Almost everyone loves to make crafts from natural materials, but after that there is a lot of leftovers. For example, dry branches, leaves and plants, fruits, shells, acorns, fragments of porcelain and glass - this does not mean that they should be thrown away. You're just not familiar with the Terra technique. Collage using the terra technique will help create a special atmosphere of comfort in the house.

Floral collage terra technique. Compositions in the style of "terra" are made in collage technique. Almost everything that is perceived as garbage in life has its rightful place in collages. Crafts from tree branches are rarely particularly beautiful. But such objects, being built into the work, become part of the art in which they play a significant role. Paintings in the technique of terra fascinate with their naturalness.

Crafts from waste natural material easily become masterpieces. Use the "terra" technique, this will reproduce the volume, depth, color, as well as a variety of textures. Much connects the collage "terra" with painting. A coloristic tone is applied to the dried solution. Tone is the main color of the entire composition or any part of it.

Terra technique master class. In the "terra" collages, great importance is given to such a concept as texture: the nature of the surface, the method of processing.

To do the work, we need a container for mixing the solution, a spray gun for wetting, a spatula, rubber gloves for work, a palette for diluting paints, brushes for applying paint. Paint brushes with artificial bristles 20, 20, 58 mm in size draw the background, artistic ones from 2 to 12 sizes prescribe details and small fragments of compositions.

You will also need an awl, wire, paper clips, scissors, pliers. And, of course, we will use various "garbage", the choice of which will depend on your vision of the picture. It can be dried leaves, scraps of paper, shells, buttons, rope. It is difficult to predict everything that can be used in a creative impulse.

Collages are usually heavy, so the base should be thick. Of the paints, gouache is most suitable. Only dry plants can be embedded in the collage. It is impossible to dry under pressure, as plants, leaves lose their shape and volume. Therefore, air dry the plant material. Fancy shapes will even suit you.

Light materials are fastened with a mortar, heavy ones: nuts, cones, chestnuts, acorns - are tied with a thin wire (it is advisable to purchase floral wire). When composing compositions, experienced artists even use insects. Dried ones, of course. For these purposes, you will need entomological pins. Ordinary needles and pins are not suitable. It is easier to use rag insects in the work.

Beads are used in conjunction, as individual peas will be "lost" in the plot.

Such material as fabric is rich in its expressiveness.

Background technique

The main techniques are scratching, phototage and decalcomania.

Grating technique.
Grating is a way to "translate" the pattern of any surface - wood, metal, textured glass: arbitrarily folded twine, etc. - onto the canvas. How to make scratching: spread the canvas on top of the object, then you need to apply paint on it - and the texture of the material will be printed on the base. The resulting abstract drawing will suggest the plot or theme of the future painting. The artist draws an arbitrary ornament in accordance with his associations.

Decalcomania technique. In a similar way to grattage, decalcomania is used. The paint is poured onto a sheet of paper, covered with a second sheet on top, and then they are separated. Looking at an abstract drawing printed on paper, one can see figures, landscapes, images.

Frottage technique. Frottage is another way of imprinting. Paper is applied to the textured surface rubbed with graphite and an imprint is obtained on it, repeating the pattern of the texture. The described background techniques are used in many floral collages. For example, plant materials are glued onto the base created by the decalcomania method, forming a panel that is harmonious in color.

Otherwise, a background is created in the "terra" collages. As a basis, not fabric, paper or glass is used, but a sheet of fairly heavy building material (hardboard, plywood, etc.). A working solution is applied to it. You can apply the solution both with a spatula and with your hands, both in a fairly thick layer and in a thin one.

The peculiarity of the distribution of additional material in "terra" collages is that it is not glued, not fixed with special devices, but is "smeared" into the solution, introduced into the background. After that, the excess solution is carefully cleaned and the collage dries.

Basic work techniques

The modeling technique involves working with the mortar itself, creating form-objects by hand, without additional material.

The base solution is plastic, which allows you to create three-dimensional images. Additional portions of the solution are superimposed on the applied base and the intended shape is formed.

Panel in terra technique. When compiling compositions, various plants are used: leaves, flowers, bark, branches, berries, etc. In "terra" collages, natural material is not glued to the base, but is fixed with a solution. You need to be very careful when working with natural elements in order to preserve the texture of a leaf or flower, since the solution hides the relief of the material. If you fill them with a solution, the work will become poorer, lose its expressiveness and liveliness. Therefore, they use the indentation technique, which requires special accuracy, thoroughness, and experience.

