Photoshop Collage using our own Holiday Photographs

Opinions and comments on photoshop collages I like and will take inspiration from...

Making a digital collage scene using my own images

1 - A french street where I added some people and various other elements and used effects and blending modes to create this retro/vintage looking image.

2 - Using my own images to make a collage on Photoshop. This includes an old photo of my grandma, some street shots from New York, a shop display (butterfly texture) and an image of the sky all of which were taken by myself or my family. (except for the neon sign which I collected from the internet) I layered them, changing the blending modes, image quality, filters, masking...etc.

Photoshop Collage Research - 'Nightmares'

Research/Inspiration from Existing Digital Imaging Collages -

I chose the topic of 'Nightmares' as it is a very wide subject that will allow me to explore many different ideas and concepts for my collage. I did some research into collages similar to the direction I want my own to go in, in terms of the theme of nightmares as well as the style of digital imaging that I wanted to incorporate into my collage.

'Nightmares' Mood Board -

Next I gathered some images to create a mood board of the type of imagery I will be inspired by for my collage...

It includes some images with quite morbid themes as well as some obscure creates and ideas - particularly with the eyes as there are so many different creatives twists people have done to a photograph or vector of an eye - this is an idea I would like to explore. I would also like to use a lot of colour to create a kind of 'out of control' scene to reflect the idea we can't control what happens in our nightmares.

Inspiration from different Art Movements -

Inspiration from an Artist - JEFF KOONS -

PROPOSAL FORM -

Nightmare Mixed Media Elements

To begin the production of my collage I experimented with a huge amount of mixed medias to get a range of results that can become a part of my collage.

The idea was to make lots of visuals you could find in a nightmare or some chaotic paint effects to build up a scene that feels out of control and scary.

First Collage - Initial & Developed Sketches

Development of Collage 1

So this was my first attempt which I was really unhappy with as it looked too messy and crowded. But it does show my basic first idea for how nightmare visuals would cover her dress. I think I'm going to take it all off of the dress and start rethinking the dress colour and the elements to go on to it.

Here is my first collage so far. I think it is better than my first attempt because I think each visual has it's own space and also the green and black background that I made from a pink paint splat shows my idea that her nightmares are taking over her as the green is coming over her black dress. I still think it is quite messy so I will be doing some more investigation into the right layout for this collage.

I then changed a couple of the colours to narrow my colour scheme of the nightmare elements to blue and yellow so that it looks more cohesive but still looks quite chaotic and obscure. I also added a  splat to her face to reinforce my theme of the nightmares taking over her.

I took the same yellow splat that is on the ballerina stag and posterised it and inverted the colour to turn it blue. I took inspiration from Jeff Koons' work as he mixes colours, patterns and imagery that almost compete with each other but it works. Also this poster that has this randomness that I wanted to put into my collage somehow.

I moved the woman to the left of the page to allow more space for a more intricate background

I placed some different coloured canvas to begin to build up some depth and texture.

I blended the prints together using gradient tools and blending modes to implement the yellow as part of my colour scheme.

I darkened areas of the blue paint splats to increase its impact

I decided to take some more photos to use more photography, as although I have used images, it isn't obvious that I have. I experimented with pouring and stirring various densities of liquids into water and taking photos of the effects - I was really pleased and surprised with some of my results.

Especially this one as it reflected the lights in my kitchen and when I put a blending mode on top of it it looked really futuristic and could act as if it was sucking the woman into it like a black hold.

So I layered the image over my collage and I think it gave the collage a lot of depth and draws your eye into down the tunnel of light.

Finally I added a hand print and my 'BOO' graphic to make it seem like things are being sucked into it.

Second Collage - Initial & Developed Sketches

Development of Collage 2 -

Here is my second collage so far. I have used the same green and black texture as my first one but have made it come over her skin as she is being taken over by her nightmares. I added the pink paint splatter but I may change it as it looks a little tacky.

Next I added some more of my paint effects and used a range of blending modes and filters to build up a texture for her hair before adding the hand print which I turned blue using one of the blending modes.

I added this red spot print I hand painted to give it a more artsy look than Collage 1 but it needs more texture so I'm going to play around with some filters and colour effects to see some possibilities. I also added my 'SWEET DREAMS' text so continue more elements from my first collage.

I added some noise and posterised a duplicated layer of the spots to make it appear 3D.

I added a different canvas print to the one in Collage 1 as this one already has a gradient.

I also added a silhouette of a bush I took in my garden to her shoulder.

I began to start blending in some other colours and adding some splats using the Photoshop brushes. I also blurred the spots to make them less prominent as I was adding more elements.

I continued to blend new colours using the paint brush and gradient tools.

I had filled the canvas but I felt this was a little too much and would be quite confusing so I want to tone down some of the colours.

I took away some of the painted areas and lowered the opacity of a lot of the layers.

I took the 'SWEET DREAMS' text out of her hair, enlarged it and placed it at the bottom of the canvas to make it easier to read and to give a bigger impact.

I added that light effect over the top to continue the idea that she is being taken over by her nightmares and fears. I then layered a canvas print over the top of everything to tone it down a little and add some texture. The spots' colours also changed a lot as I experimented with various filters and blending modes. I used the grass brush in pink over the text to make it seem alive and to have more personality.