Industrial elements, gathered together, create an impression of cities as a nexus for seeking knowledge.

The base collage got rotated during the scanning process, but it looks good either way: the strip of red dots from some fabulous paper anchors the piece whichever way you turn it. Dark fiber paper, red monoprinting scraps, and tissue paper round out the handmade elements.

Digital layers add the gritty details. The windows are from a warehouse along the Chicago river, and the spiral staircase is from the old library at Trinity College in Dublin, still working for those students who need access to the books in the upper reaches. Fences in several formats show up: wooden bulkheads, wrought iron, and spilt-rail fencing covered with frost. Finishing touches include bark, maps, more monoprints, stone textures, and an overall gray-green for background.

Digital collage © 2014 Liz Ruest, 31 layers
Part of the 2014: Building Blocks series
Based on day 195 of my daily collage project, 2013-2014.