Pocket Thoughts Annual 8

I contributed a page to Pocket Thoughts Annual #8, which collects work from a bunch of creators around the world.

Copies of this zine are available from Pocket Thoughts on Etsy.

A black and white cover titled Giant Pocket Thoughts Annual No. 8 features various artistic images and highlights it as a showcase of zinester talent.

Here’s the collage I made for it:

A classical statue-like figure seated with flowing robes and a laurel wreath holds a scroll, accompanied by the text, These days, everyone goes for the instrument and forgets about the muse.

Here’s a rundown of my process for making this page:

  1. Searched for images on Unsplash. (See image credits at the end of this post.)

  2. Uploaded the muse image to Canva to convert to black and white and edit the background. Downloaded as png.

  3. Opened the edited version in Affinity to add the texture image. Downloaded as png.

  4. Went to Pixlr and opened the edited image. Added the glitch filter and adjusted settings. Downloaded as png.

  5. Uploaded the edited version to Canva. Added text. Downloaded as png.

There are definitely other ways of making a digital collage like this. Probably with less jumping between apps. But for this collage, I went to the apps that I knew could do the work I wanted. Streamlining the process wasn’t my priority.

Images credits:

Calliope, Muse of Epic Poetry 1798 Charles Meynier (French, 1768–1832) France, late 18th-early 19th century oil on canvas Overall: 275 x 177 cm (108 1/4 x 69 11/16 in.) Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2003.6.4 (public domain)

Photo by The Cleveland Museum of Art on Unsplash

Blue, red, and yellow abstract painting (free to use under the Unsplash License)

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

process collage