Collage With Me!
It’s fun! It’s whimsical! It’s nostalgic! And who doesn’t love a good comfy-clothes, drink-of-choice, good-music-or-movie crafting session?
Aside from those things, there are so many measurable benefits to collaging, which I go into a bit below. And I wanted to offer a fun activity for you or the whole household to enjoy, especially during this extended time of quarantine. It could even be fun to do with friends or colleagues over a Zoom call or watch party!
I’ve collaged since middle school, but I noticed a shift in my collaging in my early 20’s. Instead of doing it as a way to decorate notebooks or paste moody lyrics to express myself to the innocent passerby, it was something easy I could do that felt like therapy. When I felt that angst but didn’t have words, or I didn’t feel comfortable expressing uncomfortable emotions, I just started cutting and pasting. The coolest part? Seeing what images and messages stood out on the finished product.
This is sometimes called collage therapy, or even prophetic art! It can give you some insight into what’s going on under the surface in your life, or provide meaningful, beautiful inspiration for you to refer back to.
On a lighter note, it’s wonderful to have a fun, lighthearted project for your hands, that lets your mind explore some much-needed space, and lets your emotions have a place to funnel out.
Because it is easy (it doesn’t require technical skill) and can be as fast as you want it to be, the act of collaging bypasses your the part of your brain that is self-editing and self-censoring. That byspassing of the careful is extremely satisfying!
For me, the most rewarding part is that I have something meaningful and beautiful to put up to remind myself of my journey, to connect me to that wonderful inner Sam, and to keep inspiring me as I live day-to-day.
Ready to get started?
What you’ll need:
Various magazines and catalogs you don’t mind cutting up
Scissors
Stick glue (I find that this is easiest)
A sheet of paper (you can use printer paper, construction paper, your journal, or art paper)
BONUS MATERIALS:
Washi tape
Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
Your beverage of choice, of course! Wine, coffee, la croix, or something stronger - I won’t judge!
Music, a good show, or a favorite movie you don’t mind not looking at (my go-to is Troop Beverly Hills!)
Here are some basic tips to help guide you if you feel lost:
Begin by just flipping through the pages of one of the magazines. I don’t think too hard, I just wait until a word or image sticks out to me. If it does, I just go ahead and cut it out and set it to the side.
Once I’ve collected a good mix of large and small cut-outs, whether it’s mostly words or images, I start to place them on the paper. It’s kind of like playing a game of Tetris - I just see how they could fit, and then I start pairing things together that look especially pleasing or inspiring.
Don’t feel like you need a ton of cut-outs or that you must completely fill the space on the paper. You can, but you don’t have to! Keep it to images and words that really connect to you.
Once I’ve got a basic layout, I move everything to the side more or less in the same positions, and start pasting. I begin with the largest cutouts first.
This is where I go a little freestyle! If I change my mind about something when I’m pasting, I just go for it. It’s one of those glorious moments in life where you just do whatever feels right, and it is right.
Once everything is pasted, I take a step back and just look. I take note of how it makes me feel or what it seems to be saying to me. Then, I put it in space I can see regularly (right now, that’s on my bedroom dresser, right across from where I sleep, so when I’m in bed at night, I do a little breathing/prayer/meditation, and I have my inspiring collage to help center me!
Let me know if you give it a whirl, especially during quarantine! I want to see your finished products : ) Just comment, email (sam@samantharaywriting.com), or tag me on Instagram @heysamantharay!
Wishing you many therapeutic activities, creative restful moments, and beautiful keepsakes during this time!
Love,
Sam
