Here’s a little trick I use a lot, it’s a handy way to recycle your art and to turn something previously unpleasing into a visual delight.
I often take photos of my sketchbooks, sometimes the whole page, sometimes focusing in on an interesting detail or texture.
I then print out these images and continue to work them, that might mean adding some fine details or radically transforming the whole thing, splodging paint and getting wild.
You can really have a lot of fun with it, putting bunny ears on your boyfriend or writing an inspirational quote over an interesting texture. There are no rules and there is no wrong, it is a particularly permission giving technique because if you really make a royal mess, you still have your original photo so you can have another go if you like (though I personally believe the royal messes are often the most interesting!)
This one for example is a photo of a not particularly interesting collage in my sketchbook, you might just be able to make out the dancing woman in yellow on the right. I printed out the photo and finger painted with red and yellow paint creating more layers. It lacked any focal point so I drew the dancing aboriginal over the top and added the white dots. It is probably complete, but who knows, I may take another photo, paint another layer, like creativity itself, the possibilities are endless.
Have a go, have fun!
