Working with Metal Collage

It's almost mid August and I have not posted here this month.  It's been kind of a crazy time.  Finishing a new ebook- Wrap it Up: journals with style and teaching 2 workshops at Art Unraveled.  So I'm in my studio now for awhile and anxious to get back to work.  While I am here I will be wringing an ebook on digital printing and working on new artwork.

Metal collage is on the agenda.  Collage-a combination or collection of various things.  Mine will be mostly metal, metal mesh, wires, beads and other elements.  Before leaving for Art Unraveled I printed 10 printers plates and now will be working with them to do textural surfaces.  Here I have posted pics on 2 things- one a beverage can box we created in one of my workshops last week and the 2 pieces that will start my new metal collage piece.  By next week at this time I will have the collage finished and post it.


As for the beverage can box, it is created from a digital prints on beverage cans using hemp, wire, beads a hole punch and scissors.

Metal Mesh Collage Details

Creating textures from digitally printing metals and metal mesh is challenging.  Metals are mostly smooth surfaces.  When you get into metal mesh the grid of the weave shows textures on it's own.  Then there are the surfaces that are such a wide mesh that the ink flows right through when digitally printed.  These need to be altered before printing.  Beverage cans are smooth but have their own individual look when printed.  Regardless how you handle metals the textures are wonderful when treated correctly and printed on an archival ink jet printer.

These detail prints are from one of my pages in a giant Forest Book.  These are studies as I work out any solutions in putting a book of this size together.  Completed pages are posted on my KathyAnne Art Blog.

Digital prints on aluminum screen make up the top left corner. Fine copper mesh is the base surface.  small pieces of printed printers plates and printed mesh are strung with beads and without to enliven the surface. 

Cut outs of prints on aluminum screen are attached to the surface with waxed polyester thread.

Pieces of printed aluminum mesh are crocheted together with waxed polyester thread.

Recycled printers plates riveted over fine metal mesh prints.  For a look at the finished visit go to my KathyanneArt blog.