Terra technique: rare types of needlework made from natural materials. Making a floral collage using the terra technique

Let me tell you about how I make paintings, panels in a collage terra technique. It fascinated me at one time, everything that was on the sea, in the forest and at home, found its application there.

Therefore, if you have, as you think, various garbage from branches, leaves, dry grass, shells, pieces of porcelain and other rubbish, and you want to throw it away, take your time, 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.

By the way, your children will be delighted to create magnificent pictures. and it will be a kind of therapy, it is soothing and inspiring!

Compositions in the style of "terra" are made in collage technique. A coloristic tone is applied to the dried solution. Or we “implant” materials into the raw solution, and when it dries, we apply the background.

Hue 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.
To work, you will need a container for mixing the solution, a spray gun for wetting, a spatula, rubber gloves for work, a palette or a disposable plate for diluting paints, brushes for applying paint. Painting and art of different sizes for prescribing details and small fragments of compositions.

You can apply the solution in different ways with a palette knife, and a spatula, and a brush, and with your hands. Even from gloves there will be a peculiar pattern.

An awl, wire, paper clips, scissors, pliers will come in handy. 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, as often happens, are heavy, so you need to choose a thick base (plywood, MDF, hardboard). Of the paints, gouache is most suitable. But I also work with acrylic with great pleasure.

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 solution, heavy ones: nuts, cones, chestnuts, acorns - are tied with a thin wire (it is advisable to purchase floral wire).
Such material as fabric is rich in its expressiveness. With its help, you can create a texture for the future background.

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 removed and the collage dries.

As a solution, you can use putty diluted with PVA, textural and structural, relief and volumetric pastes.

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. In the photo, my very first terra - on it I sculpted a ship and a chest. In the photo gallery below, it is already finished. Hanging at home and makes me happy :-)

When composing different plants are used: leaves, flowers, bark, branches, berries, etc. In terra collages, natural material is not glued to the base, but 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 are suitable for frames with complex relief. At the same time, the baguette should not distract from the work itself, rather it should emphasize the merits.

In general, try, create and inspire others with your works! :-) Everyone chooses for himself his own technique, his own shades, colors and styles.

The Terra technique involves the use of all kinds of natural elements in the work: dry plants, cereals, pebbles, shells, sometimes dried insects in combination with natural materials, beads and seed beads. Surprisingly, this technique is quite simple to perform and allows the creator to create works of art using ordinary, sometimes even unsightly things.

Bottle decor

For work you will need:

flat glass bottle;
dry flowers, inflorescences, spikelets, cones;
napkin with a pattern for decoupage;
nail polish remover;
acrylic primer or matte beige water-based paint;
acrylic paints in bronze and light gold;
putty for wood;
acrylic art varnish;
fine sandpaper;
plastic knife;
brushes;
sponge;
satin ribbon.

First you need to clean the labels and wash the bottle.

All plant materials that you plan to use in your work are best dried on the windowsill.

The Terra technique involves the use of natural materials, so the pattern on the decoupage napkin should support the appropriate theme. In our case, this is a picture of hedgehogs.

We degrease the bottle from all sides with nail polish remover or acetone.

After the bottle has dried, you can begin to prime the product. Using a foam sponge, cover the bottle with a single coat of matte water-based paint in a light shade and leave to dry.

At this time, we determine the patterns desired for decoupage and cut them out of napkins. The top layer of the napkin must be removed. Images can be of different types and sizes.

When the first layer of primer on the bottle dries, apply a second layer of paint to the places where decoupage will be done.

Now, place a piece of napkin on the surface of the bottle and use a soft brush to gently cover it with acrylic art varnish. On the reverse side of the bottle, decoupage is performed in the same way, but only after the first side has dried.

In order to create a denser protective film, apply a few more layers of varnish to the glued parts of the napkin.

The edges of the decoupage fragments need to be cleaned with a piece of sandpaper to get rid of small irregularities.

At this stage, decoupage is over. We proceed to the implementation of volumetric decor from natural elements.

Use a plastic knife to apply wood putty to the free places on the surface of the bottle and level it. Do not make the putty layer too thick, otherwise it may crack when it dries.

Until the putty has hardened, lay plant materials on it - flowers, twigs, blades of grass, pressing them well into the mixture.

Now the craft must be left for about a day so that the putty is completely dry.

After drying, the craft will look something like in the photo.

