Collage Art and Assemblage – What’s the Difference?

Collage art and assemblages are just two of the most fun, varied art forms. Even beginners can achieve success with collage and assemblage.

The biggest difference between them…?  Collages tend to be flat. Or flat-ish.  Assemblages can be three-dimensional, and can be small or really, really huge.

a collaged card in the
Inspiration Deck exchange

WHAT IS COLLAGE ART?

Collage is usually (but not always) two-dimensional art you’ll create by combining various elements, typically including paper, but sometimes other flat (or nearly flat) items – in a finished art/statement.

For my own collages, I cut and tear collage elements. They usually include:

• my own photos,
• antique papers, and
• modern magazine pages.

Sometimes I include paper decorated with rubber stamps, handwritten notes, or sketches.

If you’re like me, you may add other items, too. For example, you might use:

• bits of foil,
• ribbons,
• coins or medals, or
• bits of fabric or lace.

The possibilities are endless!

Then, you might arrange them on a prepared background before gluing them in place.

My favorite collage glue is Yes! Paste. In fact, it’s the ONLY adhesive I use now. Yes, it’s pricey, but worth every cent. Really. It rarely buckles, and you can reposition the items for several minutes after applying the adhesive.

Or, you might glue them in place as you work, making it a very spontaneous and organic art process.

Either way, I usually use a block printing brayer to make sure it sticks evenly and remains flat… if it’s supposed to be flat, that is.

The finished work may be like the collage shown above.

I keep some of them, and exhibit – and sometimes sell – others.

If you’re like me, you might photograph and print small copies as ATCs (artist’s trading cards), or other fun printed items to share with others.

However, collage isn’t limited to cards and framed art.

For example, I regularly taught a workshop on collaged tote bags, at the original Artfest. (It’s the annual gathering that was organized by Teesha Moore and her team, in Port Townsend, WA).

Here’s what one of these tote bags looked like:

collaged tote bag
made with images from Maine tourist brochures

WHAT IS ASSEMBLAGE ART?

Assemblage is combining three-dimensional elements to create a finished work of art.

In some cases, this may be a sculpture, or perhaps a shrine.

Here’s my Superman shrine, using original and comic-book elements, in a Pringle’s potato chip lid.

 

Superman shrine, by Aisling(To read more about the shrine, including how-to directions to make your own, visit this Superman Art Shrine page. Check out the Tammy Faye shrine , too.)

Also, I create found-art dolls. Here’s one of my favorite art/fetish dolls, Teal Magick, Click the image to learn more about her.

 

Other assemblages are more difficult to label. For example, I was part of the Capolan exchange. (To see what’s inside that box, click here.) 

a box for The Relic Room,
the June 2000 Capolan exchange