Mixed media collage

 

I always loved making collages out of magazine pictures, but have not made any for years. I started by using a glue stick to glue the magazine pictures onto cardstock. After the pictures where in place I painted over them with a thin layer of gesso. Than I colored the gesso with washes and painted shapes on the pages. I gave the shapes and background shading and more color.  By the time I was done I could hardly see the pictures at all. So I started again, this time trying to keep some of the pictures visible.

I covered an 8.5 x 11 piece of cardstock with brightly colored pictures from magazines. .  I started with a glue stick, but gel medium works better.

Using an old gift card I dragged tinted gesso across the page.

Next I painted circles with acrylic paint.

I filled in the space around the circles with gesso, than colored the gesso with soft pastels.

 

I painted another thin layer of gesso around the circles.

I painted over the gesso with acrylics using bubble wrap and a sponge. I finished off the shading using water salable markers, then I spayed the entire page with sealant. 

I like all three collages, but you can see more of the pictures on the last one.