2020 #10 Tiny Book of Strength with EEV {by Nikki Acton}

2020 Topic 10: Recycled Packaging

Intro
I really love the repeated stripes and dots the Ellen Vargo carved stamps give this piece. It could be a bit autumnal too, and the orange-blue colour combo in rustic tones is delish! There is nothing more satisfying than making something out of nothing, and we can all find some cardboard lurking I am sure!
~ Leandra

Hi, Nikki here today, from Addicted to Art, with a mini book made from a cat food box. 

It's a bit of an obvious choice using cardboard packaging but I recently purchased an Eileen Hull book die and it was a great chance to try it out. The book is 3 x 2 1/4 inches - so being made out of cardboard is very strong! 

I cut the concertina insert to fit and carefully scored and joined so that my book was just thick enough the shut.

I gave it a coat of watery gesso before adding layers of paint. I started thinking I would use gelli prints but in the end took colour straight from the plate onto the gessoed card, I collected a few gelli prints of leftovers on the way which I used later.

I built up the colours on each page using similar colours and adding stamping using a selection of stamps from EEV03 and EEV05.

When I was happy with my background I used the leaf stamps from EEV04 to add some collaged elements - stamped onto my gelli scraps.

I limited my colours to Summer Sky, Aquamarine, Chalk, Celery, Butternut and Prawn.

The perfect quote from Alison Bomber EAB07 (Dreaming and Doing) is spread across the 5 page Concertina.....

With another one on the front along with one of the leaves stamped and shrunk on Shrink plastic.

Packaging is great for making books, I loved the inconsistent surface I used here, and the addition of torn paper scraps gives it a very matt and earthy feel! 

Nikki x

Blog: Addicted to Art

Instagram: @Nikki_Act

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