Now that Groundhog Day has passed, the final count down the refreshing spring weather and the awakening of nature is on! This collage project will help count out the last days of winger and help welcome seasonal changes.
Materials:
- 8x10 inch stretched canvas
- paint or sponge brushes
- spring themed ephemera
- spring themed stickers
- pressed flowers
- gel medium
- small containers of water
- spring themed magazine clippings
- black sharpie
- glitter glue
- handmade envelope
- tea stained paper
- glitter gel pens
Instructions:
- Organize your materials on the canvas to get a general idea about item placement, scale, and color juxtaposition.
- Carefully remove all the materials from the canvas, placing them in the basic order they will be affixed to the canvas.
- Being layering the items on to the canvas using gel medium. Be sure to add a bit of gel medium over stickers to prevent them from peeling up. Allow the piece to dry completely before moving on to the next stop. Speed drying time through use of a heat gun or hair dryer.
- Layer text throughout the collage; including quotations, poetry, song lyrics, and thoughts about spring.
- Continue layering collage materials over portions of the text, and squiggle layers of glitter glue throughout the piece. Allow the piece to dry completely for at least twenty-four hours before moving on to the next step.
- Seal the entire piece with one or two coats of gel medium.
- In the lower right hand corner of the piece, attach an envelope with the flap facing out. Write an illustrated letter to Mother Nature on tea stained paper with glitter gel pens , and place it inside the envelope.
Variations:
- Dust the entire piece with glitter or mica when applying the final coats of gel medium, allowing each coat to dry completely.
- Use beads, gems, and jewels to add some dimension to the piece.
- Incorporate spring themed scrapbook materials for variety, and dimension in the collage’s presentation.
Because considerable drying time is required for this mixed media art project, plan on working on this over the course of several days, or on a daily basis little-by-little until the first day of spring arrives. Teachers, if you are working on this project with a large class, be prepared for it to last several weeks. An option to consider is making this collage a "final project" for students to work on with a partner as homework. Parents, if you are working on this project with a group of children at home, set up the work space in an area where you are sure it will not be disturbed in between sessions.