Next, using bronze acrylic paint, color all the glued plant elements. It is better to take a brush with a hard one with a long pile so that it can reach all the deepest places.

If necessary, the paint can be applied in two layers, paying special attention to the recesses in the putty.

After drying, the craft in bronze color already looks interesting.

But to add volume to the plant elements with light strokes, use a foam rubber sponge to apply acrylic paint in a light gold hue to them. Gold should hook only the most protruding parts of the product, thereby shading them.

At the final stage, cover the bottle with several layers of acrylic varnish.

Shell pendant

To create it you will need:

shells of different sizes and shapes;
plastic ring;
linen twine;
fishing line or strong thread;
beads;
drill with a thin drill;
glue.

The basis of the suspension will be a plastic ring, which must be tightly wrapped with twine. The ends of the rope for fixing must be smeared with glue.

From a small piece of twine, make a loop-shaped fastening so that you can hang the product.

In each shell, carefully drill two holes with a thin drill.

Then string them onto the fishing line and secure with knots and beads. For suspension, 4-5 similar lines with shells of any length will be enough.

Tie the end of each fishing line to the ring.

Create a topiary

If you are just starting to get acquainted with this branch of floristry, it is better to start your acquaintance with the simplest materials and ways to create crafts. One of the most suitable materials are shells.

For the topiary you will need:

a foam cone or ball of the desired size;
shells of different sizes, colors and shapes;
gypsum;
cache-pot or other container;
various decorative material;
glue.

In this case, you will make a simple application from shells. All you have to do is stick the shells onto the foam base, starting with the largest shells and filling in the space between them with the smaller ones.

In the same way, you can create other beautiful shell crafts. To create such balls, sand was additionally used, thanks to which the space between the shells will also be filled.

Fill the pot with plaster.

Also, the space between the shells can be filled with threads, stars, beads and other decorative material.

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.

The terra technique is the creation of three-dimensional paintings that allow you to convey the diversity of the surrounding world in a new way.

They surprise and delight

Terra technique, thanks to which you can create unique, exclusive compositions using natural materials - dry plants, fruits, gravel, shells, feathers, roots, moss, cereals, pasta.

The author of the collage manages to see fragments of a unique world in shards of glass, broken dishes, and dried lemon peel. Generally speaking, collage is omnivorous: almost everything is suitable as a material for it.

You can take a photo or a picture as the basis of a collage composition, but you don’t need to copy an existing image - it’s enough to refer to it as a hint. The collage artist develops a special perception of the world: for him there are no uninteresting things. Any piece of paper or scrap of fabric can turn into a story, a plot, a motive for a future composition.

A picture using the terra technique can be made on any dense basis, for example, on hardboard, cardboard, glass or plywood.

Floral materials are fixed with glue or wire.

Of course, floral collages will require patience and painstaking work. But in the end, landscapes, still lifes, graphics, abstract paintings, made by yourself, will become a unique decoration of the apartment, and will cause sincere admiration of your guests.

Master class on how to make roses for panels using the “terra” technique from craftswoman Rina

Here, as usual in my work, I used natural materials. Dried poppy pods, orange roses, tansy flowers, corn cob leaves, vine swirls, real rosebuds. And my secret flowers are bell pepper tails.

I show you a rose. I pierce with several toothpicks, not deep, so that you can easily remove it later.

I cut it so that the bottom is flat. Then the rosette is easy to attach, glue.

Here you can clearly see how I fasten.

Here are the finished roses.

One of them took part in the panel, in the Terra technique. I dry them in the summer just in the air, and in the winter on a cardboard box, on a battery. Try it!

How to create a panel in terra technique from Efroska_Elena

First, prepared leaves, blades of grass were dried in the oven.

And this is a box with already dried “garbage”.

And it all started like this. First laid out:

Well, then the fun began. Afraid that I would not remember the current composition, I photographed it.
On a piece of plywood, I made a background with plaster (it changed later) and began to glue “garbage” with a brush. looking at the photo all the time...

There is not enough texture in the background ...

Add buckwheat and dry!

Painted with gouache with the addition of varnish.
Repainted…

I added green to the leaves, light to the lilac seeds and red-brown in places. But the gouache was constantly mixed with the previous layer (I didn’t add varnish anymore). So "colorfulness" is almost not noticeable.
When everything was dry, I went over the white acrylic with a “dry brush” to highlight the texture.

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: