According to the Laws of Chance
“This form of
collage was invented by Hans Arp. Paper is torn or cut up, randomly or in shapes, and the pieces dropped on to a sheet of paper. These random configurations are then fixed with glue.In a variation of this technique, the torn paper already bears an image, which is thus dislocated and re-assembled unpredictably according to the fall of the paper. It can then be ‘re-interpreted’ by subsequent working over with pencil or brush.”
A Book of Surrealist Games by Alastair Brotchie
Gather Materials:
- Paper to tear up that already bears an image. Possibly tear up a previous exercise.
- Glue
- Paper
- Pencil
- wax or parchment paper
Today’s Exercise
- Tear or cut the paper that bears an image — either randomly or into shapes.
- Put your sketchbook paper on the floor and stand above it.
- Drop the collage scraps onto the paper
- Glue them where they land
- If you desire, you can do additional line work with the pencil
- Put a piece of parchment paper in the sketchbook until the glue is completely dry.
I used an encaustic monotype print that I made.
Reflections on the Exercise
- This is a good way to use up all those encaustic monotypes that didn’t go anywhere
- It is difficult to tear the wax-covered paper so I had to use scissors
- I got lost in cutting up the shapes – it was enjoyable
- Dropping the shapes on the page was frustrating… they ended up on the floor nearly every time
- One shape landed across the binder so I tore it in two
- I like the transparent areas of the paper and how they allow shapes below to show through
- It’s hard to turn a piece over to glue and get it back in the same position without my brain starting to control where it goes. Next time I may trace around the item with pencil before picking it up to apply the glue.