Beautiful patterns, unusual textures and reliefs are easy to create using the print technique. A variety of solid materials are suitable that can be fixed by pressing into the solution: pasta, dry berries, cereals, bones, and beans. Since this material contains moisture or easily absorbs it from a damp base, after drying it easily falls out, leaving a very interesting relief pattern.

Terra collages are suitable for frames with complex, but not bright relief. Because the baguette should not distract from the work itself, rather it should emphasize the dignity and individuality of the composition.
collage gallery

We touched on only a small part of the basics of making collages using the "terra" technique. But this, at first, is quite enough to evaluate the new technique. Then it's up to you. Try, experiment, search.

What is this alluring and mysterious Terra?

Terra in Latin means earth and everything that is used in the terra technique is of earthly origin - it can be dried flowers, leaves, seeds, insects, shells, dried marine life, pebbles, etc. Terra compositions are made using collage technique.

Collage in translation from French means "sticking" on the basis of any materials that differ from it in color, shape and texture. The appliqué technique has been used since ancient times, for example, in arts and crafts and even in icon painting. As a technique of fine art, collage appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century. In the art of collage, the author's imagination is absolutely unlimited. You can use combinations of different materials, create any lines and color combinations. If we talk about a floral collage, then this is also the ability to create a flower bouquet.

Much that in everyday life is perceived as rubbish, there is a place in collages. Objects, seemingly uninteresting in themselves, being built into the work, become part of a kind of mystery, game, performance, in which they play a significant role. The charm of the terra technique lies in its ambiguity. With its help, you can reproduce the volume, depth, color, play of light and shade, a variety of textures. Much connects the collage "terra" with painting. In terra collages, texture is of great importance: the nature of the surface, the method of processing.

The collage technique is also interesting in that here everyone can use their own techniques, peculiar only to him, and then unique pictures are born. Working with natural material in the new technology gives an impetus to the creativity of artists. Floral collages organically combine backgrounds made in various techniques (rolling, decalcomania, author's paper, gypsum, etc.) with material created by the best artist - nature: foliage, flowers, tree branches.

When creating a collage using the terra technique, it is not always possible to accurately imagine how everything will end. This is a real creative search, where impeccable artistic taste, bold imagination, compositional and harmonious perception are involved, with the help of which, in the course of arranging, associatively, by touch, a picture is formed.

The use in his work of plant forms created by nature itself with their own unique textures allows the artist to achieve such an effect, which is not always realized in the works of artists working with paints.

Let's talk a little about the technical side of the issue:

What the master may need if he wants to make a creation using the Terra technique:

For work, you will need a container for mixing the solution, a spray gun for wetting, a spatula, rubber gloves for work, a palette for diluting paint and brushes for applying it. Paint brushes with artificial bristles 20, 20, 58 mm in size draw the background, art brushes - from 2 to 12 sizes, prescribe details and small fragments of compositions.

You will also need an awl, wire, paper clips, scissors, pliers. Of course, you will have to use various "garbage", the choice of which will depend on your vision of the picture. It can also be dried flowers, leaves, tree branches, shells, etc. It is even difficult to predict what can be used in a creative impulse.

Collages are usually heavy, so the base should be strong and thick. Of the paints, gouache is most suitable.

Only dry plants can be embedded in the collage. It is impossible to dry under pressure, as plants and leaves lose their shape and volume. Therefore, the plant material is air-dried. The bizarre forms of dried plants will even be to your advantage.

Light materials are fastened with a solution, heavy ones: nuts, cones, chestnuts, acorns - are tied with a thin wire (it is advisable to purchase floral wire) or fastened with glue.

When composing compositions, experienced artists even use insects. Of course, dried. For these purposes, you will need entomological pins. Ordinary needles and pins are not suitable. It is easier to use rag insects in the work. Beads are used in conjunction, as individual peas will be “lost” in the plot. Such material as fabric is rich in its expressiveness.

What is used as a solution, which is mentioned in the text:

Glue (for example, PVA) and paint of the selected color are added to the putty (it is convenient to use gouache as a paint), mixed. If necessary, pebbles, coarse sand, shells can be added to the solution.

Terra background method:

A working solution is applied to the base. You can apply the solution both with a spatula and with your hands, both in a fairly thick layer and in a thin one. The peculiarity of the distribution of additional material in "terra" collages is that it is not glued, not fixed with special devices, but "smeared" into the solution, introduced into the background. After that, the excess solution is carefully cleaned, and the collage dries.

The main techniques used in the Terra technique:

Modeling.

