I occasionally watch tutorials because I’m always looking for new tools and better ways to create the physical pieces of my collages. But I’m often also thinking ‘Good god I would never ever do what you just did! ‘ :) I love collage because we all do it so differently.
Yes, exactly—I love how we’re all pulling from the same humble materials, but the results couldn’t be more personal. Do you ever catch yourself mid-process thinking, “Wait—why this paper? Why this move?” It’s like collage reveals us back to ourselves in real time.
I have no recollection of how I ended up reading your post, but it's kind of hilarious that I did because I sell a collage class video download, and in a few days from now will start giving collage workshops in person at my home. As one of the other commenters here mentioned, some people do want to be told exactly what to do, but I've never been able to bring myself to teach that way. After decades doing collage and seventeen years working in an art supply store (*and* a degree in fine art, though I didn't do collage there), I definitely think I have some knowledge to impart about methods, techniques, different glues for different papers, how to keep from getting glue everywhere, etc. What people do or make after I show them all that is up to them. I do talk about composition a little in my download, and with my in-person classes I plan to offer assistance with that *only if people want it*. People want and need different things (obvs). I want my workshops to be as much about soothing your nervous system/mental health/getting out of your head as much as art technique instruction. So I hope to keep it flexible.
Not sure how you got here either, but I’m glad you did. For the record, after rereading my piece and sitting with thoughtful comments from readers, I realized how sharp some of my language was (I have a habit of going all in so I can revise from a place of clarity). What really gets me about tutorials is the way they can suggest there’s a right way to make art—because that also implies there’s a wrong one. And collage, at its core, refuses that binary.
Your approach to teaching is refreshing. I love that you balance technique with freedom, allowing students to explore at their own pace. Art should be about personal expression, not a rigid formula. It sounds like you’re creating a space where people can truly connect with their creativity, and that’s something I really respect.
Thanks Celia. I would argue that collage doesn't "refuse that binary" any more than painting or any other kind of art. It's us humans who make up all the stupid rules 😅.
I get what you're saying that some tutorials give the impression there's a right way and a wrong way, but I've also been in art classes where I yearned for *some* guidance because I was getting nuthin' from the instructor. You're always free to take or leave anyone else's opinion, and some teaching styles work better for some than others. I don't think there's a "wrong" way to make art, but I also believe there's lots & lots to learn about how to make better art.
Anyway I do enjoy discussing this kind of stuff, so thanks for that!
Mmm absolutely, I agree with all of this but honestly as someone that was always terrified of dipping my toes into making any type of art due to perfectionism, I watched a lot of tutorials/tutorial adjacent videos on random art stuff that I was drawn to. In a way it felt like feeding my soul at a time when I was too scared to take the step and actually make my own stuff. Then, by the time I got the courage to try, i naturally kinda knew what to do. But I don’t think this goes against your point at all, I dont actively use tutorials to help me make anything but I do love observing people make their own art (which doesn’t just include tutorials).
I totally agree that art is as much about the journey of learning and observing as it is about making. Thank you for reading and for sharing this insight!
I would never have guessed that there is a how to do collage industry. But I guess there is some minimal technique needed.
I could probably paint oil on canvas, but I'd be better off watching a YouTube video first at this point.
At the extreme end, I play a bit of trumpet. I think there is a lot of technique needed. You can produce a sound pretty quickly however, but it's more like chaos.
I'm not sure what I'm getting at here besides there seems to be some interesting back and forth between high technique (scultping) and "lower" technique art forms.
Collage is both perhaps easier to get into but maybe also harder because of the accessibility and freedom. And maybe that's what people are looking for. Not so much how to do it, but how to wrap their head around it.
(But also, I support your "sharp language"). I good authentic rant now and then is good for the soul!
Thanks so much for reading, and for sharing your thoughts. I predict a Part B to this post at some future date because I see that there are a ton of nuances, and a lot of tendrils related to learning and perfecting any craft. I expect that much of the time I go on these rants, it is a mechanism for me to figure out where I really stand on a thing more than anything else, and I *absolutely* like to reserve the right to completely change my mind. :P In the end, I’d always prefer to have my ideas challenged than to have ideas that can’t be challenged.
