Recycling Arts And Crafts We all strive to do our bit with regard to recycling and although most people might not be trained art critics, they know what they like, so why not attempt to make new objets d'art out of things that you are able to recycle? It seems like the perfect answer to help the environment and to convey your artistic urges. There are several ways of doing this, but one of the easiest is decoupage. Decoupage is the art of sticking bits of paper (pictures, words and shapes) onto other objects. So, all you require to become started is some old magazines, a pair of scissors, some glue and something to decorate. Things to decorate can literally be anything: boxes, table tops, headboards, walls, ceilings - anything. The first thing to do is to thoroughly clean the surface to be decorated and perhaps 'rough it up' a little with sandpaper, so that the glue has a good key. Whilst you are doing this, think about the theme of the artwork. What do you want to express? Is it for yourself or is it a gift for someone? Where will it hang or where will it get put? Are you going to include words or merely pictures? Are you going to cut items out of magazines or use your own photographs? Animals and flowers are always lovely. So is scenery. However, a dog-lover may prefer just dogs on his gift, a lover of sailing may like pictures of yachts and the coastline. The possibilities at this stage are infinite. Cut out enough pictures (and words) to cover your surface. Then arrange them on the surface. Play about with the placement of the items until you are happy with the overall effect and then stick them down using lots of glue. Be certain there are no air bubbles under the articles of paper. It does not matter if the pieces of paper overlap; in fact it can produce a pleasing impact. Leave the artwork to dry really well. There should be absolutely no dampness in the paper before going on to the next stage or you will ruin the impact. If there are any bubbles, slit them with a razor blade and squirt glue underneath before rubbing them flat. Next cover the entire surface with either a transparent glue or varnish. It is normal to use clear, gloss varnish, but you can achieve another impact with matt varnish and you can instantly 'age' the item by using stained varnish. Experiment using different seals for different effects. The seal will protect the papers, keep them from getting wet and produce a nice effect. It is better to add several layers of sealing varnish, because this will offer greater protection and add a certain 'depth' to your artwork. Shoe boxes create ideal starter objects for decoupage. A decorated shoe box may be used to save coins in or to hold odds and ends. Such a waterproof box is useful in the kitchen to place tissues in or as a sewing box.
Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, but is now concerned with large boxes for shipping. If you want to know more go to Where Can I Buy Shipping Boxes?