The modeling technique involves working with the mortar itself, creating form-objects by hand, without additional material.

The base solution is plastic, which allows you to create three-dimensional images. Additional portions of the solution are superimposed on the applied base and the intended shape is formed.

When compiling compositions, various plants are used: leaves, flowers, bark, branches, berries, etc. In terra collages, natural material is fixed with a solution. You need to be very careful when working with natural elements in order to preserve the texture of a leaf or flower, since the solution hides the relief of the material. For example, the leaves have veins that form a peculiar pattern. If you fill them with a solution, the work will become poorer, lose its expressiveness and liveliness. Using different mortar application techniques, an impressive volume and depth of composition is achieved, but the material that is embedded in the base mortar also has its own relief and volume, which must be preserved. Therefore, they use the indentation technique, which requires special accuracy, thoroughness, and experience.

You can not spread the plants on the surface of the collage. By maintaining the volume of a leaf or bud, by placing the elements of the composition at different angles to the surface, you can achieve a sense of dynamism and authenticity of the picture.

Imprint.

Interesting patterns, textures, reliefs are easy to create using the print technique. Light fragile floral materials are not suitable for this purpose: they break easily. A variety of solid materials that can be fixed by pressing into the solution will work, such as dried berries, cereals, seeds, and beans. Since this material contains moisture or easily absorbs it from a damp base, after drying it easily falls out, leaving a very interesting relief pattern.

Any solid object with a raised pattern will leave an original imprint in solution. The unexpected texture arising from the technique of printing is used both to create a background and to depict individual objects. Using the impression technique, a high degree of realism can be achieved.

Advice. Buckwheat, unlike heavy beans or pasta, can serve not only as a material for imprinting. It is easy to fix in solution. But you can’t paint it: it will fall out at the touch of a brush.

Each genre to a greater or lesser extent corresponds to one or another technique. Modeling is used in works with architectural and landscape motifs, indentation is obligatory when creating still lifes, an imprint allows you to form a background for abstract compositions.

But the mixing of techniques often also produces a wonderful result - the impression of complex unity, depth of design and diversity.

Frames with complex relief are suitable for panels with terra collage. At the same time, the baguette should not distract from the work itself; rather, it must emphasize the merits and individuality of the composition.

This is just a small part of the basics of making collages using the terra technique. I hope this will be enough for you to appreciate the new technique. In the works of our line, a combination of two techniques - terra and decoupage, is a prerequisite, and this further expands the scope for a flight of fancy. Then it's up to you. Try, experiment, search.

For your inspiration, I place a gallery of works in the "Terra" technique (clickable):

Terra Collages:

Works in Terra + decoupage technique:

Materials needed for work:

(I will list exactly those materials with which I worked, and in brackets I will write what they can be replaced with)

• Grout for tiles (cement, putty, plytonite)
• River sand (any, it is possible with small pebbles)
• PVA glue
• A piece of fiberboard the size of your frame (preferably hardboard or plywood)
• Soil - aerosol
• Spray paint (acrylic or gouache)
• Frame
• Natural materials: thuja and alder cones, palm leaves, horsetail stems, barley groats
• Dishes for solution (preferably disposable)
• plastic spoon
• Spray bottle with water
• Toothpick or thin stick (for pushing in small parts)

The photo only lacks cereals.

You can lay out the main directions of our collage on a sheet of paper or cardboard, so it will be easier to choose the right material in size and “draw” the future picture.

Cut our base to the size of the frame. Then we apply a primer for better adhesion of the solution to the base. Then we insert the base into the frame and outline with a pencil around the perimeter of the frame the part that will be visible.

The base is ready for applying the solution.

Preparing the solution:
1. in equal proportions, mix sand with plytonite (cement, putty), I had about half a glass each, i.e. got a glass. Sand is needed so that the solution does not crack during the drying process. I encountered this in my first work, when I did not add sand.
2. mix PVA glue and water in equal proportions (here the volume should be about half as much as in paragraph 1)
3. gradually pour the diluted glue into the dry mixture until the consistency of thick sour cream. The solution must not spread.
We apply the solution to the prepared base.

We level with a knife or spoon - as it is more convenient for someone. The part that is behind the pencil line is left untouched. Here the solution layer is approximately 5 mm.

Now with a plastic spoon we give a relief corresponding to our composition.

We begin to lay, pressing into the solution, our elements.

In the process of work, you need to make sure that the solution does not dry out; for this, a spray bottle with water should be at hand.

It happens that you accidentally touch the solution and break the entire relief.

