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DIY book page art

Book Page Art by Squirrelly Minds | Used EverywhereAs a teacher, I end up with quite a few books that are beyond repair. Being an avid reader, I end up with some books that I’m not all that crazy about and would rather not have on the bookshelf. Do you ever find yourself in one of those two positions? Well, rather than getting rid of those books, why not turn them into some book page art?
Book Page Art by Squirrelly Minds | Used EverywhereThis is a super easy and fun art project you can do on your own or with kids. All you need are some old books, paint and some imagination.

Materials

  • An old book
  • Exacto knife
  • Ruler
  • Cutting mat
  • Pencil
  • Black liquid ink pen (0.7 tip is best)
  • Watercolour paints and/or gouache
  • Paint brush

Book Page Art by Squirrelly Minds | Used EverywhereFirst, cut a page out of your book. Use an exacto knife and a straight edge, such as a metallic ruler, to get crisp lines. It’s best to get an even border of blank page around the text.
Book Page Art by Squirrelly Minds | Used EverywhereUse a pencil to draw your image on the page. I like to take themes or words from the page to choose what I’ll draw. The footnote on this page discusses how cows are sacred in India and therefore milk is not commonly consumed. So, I decided to draw a milk carton.

Book Page Art by Squirrelly Minds | Used EverywhereCarefully trace your pencil lines with a black ink pen.

Book Page Art by Squirrelly Minds | Used EverywherePaint your image, being careful not to go over the black lines too much. Be sure not to get the paint brush too wet or it will ruin the page. The drier the better. Allow the paint to completely dry before going over the black lines with your pen again.

Book Page Art by Squirrelly Minds | Used EverywhereIf the idea of actually painting something is giving you heart palpitations, go the abstract route! Just dig your brush into some paint and start stroking away. It can be really satisfying to start from a blank page with absolutely no idea of what you will create, and end up with a unique piece of art.
Alternately, you can try this easy geometric art, but I would be very cautious with the washi tape as book pages tend to be a bit more fragile and prone to ripping.

Book Page Art by Squirrelly Minds | Used EverywhereHappy painting!

Tan Rutley, a teacher/blogger/maker/hugger, is the creator of Squirrelly Minds where she shares DIY creations, recipes, and more to make your life pretty and fun. Her mind never stops thinking, planning, and making (squirrelly mind, get it?) and her projects nearly always leave her covered in glitter or flour. Sometimes both. Tan is an island girl living in Canada's west coast with her husband and overly fluffy kitty Lucy.

2 Responses to “DIY book page art”

Stephanie

These are so cute! And a very do-able project for artists of all ages!

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Sara Cassidy

I love your book page art (in fact, do you have one or two for sale?). Do you live in Victoria? I have a venue that needs a book-oriented workshop for kids, and it would be great if you could teach this. Give me a shout! Sara

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