By Celia Ayers


A collage is a simple way to make art out of your pictures. Although photographs are already artworks themselves, piecing them together to make a patchwork of images adds a different twist in them. And sometimes, even a different story. However, making one manually takes time and is often tasking. It is usually these reasons why only few people partake in this creative act. But thanks to technology, it is no longer hard to make one. Today, making digital collages is already possible.

As a visual art form under traditional arts, a collage can be two things: it can either be a montage of colored pictures pasted together to form an image, a story, or something abstract, or an assortment of pictures pasted on canvas and then painted over. Further, it is not limited to images alone but can also be an assemblage of different things arrange in such a way that it forms something new. In short, it is a hodgepodge of many things.

On the other hand, as a digital art, it can only be made with images. The reasons are obvious. Several images may be made into new art by cutting, skewing, and changing their colors. Then it can be printed, framed, and given away as a present, or can be published over the web.

Obviously, both methods of collage-making pose limitations and advantages. If done traditionally, one will be limited to the existing traits of the raw materials. The advantage however is the materials can be almost anything. If done digitally on the other hand, one is limited only to pictures, but with the use of a photo-manipulation software, he or she can change almost everything in a picture from its color to its size.

But what highlights the distinction between the two methods is the latter's speed. Of course, the modern method will always be faster, even if one is going to work with tons of pictures. With softwares being sold online for a small fee or for free, anyone can make a collage with just a click or few clicks of a mouse.

Further, mistakes are not eternal in the electronic world. A person can always make erasures or delete or correct mistakes. A collage done digitally can be made, unmade, and remade in a matter of seconds. And the best part is versions can be made for juxtaposition. Through this, one can easily determine which one is good for printing or publishing.

Computerized collages may be printed on shirts, mugs, or pillow cases and be given as personalized gifts. They may also be used as part of a mixed media masterpiece. And if time permits, one can even make a wallpaper out of photos. The possibilities are almost endless.

Digital collages are easy to make. Getting the hang of the software may take some time but once you get used to it, you become limitless. You can make personalized gifts in a breeze or add a personal touch to your mug or coffee tumbler. But more importantly, you can immortalize memories creatively.




About the Author:



0 comments

Web site development, PHP programming's Fan Box