In this case, we take a spoon, moisten it in water (required!), And correct our flaws with a wet spoon.

They trimmed it.

Element by element, bump by bump. When I realized that the cones do not hold well, on the underside I plucked the scales a little from them, as if I made the lower part flat (the one that is in the solution).

We simply pour the grits, and slightly smooth the top with a WET spoon.

Here's what happened. Now let it dry overnight.

We apply primer (aerosol). After applying the primer, we see that the bumps were not painted over, with a thin brush of acrylic paint we paint over them. In the photo - two rows are already painted, but one is not.

We paint with paint - spray in the desired color. I used 3 colors: lilac, gold, silver.
Insert into the frame. Ready!

Fragments close-up.

The color plays from a different angle of view ... That is golden.

That is lilac.

Design: Tatyana Kudryashova. Photo: Dmitry Korolko

Materials:- Frame with glass, mat and back cardboard (2200 rubles) - Fresh monstera leaf, hydrangea inflorescence - Tilansia (bromeliad plant roots) - Anise fruits, roots and branches of shrubs - Pebbles, coarse sand and small shells - Primed cardboard, 45 x 60 cm (50 rubles) - PVA glue universal (30 rubles / 0.25 kg tube) - Floral white spray (260 rubles / 400 ml bottle) - Aerosol blue paint for any surfaces (70 rubles / bottle) - Fine-grained white construction putty Sadolin MAXI (250 rubles / 1.75 kg tube) - Acrylic metallic paint (40 rubles / 40 ml) - Glycerin, 2 bottles (10 rubles / pc.) - A set of gouache paints (150 rubles .) The total price is 3060 rubles.

Tools: Brushes with stiff and fine bristles, rubber spatula, glue gun

Description of work

1. Place a fresh monstera leaf in a glycerin solution for 3-5 days. For the solution, take 1 part of glycerin and 1.5 parts of boiling water. The solution should completely cover the sheet. After the impregnation period has expired, place the sheet between two sheets of newspaper for 2-3 days to remove excess fat from the surface. Cover a sheet of cardboard with one layer of PVA glue and leave for 20 minutes. Add glue and brown and terracotta gouache to the putty, mix. 2. Add pebbles, shells and coarse sand, mix the primer, adding brown paint. 3. Use a rubber spatula to coat the surface of the cardboard with a primer. Slap the mass in places where you want to emphasize the texture of the ground, or smooth it out for a flat surface.

4. Knead another portion of the primer mixture of putty, glue and yellow paint. Apply it to the cardboard over the first, darker, primer in places where there should be lighter areas. The ground layer will acquire an additional color volume. 5. Lay the monstera sheet on the primed cardboard and press it into the wet mortar. Add roots, twigs and hydrangea inflorescences to the composition, pressing them into the ground. If necessary, add a little soil under the decorative elements. 6. Apply a thin layer of blue spray paint to the dark areas of the composition. At the same time, direct the jet of paint over the work from the side casually to highlight the texture of the soil. In the same way, apply a layer of white paint over the areas of the collage where lighter areas are marked.

7. On the dark areas of the composition, apply strokes of brown paint. To prevent the collage from looking monochromatic, add an extra color to the composition by making light strokes of blue paint at the transition points from light to shadow. 8. To emphasize the texture of the monstera leaf, apply a thin layer of putty to the surface, spreading it with your fingers over the segments. Leave the composition for 2-3 days to dry. 9. Select the volume and texture of the branches. First cover them with brown paint, after drying, apply strokes of putty. Emphasize the contours of the monstera leaf by tinting them with black paint. Use a glue gun to secure the anise and tilancia.

collage can be purchased at any specialized florist shop, for example, in the "Business Bouquet".

• Pay attention to the exposure time of the leaves in the glycerin solution. Longer term gives a dark color. By reducing the impregnation time, light shades can be achieved, but the leaves will be more fragile. A sheet wrinkled after impregnation and removal of excess fat can be smoothed out with the hottest possible steam iron or through paper.
• When mixing the soil mixture, keep in mind that its color after drying will be much lighter.
• Sprinkle water on the back of the cardboard sheet before priming - it will straighten out in 15 minutes.
• The primer solution dries the skin of the hands very much - use thin medical gloves to work with it.

If you have leftovers from children's crafts, dry branches, leaves and plants, fruits, shells, acorns, fragments of porcelain and glass, this does not mean that they should be thrown away. You are simply not familiar with the Terra technique. Collages made from natural materials will help create a special atmosphere of comfort in the house.

