Starting Creative Projects all over again | 365 collages | Week 1 of 2025
Where or what is the actual starting point of a creative project? Is it when you start creating – or when you make it public on social media? Or when the blog post about what you’ve created is up? Is it when you decide to commit – or when you tell someone you’ve decided? I am not sure, but this today at least is one starting point. I am here now. Hi hello, it’s me. I have started making collages. I have not given up, not yet – but I am late, I am behind and I don’t know what I am doing. My insecurities are kicking in hard right now. I declared that I wanted to pursue another 365 somethings of collages last year, but now I feel very unsure and unable. But all that said, today is a start: The first installment of 7 fresh collages shared below.
But why do this big, stressful project? I am asking myself mostly. And you as well, if you feel like providing your own answers for me. I am asking myself:
Is this particular project really worthy of my time right now (when I should be concentrating on other things elsewhere)? Why did I even think this was a good idea? I am not even a real artist. I can’t sell these and I really need to add stuff to the shop instead of doing a frivolous collage project again. Why am I so stupid and stubborn with my time? Why not just create “a few collages” this year, instead of so many? What will you even gain other than to annoy the few blog readers you have, Hanna? It takes so much time to create, scan, upload, title, edit, share it all, and you already know this Hanna, why do it again? Why can you just not chill, Hanna? Answer: I dunno.
Plus, FYI, creating these first collages was really hard and did not come easy at all. Before new year I was eager and ready to get started, but as the clock struck 2025 I started procrastinating immediately. I felt unsure of everything, certain I couldn’t do it. Imposter syndrome hit. Fear of beginning was next. Feeling drained and tired also. Stumbling into a horns nest of questions without answer (only a few of the many that attacked my brain are listed above). Head spinning.
When I finally sat down at my art desk I cleaned out a few drawers and sorted papers for hours before I even took out my glue stick. So hard, feeling like I had never done this “collage thing” before.
Finally I started with something old, a Asian text magazine that has been in my stash for ages, mostly unused. I took it out, started to glue it down on my square substrate. I then painted and altered it a bit, tore bits and made a first backgrounds for my collages. Just to start anywhere. I did not even like what I created but I kept going forward anyway. Tried to move my hands and avoid over-thinking everything.
Then I went through the paper scraps that I’d already sorted that was in a big pile on my desk, to add “something interesting” to my bland backgrounds and once I found one I simply glued it down and called it done.
Starting Creative Projects is hard, even when you’re not a beginner and I am not… or so I thought. Anyway, without further ado or procrastination (haha), here they are. Take them as they are. Seven freshly baked, straight out of the proverbial oven, collages by this chick / total amateur and yours truly I Hanna:
That’s that. I like them better now, scanned, edited and titled, than I did when the lay in a pile on my desk making me feel like a failed fraud. I really hope that’s now how this entire project will make me feel, because if it is, I will quit it. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that it’s been many years since I worked with collage in this way, though. Beginnings are always hard, right?
Starting Creative Projects: the details of this particular 365
I don’t work daily, I work in batches and I have always done so. It works for me (once I can shut my brain up). I try to keep organized. All of these are made on vintage cardstock paper. Size: 13 x 13 centimeters (that’s 5.1/8 inches). It’s quite small, and I do want to go up in size later on this year (what, they’re not all going to be the same size!?) because I’d like to push myself, but for now this was enough of a push. Phew! I am still using that ol’ pile of shooting targets that I thrifted many years ago. I have (finally) used up all the square ones though, so now I’m down to the smaller sized rectangular ones. But since I love the square format I cut a bit of all of them to make them square. In case you were wondering. If you have any further questions let me know.
I hope you enjoyed that and will cheer me on. How about a little poem for today as well?
Poetry from week one of Collage
Swim little one
fishing for gold
False security for you,
my surly Valentine
The offering, Konnichiwa – and then simply
follow the light.
And in case it wasn’t obvious, the poem is made up of the random titles of these collages, in order of appearance. Here are these lines again, but what I really wanted to say / explained a bit more:
Swim little Hanna, I think you can do this
I know it feels like you’re just fishing for gold in an empty pot,
but maybe there’s something to this crazy idea of yours
False security is a cage for other birds, not you,
find your vocie and forge ahead, and today
simply use those old Asian news papers – or throw them away for ever, with no regrets
These collages is my colorful, heartfelt offering to the world
but mostly they’re for myself, because I need something sweet to do,
to keep me from drowning.
If you read all the way down here let me know and say Konnichiwa in your own language below
Let’s all follow the light of our own inspirations.
How do you feel when starting a big scary, impossible project for the first time (or all over again after a while away)? Is it easy or does it feel overwhelming and hard, and if it’s hard how do you work through that?
About this project: I am making one collage for each day of the year in 2025 and blogging seven at a time each week here. I have made that many artworks in a year twice before so I am hopeful that I can do it again. Please also check out week 1 of 2013 and week 1 of 2018 – and leave me a comment if you find a new favorites along the way. I’d love to know which of these you like best – and why you like it. Thanks for helping me finish this by cheering me on. I appreciate you being here.
365 collages in 2025 | this is week 1 | next up: week 2 | finishing in week 52 (hopefully)
All art created by hand by iHanna. Copyright Hanna Andersson. All rights reserved. AI FUCK OF
Hi Hanna! Your collages are so fun and I love your poem! Thank you for writing your honest feelings about your 365 Somethings project – I think anyone attempting a creative endeavor like this goes through these kinds of emotions. I’m sure I’ll have the same feelings about my 365 Somethings project at some point. I’ll look to you for inspiration when that happens! And I’m here cheering for you!
Thank you for writing your honest response to starting this project. I, too, have the same question, “Why is she doing this?” It’s your time, your life, and none of my business —- all I can do is offer suggestions that might be true for me: It’s good to challenge oneself, in general, though I find more meaning if I’m challenging myself along with others in a wider, 100 day project, or something like that. But if I wanted to become better at collages, then this commitment makes a lot of sense. If you need to create some beauty, some sweetness, then you could commit to doing 345 somethings, not necessarily collage. I enjoy looking at your art, though. To thineself be true. And also, listen to the resistance — what is that all about?
Hi Hanna – I love your collages! And I’d be very proud if I had done that many in a week. Well done, I’m cheering for you too.
I love your collages. What fun! Great papers. You’ve inspired me to get back to collage. Thank you
Oh, dear iHanna, it sounds like you are being so very hard on yourself! You are most definitely a REAL ARTIST! 🤗 I want to do the 365 Somethings too, but I also am “behind”. It is OK to be wherever you are. I have fourteen of my little somethings finished (I’m doing tiny stitched pieces and mini-journal pages). And here it is, January 27. So I am somewhat behind. But I can proudly say that even making one “something” is an accomplishment, and it makes me feel good for trying. The New Year gets us all excited and wrapped up in goals and good intentions, but then along comes rough winter weather (and I have caught a cold!) or other difficult things, and we have to deal with those. I like your collages very much. Keep swimming, Little One! I think you are doing just fine!
Cheers! from Lynn in cold ‘n windy Hallsville, Missouri USA
I love all things Asian inspired, and I think these are fantastic! I think the poem was a lot of fun (and work) too.
I love these – Konnichiwa is my favorite! I’m still learning collage and I think you do amazing work!
I’m cheering you on from across the ocean, Hanna 🧡 every collage is a little universe that you are creating. So far I’ve done all of my collages on 3×5″ index cards. I laughed when you mentioned that you would switch sizes, but of course that will be good way to shake things up when you need a burst of energy.