Every artist has their own unique way of creating that may vary depending upon their particular medium. One of my favorite ways to begin a composition for a mixed media collage painting is to gather my materials–canvas, paints, glue, papers, photographs and images, ribbons, etc.–in one place. I then begin to manipulate my papers and images around on the canvas–tearing, cutting, shredding, ripping, and shaping as needed. Once I am satisfied with the overall design, I decide on the paints for the background canvas and get to work.
This is my latest collage painting in the design stage. (Note that I am including my Mockingbird photograph in this composition :o) Stay tuned for Using Vintage Style Photography In Mixed Media Collage.