This is so interesting Celia! I like watching art tutorials -- I enjoy watching another artist work, and find it soothing, honestly. But I also don't take it as prescriptive and I do roll my eyes when a teacher says something like "this part is entirely up to you" because, ya, all of it is! I also enjoy learning about how the brain processes visual information and think that's useful for artists. But I agree that it gets boiled down into platitudes presented as ironclad rules. Two of my pet peeves: adding something for "interest" - should't the whole thing be interesting? And "a place for the eye to rest" -- just look away at the wall if you want to rest, no? Both of those are born of genuine compositional principles but make no sense without a deeper understanding. But, with all that said, as a teacher I have noticed that many students just want to be told how to do something, down to the exact brand and color of paint, for instance. I don't get it personally, but it is definitely a thing! Thanks for the thought provoking essay! More please. :)
Alison, thank you for such a thoughtful response! I love hearing your perspective on this. I totally get the appeal of watching another artist work—it can be mesmerizing, and I see the value in studying how we process visual information. I think where I start to push back is exactly what you pointed out: when broad compositional ideas get boiled down into rules that are treated as universal truths rather than just one way of thinking. "A place for the eye to rest"—yes! That phrase has always bugged me too. Do we really need a designated nap zone in the middle of an artwork?
What you said about certain students wanting to be told exactly how to do something—down to the brand and color of paint—is so interesting. Maybe it’s about seeking certainty in an uncertain process, or perhaps it comes from a learned dependency on formulas? Either way, it’s fascinating how differently people approach learning and making. I don’t mind technical explanations, but I go bananas when the exploratory, open-ended part of art gets flattened into a single "right way" to do things.
Anyway, I really appreciate your teacher perspective—it’s given me even more to think about. And yes, I will absolutely be writing more of these. :)
I occasionally watch tutorials because I’m always looking for new tools and better ways to create the physical pieces of my collages. But I’m often also thinking ‘Good god I would never ever do what you just did! ‘ :) I love collage because we all do it so differently.
Yes, exactly—I love how we’re all pulling from the same humble materials, but the results couldn’t be more personal. Do you ever catch yourself mid-process thinking, “Wait—why this paper? Why this move?” It’s like collage reveals us back to ourselves in real time.
I have no recollection of how I ended up reading your post, but it's kind of hilarious that I did because I sell a collage class video download, and in a few days from now will start giving collage workshops in person at my home. As one of the other commenters here mentioned, some people do want to be told exactly what to do, but I've never been able to bring myself to teach that way. After decades doing collage and seventeen years working in an art supply store (*and* a degree in fine art, though I didn't do collage there), I definitely think I have some knowledge to impart about methods, techniques, different glues for different papers, how to keep from getting glue everywhere, etc. What people do or make after I show them all that is up to them. I do talk about composition a little in my download, and with my in-person classes I plan to offer assistance with that *only if people want it*. People want and need different things (obvs). I want my workshops to be as much about soothing your nervous system/mental health/getting out of your head as much as art technique instruction. So I hope to keep it flexible.
Not sure how you got here either, but I’m glad you did. For the record, after rereading my piece and sitting with thoughtful comments from readers, I realized how sharp some of my language was (I have a habit of going all in so I can revise from a place of clarity). What really gets me about tutorials is the way they can suggest there’s a right way to make art—because that also implies there’s a wrong one. And collage, at its core, refuses that binary.
Your approach to teaching is refreshing. I love that you balance technique with freedom, allowing students to explore at their own pace. Art should be about personal expression, not a rigid formula. It sounds like you’re creating a space where people can truly connect with their creativity, and that’s something I really respect.
Thanks Celia. I would argue that collage doesn't "refuse that binary" any more than painting or any other kind of art. It's us humans who make up all the stupid rules 😅.
