Urban Fragments

This image is one from my ongoing 'Urban Fragments' series. Capturing the rich urban landscape of Melbourne's streets has become a consistent source of inspiration for my work. I'm drawn to the layers on the street walls, the accidental collage of torn street posters, the texture and the typography all provide so much visual interest that is so often overlooked. I love the contrast of the pink and yellow against the strong black and white type. I hope you enjoy it too... 

Urban mixed media experiments

I've been experimenting with some hand-made urban collages. Taking inspiration from Melbourne's vibrant streets, I've been exploring the possibilities of using my photographs as the source material for new mixed media works. By printing them out and cutting them up, I'm able to open up to a new, meditative way of working and the results have been very rewarding.

Here are some works in progress that explore layering, with a focus on type and texture like that of the torn street posters that surround us every day. There is so much visual interest and history to be found in the layers of the street walls.

I have enjoyed exploring decollage techniques with these works too. There's a fine balance between adding elements and taking them away. It also creates unexpected results when peeling back the images in this way, creating some playfulness to the work. The type is illegible and therefore becomes part of the design, rather to be read. I'm excited to explore this direction further and share more experiments with you soon...

Abstract Collage Experiments

I've just recently started an online course learning new techniques in mixed media collage. The course is run by Randel Plowman who's known for his amazing blog, 'A Collage a Day'. I'm excited to expand my skills and make more work by hand, a new direction I've been wanting to take in my work.

We started off with some quick 5 minute collages using our preference of source imagery. I used a combination of magazine clippings and some printed textures. It was challenging being restricted with time but I enjoyed the intuitive way of working with these. I'm pleased with the results.

Type Collages

After starting my 'Urban Fragments' photo series, I've been finding inspiration from the streets. I'm particularly drawn to the torn street posters for their texture and typography. I like the idea of taking sections of type and joining them together in a new way. With more of a focus of composition than legibility, I enjoy moving the pieces around with my hands until I find a pleasing result. This one is a work in progress, using pieces of torn street posters. I will now scan this in to refine digitally, ready for prints. 

'Urban Fragments' photo series

Here are the latest landscapes from my my 'Urban Fragments' series, capturing Melbourne abstract and up-close. I'm engaging with the streets around me with a fresh perspective and framing these small details that draw my eye on a daily basis.

These street walls are in themselves a canvas for texture, typography and photography to be revealed in abstract and interesting ways. It's the smaller details we are surrounded with and the beauty in the ordinary that I'm celebrating with these images. They have a strong focus on composition and typography and by cropping a small section and creating an abstraction, a new narrative can be created. More to come, stay tuned...