Monday, March 21, 2011

Flowers from the Collage Box


It's spring! I see snowdrops and crocuses, welcome signs of the season and the many flowers to come. These accordion books use papers from the collage box to create flowers from the imagination.

The book above started with a piece of recycled copy paper folded in half with the writing on the inside. The bottom started with the front or back panel of a grocery bag cut in half the long way.

My collage box is probably my favorite thing in the studio. When Jean Van Hutl in an interview in The Artful Parent asked me if I could encourage parents to do one bookmaking activity, what would it be, I answered:

The thing I would say is that every house needs a collage box filled with bits and pieces of paper. Mine has been a source of hours of joy for me and those who come to my workshops. I cut up any interesting paper that comes my way- wrapping paper from a package, paper bags, the inside patterns on security envelopes, origami paper, art papers, etc.--into squares about an index finger long (no more inches). I find that the smaller size wastes less paper and seems to stimulate creativity in a way that large pieces of paper don't.

Written Directions

In Spanish

Video


BOOKS AND LINKS


Planting a Rainbow is a vibrant and beautiful book of collage flowers by Lois Ehlert.

The Parts of a Flower
Flower parts worksheet with a link to print a worksheet for students without the names.

Flower Parts
This site goes into more detail. I like it because it illustrates the parts with photos.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Collage box is such a great idea.
Then, when the time comes, all the supplies are ready to use!

Tia said...

These are very beautiful. Thank you!
Tia

momma rae said...

thanks to your brilliant advice shared with jean on the artful parent, we now have a collage box and love it! it has been brought out for many, many projects. it is so fun to have all the bits of colorful paper to thumb through. thanks for all your inspiration!

Mona said...

What a splendid idea; I'll make a collage box right away. Love the small books, I 'll have to make some with my children :)