One of our most primitive ways to communicate is through the use of symbols and pictures.

We were using images long before written language. Just think of the cave paintings of Lascaux. The language of images is rich and complex. Using this visual language is what makes art journaling such a powerful tool.

According to Barbara Ganim and Susan Fox in their book Visual Journaling, not an affiliate link, images can describe our personal experiences in a way that words cannot. The messages we receive come from the subconscious mind, our source of inner wisdom.

Expressive Collage is a powerful way to discover and start exploring your own inner wisdom. Since you’re cutting and pasting images from magazines or used books, you can bypass the anxiety of “not being an artist” that can get in the way of taking action. If you can cut or rip images from pages, and use a glue stick (or have someone else help you with these tasks) you can create an Expressive Collage.

You need simple supplies to make an Expressive Collage:

• scissors

• adhesive (I use a glue stick)

• something to glue your collage onto (I recycle file folders)

• old magazines or used books with images

• a writing tool and paper for your journaling

Let’s talk about some options for the support that you glue the collage onto.

This is known as a substrate. You can use watercolor paper, cardstock, chipboard from a recycled cereal box, or recycled mail envelopes. Anything that is a little bit sturdy. You could hand bind a special art journal, use a sketchbook, or even an inexpensive composition notebook. Use what you feel comfortable with. Getting hung up on what supplies to use can turn into a block to actually doing the collage. 

After you create the collage, you will be journaling. I have a separate notebook that I write my journaling into. If you made your collage on an envelope, you could write your journaling on a piece of paper and fold it up inside the envelope. This would also keep your journaling private if you want to show someone your collage. If you journal in a sketchbook, you could have your collage and journaling on facing pages. Make choices about journaling that feel comfortable for you and your style.

Now you’re ready to make your first Expressive Collage.

The first thing I do is take a deep breath in through my nose, then let the breath out through my mouth. I try to make the exhale last a bit longer than the inhale. This signals a relaxation response in your brain. Think of a question you have, an idea you are exploring, or an emotion you are experiencing. In my collage, I was exploring the idea that I tend to keep myself playing small, or try to be invisible so I don’t upset other people.

Pick up the first magazine and flip through it QUICKLY! As images jump out at you, cut or rip them out of the magazine. The secret is to not think too hard about this. You set your intention earlier by thinking of a question or idea, now let your body respond to the images as they fly by. 

Pull out images that seem compelling to you, that seem to tug at you. I often find myself having to turn back to some previous pages because an image caught my attention. It’s as if my body is saying “Wait a minute! Go back, something caught my eye.” 

As you collect images they may not make any sense to you. You might think they don’t belong together. You may question what they mean. It’s OK. They don’t have to make any sense right now. 

Go through as many magazines as you need to feel complete. Maybe you’ll only use one magazine. Maybe you’ll use five. I typically collect 7-10 images.

Now you will arrange your chosen images onto your collage support or substrate. I like to move the images around until a design “feels good” to me. I will trim around some images so only a thin outline of its background shows, other images I will glue down with their background. If I glue an image with its background down, I often layer other images I’ve trimmed on top. 

Once you have a design you like, you can start glueing the individual images onto the support or substrate. I use an old gardening catalog to protect my table from glue as I apply the glue to the back of the image. 

When I place the glued images that will be in the background of my collage, I often let the extra paper from the magazine image I cut out hang over the edge of the collage support. Then I can turn the support over so the back is facing me, and use the edges as a guide to trim the image. that way I don’t have to worry about cutting the image out perfectly from the magazine.

As you glue more layers of images down, the extra background from the first collage layers will get covered up. This is a neat trick to remember if you have chosen images with words in the background that you don’t want showing on your final collage. Just glue another image over the words.

You may find that you don’t have room on your collage for all the images you picked out. That’s OK. If you want to save them for another day, you can collect them in an  envelope or file folder.

Congratulations!

You’ve made your first collage. Now for the journaling.

I typically journal with my collages right after I’ve made them. Some people like to display their collage where they will see it over the next few days before they journal. You do what feels best to you. 

Gather your journaling supplies. Take another deep breath before you begin. In through your nose, out through your mouth, letting your exhale be slightly longer than your inhale. While looking at your collage, ask it a question. Pause and let the answer form. I found this took some practice for me the first few times I tried this. My head wanted to answer the question, rather than letting my heart have the time it needed to form the answer.

One thing that helps me get out of my thinking brain for journaling is to write my question down on the paper, underline it, then let my heart guide my hand in writing the answer. Something about writing down the question, not just thinking the question, makes it feel more like a conversation between me and the collage.

I usually start with the question “What do you want me to know?” Then I let the collage answer “I want you to know…….”

Sometimes my collage has a lot to say, and other times not so much. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed the process of making an Expressive Collage. If you’re finding it difficult to have a conversation with your collage, don’t be discouraged. When I first learned of the idea of listening to my inner wisdom I thought “What is that?! I can’t hear anything. I must not have inner wisdom.” After just a bit of practice, I was able to hear my inner wisdom. I just needed some practice. Please be kind to yourself.

Remember to breathe.

Extra love,

Therese