I get what you're saying that some tutorials give the impression there's a right way and a wrong way, but I've also been in art classes where I yearned for *some* guidance because I was getting nuthin' from the instructor. You're always free to take or leave anyone else's opinion, and some teaching styles work better for some than others. I don't think there's a "wrong" way to make art, but I also believe there's lots & lots to learn about how to make better art.
Anyway I do enjoy discussing this kind of stuff, so thanks for that!
Mmm absolutely, I agree with all of this but honestly as someone that was always terrified of dipping my toes into making any type of art due to perfectionism, I watched a lot of tutorials/tutorial adjacent videos on random art stuff that I was drawn to. In a way it felt like feeding my soul at a time when I was too scared to take the step and actually make my own stuff. Then, by the time I got the courage to try, i naturally kinda knew what to do. But I don’t think this goes against your point at all, I dont actively use tutorials to help me make anything but I do love observing people make their own art (which doesn’t just include tutorials).
I feel the same. Thanks for sharing.
I totally agree that art is as much about the journey of learning and observing as it is about making. Thank you for reading and for sharing this insight!
I would never have guessed that there is a how to do collage industry. But I guess there is some minimal technique needed.
I could probably paint oil on canvas, but I'd be better off watching a YouTube video first at this point.
At the extreme end, I play a bit of trumpet. I think there is a lot of technique needed. You can produce a sound pretty quickly however, but it's more like chaos.
I'm not sure what I'm getting at here besides there seems to be some interesting back and forth between high technique (scultping) and "lower" technique art forms.
Collage is both perhaps easier to get into but maybe also harder because of the accessibility and freedom. And maybe that's what people are looking for. Not so much how to do it, but how to wrap their head around it.
(But also, I support your "sharp language"). I good authentic rant now and then is good for the soul!
Thanks so much for reading, and for sharing your thoughts. I predict a Part B to this post at some future date because I see that there are a ton of nuances, and a lot of tendrils related to learning and perfecting any craft. I expect that much of the time I go on these rants, it is a mechanism for me to figure out where I really stand on a thing more than anything else, and I *absolutely* like to reserve the right to completely change my mind. :P In the end, I’d always prefer to have my ideas challenged than to have ideas that can’t be challenged.
Oh that's the way to do it. It's my favorite method tbh, try on an extreme position, get equal powerful feedback, settle in the middle. 😀
This is so interesting Celia! I like watching art tutorials -- I enjoy watching another artist work, and find it soothing, honestly. But I also don't take it as prescriptive and I do roll my eyes when a teacher says something like "this part is entirely up to you" because, ya, all of it is! I also enjoy learning about how the brain processes visual information and think that's useful for artists. But I agree that it gets boiled down into platitudes presented as ironclad rules. Two of my pet peeves: adding something for "interest" - should't the whole thing be interesting? And "a place for the eye to rest" -- just look away at the wall if you want to rest, no? Both of those are born of genuine compositional principles but make no sense without a deeper understanding. But, with all that said, as a teacher I have noticed that many students just want to be told how to do something, down to the exact brand and color of paint, for instance. I don't get it personally, but it is definitely a thing! Thanks for the thought provoking essay! More please. :)
Alison, thank you for such a thoughtful response! I love hearing your perspective on this. I totally get the appeal of watching another artist work—it can be mesmerizing, and I see the value in studying how we process visual information. I think where I start to push back is exactly what you pointed out: when broad compositional ideas get boiled down into rules that are treated as universal truths rather than just one way of thinking. "A place for the eye to rest"—yes! That phrase has always bugged me too. Do we really need a designated nap zone in the middle of an artwork?
What you said about certain students wanting to be told exactly how to do something—down to the brand and color of paint—is so interesting. Maybe it’s about seeking certainty in an uncertain process, or perhaps it comes from a learned dependency on formulas? Either way, it’s fascinating how differently people approach learning and making. I don’t mind technical explanations, but I go bananas when the exploratory, open-ended part of art gets flattened into a single "right way" to do things.
Anyway, I really appreciate your teacher perspective—it’s given me even more to think about. And yes, I will absolutely be writing more of these. :)