again. I had many ideas using transparent layers to simulate being able to see through, or inside the image but nothing really grabbed me.

Instead of getting frustrated I kept it loose and spontaneous (my comfort zone). I found some papers with X’s and a few bits of transparent papers and it came together quickly.

Day 27 is my least favorite. I don’t know why. I like it less each time I look at it!

I chose papers that had lace-like patterns from stencils. I liked the first layer. Then I added the two collage strips at the top and middle. Meh. I like the woman, adding femininity to the theme and the black stripe to add balance. But now I don’t like the image as a whole and I’m not sure why. Is the yellow-green too out of place? Is it because I don’t like purple? The two collaged strips really bug me now. This is one I want to come back to and re-work. Perhaps pushing back the collage strips with white? Or adding some rounded shapes to add movement and softness? We’ll see…

And finally,

I like this much better than the photo depicts it. Unsure how to wrap up the month, I wanted to end on a good one, to say goodbye or the end.

I was driving to a friend’s house on a foggy morning and passed this tree like I have a hundred times before. The Dead End sign popped out at me and I knew that was my image. My printer did a terrible job and the resolution is awful but I have the real image in my head. I tried to use some wispy transparent bits to evoke the fog but they are a little too opaque. The final collage is ok but I still really like it because of the memory of that beautiful foggy morning highlighting this intriguing dead tree like I’ve never seen it before.

All in all I enjoyed this challenge a great deal. I’d probably like it more if it didn’t involve share the work on social media. Comparison is the thief of joy and boy-howdy did I compare.

It’s good to push boundaries and make yourself uncomfortable or else you never grow. That means making some ugly art. The collages I like best are when I resorted to my usual style and felt comfortable. But did I learn anything? For me there are no “wrong answers” in this challenge, even though I was hard on myself. We are our own worst critics!

I’m looking forward to doing this again and seeing how my practice had evolved. See you in February 2027!