Utilizing recycled paper is a great way of conserving the environment and a perfect way to express yourself artistically. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do with recycled drawing paper in terms of sustainable artwork. However, it takes a bit of open-mindedness and creativity to transform recycled drawing paper into meaningful pieces that can be displayed and used as art. This article explores all the different ways you can make this happen.
Recycled art is unique and different from any other kind of artwork. It involves using materials that would otherwise be discarded or rendered useless. You can easily transform what would-be trash into functional and aesthetically pleasing artwork from recycled drawing paper. Learn how to do this below.
1. Understanding Recycled Artwork
Before you can learn how to use recycled drawing paper to create your artwork, it helps to understand what kind of recycled artwork is. You can define it as a creative production made from waste or discarded items.
Most artists and children practice with recycled drawing paper before they get the confidence to work with new materials from scratch. However, up-cycling in art doesn’t have to be for practice since the material can be transformed into aesthetically pleasing art pieces.
In other words, recycled art shows artists’ ability to explore their creativity using used materials. Whatever an artist uses to work with depends on what they are comfortable with or what they find most convenient to work with. With the increased push for environmental conservation and sustainability, more artists are embracing recycled material in their creations.
One of the most popular materials used is recycled drawing paper. It takes a bit of outside-the-box thinking to transform the recycled drawing paper into a beautiful and treasured art piece. There are different ways of using recycled drawing paper for DIY art creations. Below are a few of the highlighted options to consider.
2. Make Papier Mache Art
Instead of throwing out the used drawing paper, you can convert it into beautiful papier mache art. Start by tearing it into small pieces, cut it into strips, and mix the papers with water and glue. This blend can then be molded into different shapes that resemble images. Usually, the outcome in most cases is sculpture-like art. Artists make masks, bowls, and other kinds of images.
Once the papier mache art has been molded, artists must allow it to dry. You can also choose to paint it afterward. Make sure it is completely dry before proceeding with other forms of creative work on them. Besides painting, you can also embellish or customize it in different ways.
Papier mache is one of the easiest ways to ensure you create something beautiful without negatively impacting the environment. Instead of depleting resources by getting new paper, artists that use recycled drawing paper conserve the environment.
3. Make Greeting Cards
It is possible to make handmade greeting cards and make them unique. Customized cards are not cheap, so using recycled material to create one for special occasions is a great idea. You can make seasonal greeting cards, birthday cards, and even holiday cards and resell them to earn a living. It starts with folding and cutting the recycled drawing paper into different shapes and sizes.
Your creativity determines how colorful and complex the card can be. Play around with different colleges and patterns that match the intended purpose and message you want to pass across. Your options are unlimited as long as you create a card that can evoke emotions and convey a specific message.
Handmade cards can be unique. Watching a blank canvas transform into a beautiful piece of art you can share with friends and family is exciting. Wrap it with a beautiful heartfelt message depending on who the recipient will be and the intended goal.
4. Make DIY-Friendly Envelopes
Instead of buying your envelopes at the store, grab a few pieces of used recycled drawing paper and make your own. This will contribute to the sustainable use of resources and environmental preservation. Moreover, since this is a DIY, the envelopes will be unique because they have a touch of personal creativity.
Besides being functional, DIY envelopes are more polished and long-lasting. Once you make the basic structure of the envelope, you can then explore artistically and decorate the envelope with stamps, stickers, or drawings.
Use different colors of ink when drawing to make it pop. This makes it easy to develop envelopes suited for different kinds of people, regardless of their ages. Decorate your envelope with handwritten designs that match.
5. Make Paper Bead Jewelry
It is possible to make jewelry from recycled paper. This is one of the eco-friendly jewelry types you can consider wearing if you care about the environment. Start by making long but narrow paper strands. You can also cut the paper into shapes such as circles, triangles, and squares. Decorate the shapes with beads using glue to stick the colored beads.
The beads can be made from colored recycled paper. Be creative with the colors, patterns, and designs, then attach the jewelry wire or string. Try mixing bead colors and striking designs to highlight the jewelry you wear. Paper jewelry can be bracelets, necklaces, and anklets.
6. Create Paper Collage
Do you love collages? If so, consider using recycled drawing paper to play with your creativity. It is easy to convert recycled paper into aesthetically pleasant art pieces. This ensures you have beautiful artwork and still get to conserve the environment and use resources sustainably.
Explore your artistic capabilities and gather all the recycled drawing papers you can get. Work with different textures, shapes, patterns, and images. Moreover, collages are interesting as they allow you to explore different topics and subjects of interest. It is an excellent start for anyone that wants to practice and perfect their artistic skills.
Final Thoughts
You do not have to buy fresh materials whenever you want to create art. With the right skills and a creative mind, you can use recycled drawing paper to make different forms of artwork. It doesn’t matter which kind of art you like; it is possible to enjoy artwork sustainably by utilizing recycled drawing paper. Whether you want to draw, paint, sculpture, or make jewelry, using recycled drawing paper is a good way to get started. Note that recycled drawing paper comes with countless options to explore and you shouldn’t hold back.
