Non-digital collages - The CreativeMindClass Blog

"I reside and work in Bristol UK and studied Illustration at Brighton UK. I've been an active illustrator and artist since 2013. My concentration slowly shifting through the years from bright and vibrant character illustrations towards more abstract and process heavy work. I tend to make work with a mix of collage, drawing, a mixture of both occasionally 3D. I also self-publish and create a lot of zines and often comics."

What would you say about your collage style?

"Primarily not digital" (though this is a personal choice and both ways of working are as valid as each other) with lots of textures on paper. I used to work with lots of bright shades, but I've tried to be more mindful and calm with my colors in recent years. I place a great deal of emphasis on composition and shapes as well. The majority of my work is quite playful, as I see my collages and drawings I do as an act of fun, or an exercise of fun."

What are the keys to making your collages?

"It's hard to pick a single 'key' to my method of creating illustrations, as well as other work. The feeling of having fun or joy is crucial to the way I work. I try always to figure out a method of injecting that into whatever I'm creating. It is my mantra to always say 'if I'm not enjoying creating this piece, then I shouldn't even be doing it and I need to come up with a different way to approach it'. More often than not with illustration projects, I find that in order to achieve the most effective results, simplifying everything. It is common for me to get caught up with details or specific concepts or ideas, and then I have to take a look back, and reduce everything to the simplest of elements. It is often the case that this applies in as many ways to content as it can in the way of form."

"I made a piece to support a truly worthwhile initiative that just launched here in the UK named Communitea. 55 artists including myself were requested to make a work of work in response to our relationship to Chinese culture, which is now available to purchase in the form of a poster on Roomfifty and all proceeds go to help save the London Chinese Community center from closure and combat the rising anti-Asian prejudice."

Explore more collages by Ed on Instagram as well as his web site.