Compositions in the style of "terra" are made in collage technique. Much that in everyday life is perceived as rubbish, there is a place in collages. Objects, seemingly uninteresting in themselves, being built into the work, become part of a kind of mystery, game, performance, in which they play a significant role. The charm of the terra technique lies in its ambiguity. With its help, you can reproduce the volume, depth, color, play of light and shade, a variety of textures. Much connects the collage "terra" with painting. A coloristic tone is applied to the dried solution. Tone is the main color of the entire composition or any part of it.

In terra collages, texture is of great importance: the nature of the surface, the method of processing.

For work, you will need a container for mixing the solution, a spray gun for wetting, a spatula, rubber gloves for work, a palette for diluting paints, brushes for applying paint. Paint brushes with artificial bristles 20, 20, 58 mm in size draw the background, artistic ones from 2 to 12 sizes prescribe details and small fragments of compositions.

You will also need an awl, wire, paper clips, scissors, pliers. Of course, you will have to use various "garbage", the choice of which will depend on your vision of the picture. It can be dried leaves, scraps of paper, a piece of glass, a shell, a button, a ribbon, a rope. It is even difficult to predict what can be used in a creative impulse.

Collages are usually heavy, so the base should be thick. Of the paints, gouache is most suitable.

Only dry plants can be embedded in the collage. It is impossible to dry under pressure, as plants, leaves lose their shape and volume. Therefore, air dry the plant material. Fancy shapes will even suit you.

Light materials are fastened with a mortar, heavy ones: nuts, cones, chestnuts, acorns - are tied with a thin wire (it is advisable to purchase floral wire).

When composing compositions, experienced artists even use insects. Dried ones, of course. For these purposes, you will need entomological pins. Ordinary needles and pins are not suitable. It is easier to use rag insects in the work.

Beads are used in conjunction, because individual peas will be "lost" in the plot.

Such material as fabric is rich in its expressiveness.

Background technique

The main techniques are scratching, phototage and decalcomania.

Scratching is a way to "translate" the pattern of any surface - wood, metal, textured glass: arbitrarily folded twine, etc. - onto the canvas. Having spread the canvas on top of the object, you need to apply paint on it - and the texture of the material will be printed on the base. The resulting abstract drawing gives clues to the plot or theme of the future painting. The artist draws an arbitrary ornament in accordance with his associations.

In a similar way, the technique of decalcomania is used. The paint is poured onto a sheet of paper, covered with a second sheet on top, and then they are separated. Looking at an abstract drawing printed on paper, one can see figures, landscapes, images.

Frottage is another way of imprinting. Paper is applied to the textured surface rubbed with graphite and an imprint is obtained on it, repeating the pattern of the texture. The described background techniques are used in many floral collages. For example, plant materials are glued onto the base created by the decalcomania method, forming a panel that is harmonious in color.

Otherwise, a background is created in the "terra" collages. As a base, not fabric, paper or glass is used, but a sheet of fairly heavy building material (hardboard, plywood, etc.). A working solution is applied to it. You can apply the solution both with a spatula and with your hands, both in a fairly thick layer and in a thin one.

The peculiarity of the distribution of additional material in "terra" collages is that it is not glued, not fixed with special devices, but is "smeared" into the solution, introduced into the background. After that, the excess solution is carefully cleaned and the collage dries.

Basic work techniques

Sculpting technique involves working with the solution itself, creating form-objects by hand, without additional material.

The base solution is plastic, which allows you to create three-dimensional images. Additional portions of the solution are superimposed on the applied base and the intended shape is formed.

When composing different plants are used: leaves, flowers, bark, branches, berries, etc. In terra collages, natural material is not glued to the base, but is fixed with a solution. You need to be very careful when working with natural elements in order to preserve the texture of a leaf or flower, since the solution hides the relief of the material. If you fill them with a solution, the work will become poorer, lose its expressiveness and liveliness. Therefore, they use the indentation technique, which requires special accuracy, thoroughness, and experience.

Interesting patterns, textures, reliefs are easy to create using impression technique. A variety of solid materials are suitable that can be fixed by pressing into the solution: pasta, dry berries, cereals, bones, and beans. Since this material contains moisture or easily absorbs it from a damp base, after drying it easily falls out, leaving a very interesting relief pattern.

Terra collages fit frames with complex relief. At the same time, the baguette should not distract from the work itself, rather it should emphasize the dignity and individuality of the composition.

collage gallery

We touched on only a small part of the basics of making collages using the "terra" technique. But this, at first, is quite enough to evaluate the new technique. Then it's up to you. Try, experiment, search.