Monthly Archives: May 2014

Repurposed Book Page Flower Art

book-paper-art

I recently posted paper mache plaster dresses and wondered what flowers might look like using the same paper mache plaster technique. I used the same recycled paper to create flower shapes and centered them on a 5″ x 7″ cardboard background, but when I applied the plaster over the paper flower petals, the mixture was too heavy and flattened the flower petals too much. I usually photograph each stage of my projects and when I reviewed the flower photos, I realized how beautiful the plain paper flowers looked before I had applied the plaster mixture over them.

I decided to try again, but this time leave the paper flowers in their natural state and make them a little smaller in size. I shaped the recycled paper into little flowers and found out that the ones closely resembling little roses looked the prettiest. I applied a dab of white craft glue to the back of each of the little rose shaped flowers and adhered them directly onto the cardboard background, creating two rows of flowers.

I made flower stems for only the bottom row of flowers. I rolled strips of the same recycled paper into elongated little tubes and glued them directly onto the cardboard background. I used the same recycled paper to make leaves by folding them to closely resemble large leaf shapes. Again, I used craft glue to adhere the leaf shapes to the cardboard background, to each side of the stems.

book-paper-art

I made the flowers in the next little frame in much the same way, but used a paper towel core to make the little three dimensional flower pot. To make the little flower pot, I used scissors to cut across a small section of a paper towel core and then cut that small section into a half rounded shape. I then painted the cut cardboard with gesso. After the gesso dried, I took a small paintbrush to brush a little plaster across the surface to give the little flower pot a heavier looking texture. After the cardboard flower pot piece dried, I used glue on each end to adhere it onto the cardboard background making sure I positioned it to cover the bottom of the stems to make it appear like flowers are growing out of a little flower pot.

book-paper-art3

Although in this project I chose to leave the recycled paper in its natural state, you can give the flowers a more colorful look by applying a craft paint or a transparent color wash to each of the paper shapes before or after you create your flower shapes. Even though I used flowers as my subject, you can make any paper shapes you desire for your own personal creation.

book-paper-art

Categories

Follow Us