I love making my own collage images with my digital camera and photoshop, because it’s easy and fun to create a one of a kind image. I also love using commercial rubber stamps but sometimes I need something unusual or a little different.
The first place I look are thrift shops and antique stores, usually it is there that I find a treasure trove of objects to take home and photograph.
As soon as I return home, I grab my camera and take a photo of whatever it is I want to make a stamp of, then I take it into photoshop to retouch and clean it up.
Here is an example of an antique watch I just made for a collage I am currently working on.
Antique Watch Photo Retouch #1
Antique Watch Process #2
It is at this point I decide on just how much more I want to add or take away from the image. If I like what I see I go on to the next step.
Antique Watch Stamp
Once everything is finished you can either print the image and add it to your collage or make a rubber stamp.