Hey everyone! Today I wanted to share a fun project using some vintage finds I got at an estate sale – a whole stack of old Victoria magazines from the 90s for a mere $2!
These magazines had such beautiful vintage patterns, pictures, and textiles, perfect for collage. I tore out some of the pages, keeping some text and interesting visuals.
Since I wasn’t sure what I wanted the final piece to look like, I decided to just go with the flow and started collaging directly onto a two-page spread in my art journal. I used a mix of paints (rose pink, Dioxazine Violet, etc.) to add some color and grabbed interesting text snippets and pictures from the magazines.
I didn’t worry about perfect placement or composition; I just wanted to cover the entire spread with a variety of textures and colors.
After covering the pages, I knew I wanted to paint over them, so I sealed everything with some matte medium to prevent anything from lifting. Then came a light coat of gesso with a baby wipe to soften the lines.
Next, I used some burnt sienna to add warmth and darkness, tracing the outlines of my collage elements and smudging it in with my fingers. I did the same with burnt umber for a bit more depth.
Following this, I went in with light washes of unbleached titanium, rose pink, and purple to create a background with some variation and peek through the interesting collage pieces below.
With the base colors down, I wanted to highlight some areas. First, I used a bit of gesso around some portraits to make them pop and blend it out for a dreamy effect.
Stencils were next! I pulled out a heart stencil and a filigree design, using unbleached titanium and a baby wipe to create a soft, broken pattern on the page. This didn’t work as planned with the baby wipe, so I switched to a makeup sponge with a custom-mixed brown color for a more defined stencil effect.
I repeated the stenciling with the rose pink color, blending it with some brown for a subtle tone. I also highlighted the “recipes” text using burnt umber with a stencil to make it stand out.
I used my gold paint marker to create a leafy vine that flowed from the bottom of the page, adding sparkle and texture. Gelly Roll dots were the final touch!
This collage project was a blast, especially because of the unique materials from the vintage magazines. It took longer than expected, but that’s just a sign of how much fun I had!
The takeaway? Always keep an eye out at yard sales, estate sales, and auctions. You can find amazing treasures for next to nothing and create some truly unique art pieces!