COGS for Art - Creative Option Gathering

Creative option gathering

"COGS"

This is our fun acronym for collecting bits and pieces that you can use to make a collage.

COGS are essential bits and pieces to make collage creations flow.

It is generally something easy accessible, hand made, collected from junk, recycled materials or items that you think (too nice to throw away)

Bits of ribbon or materials

Buttons

Junk mail

Old magazines

Drawings and doodles

Postcards

Leftover artwork

Empty Paper bags

Wallpaper samples

Newspaper

Brochures

Greetings cards

Wrapping paper

Tissue paper

Wool or thread

Photos

Gift tags

Scribbled notes

Then when you feel inspired to make a collage you have plenty of hands on materials and odds and ends to use.

COGS I started collecting magazines to cut out shapes and pictures to make mosaic style collages.

I cut out, keep and store in plastic folders for later use.

Collecting other bits and bobs like buttons, material, lace, ribbon, stickers, leaflets from days out amongst other things thinking one day I will use them to make a collage to celebrate the memories.

Making collages is fun and I prefer to randomly make a picture when the inspiration takes me as I tend to have an artistic dreamy brain always coming up with new ideas, topics, creative themes and accept my wandering brain for the positivity it brings.

Here is a selection of some of my collage creations - Debbie

COGS I have always saved and collected bits and pieces of random things usually for sentimental reasons. Especially things from birthday and Christmas presents, like perfume boxes.

Also things from great days out and events. For example tickets, postcards, flyers, serviettes and little bags etc. anything that caught my eye really.

I came to realise I was hoarding so much stuff it was getting a bit out of hand! I decided to stick them in a book, (like a scrapbook) this way all my Cogs were all in one place.

It reminded me I used to do a similar thing when my kids were little to remind them what they did in the holidays. In lockdown I even made a collage from pieces of wrapping paper and tags from my lovely presents I’d been given.

It makes me smile to look back and be so grateful for lovely times and memories. It is amazing what awesome collages you can make from collecting random Cogs!

Here is a selection of some of my collage creations - Heather

COGS - 'I love collaging, I think it's one of those crafts which allows you to not worry so much about getting something 'right' as all the images, colours etc have been made for you so all you need to do is arrange them.

I also keep old buttons, ribbons, even tags off of clothing as some of them are quite fancy!

I keep old pages from magazines & newspapers that have interesting patterns, colours, themes or text that I like or that look interesting & by keeping them in a folder or a box, I have it all together for when I want to collage.

Handy tips from Emma

Arrange all your images, pages, buttons etc into 'colour piles' this really helps you to sort things into themes ready to make collage pages.

Also save any beads, buttons & even empty cotton reels as these can be used to thread onto cotton, cord & ribbon to make dangle charms for crafting projects.

Here is a selection of some of my collage creations - Emma

So get collecting or just go ahead and have a go with what you can find at home right now.

We look forward to seeing members creativity remember to email a photo of your work to be added into members galleries.

creativewellnessjourney@gmail.com

Remember being creative can be so many themes check out Creative Corner.