Sherlock Holmes Box!!

[pro_prodigy]

As if my obsession wasn't already glaringly obvious.  Nevertheless, i decided to make it just a little more pronounced and spent my Saturday artsing.  This is a basic decoupage technique, but instead of using tissue paper or wrapping paper like they teach in normal craft class, i print out my own pics and arrange them onto box forms (this one

Comments

[pro_prodigy]

Thanks! Yup, this type of decoupage is great. Usually it's boring 'cause you cut up wrapping paper. This is way cooler.

Lol, i've haven't done much paper mache, but i have done the 'isolate myself in my dorm doing art projects' before. My roommate leaves for the entire day, comes back and is like...

Roommate- "Wow, is it done?"
Me- "No, i still have to layer brown into these shadows and magenta into these rocks."
Roommate- "Rocks have purple?"
Me- "Yes, CAN'T YOU SEE IT?!
Roommate- "...you need to go outside."
Me- "I opened the window. Gary's outside."
Roommate- "That mouse you wrote a poem about?"
Me- "Yup."
Roommate- "You're going to fucking murder me in my sleep, i know it."
Me- "Maybe."

Lol, good luck on your artsing endeavors!

[storyfan]

I've seen star- and heart-shaped boxes, along with ones that look like little treasure chests. Is it easier to do with a larger box? I was thinking about trying something on a smaller scale, just to see if I can do it.

Could you use Modge Podge for the glue?

[pro_prodigy]

Yeah, smaller scale boxes are actually harder. It requires your pictures to be smaller and when your pictures are smaller, they're more awkward to fit over a space. If you have a small picture of a face, then there isn't going to be a lot of overlap space for another picture without covering or compromising said face.

When you have a large box, you can have a variation of large to small pictures to fill up the space as you please. And it's easier because you can print out huge ass pics and take up more space if you don't want to have to arrange a lot of pics.

You can use Modge Podge for glue. I dunno if it works well as a finish though (never used it myself). I use the puzzle saver because it makes that really strong glossy finish.

Also, i'd recommend not doing the star shaped box for a first attempt. The individual bits of surface area are a pain to arrange stuff in. Heart should be fine though. The curves are rounded enough that pictures fit on smoothly.

Happy crafting! (ew, that sounds so Holly Hobbie)
Happy Artsing!

[checkersdefiend]

Wow! This is a really great project. I like the cover, but I do like for my pictures to be overlapping a bit (either that or perfectly straight which I can never get quite right...) I love decoupage projects, but I can never think of a reason. But your idea of birthday presents is great, I know my friends would really love them. Did you find the puzzle saver glue at Michael's, too?

[pro_prodigy]

See, i always try for that 'perfectly messy/mishmash'-look.Or sometimes i'll line up all the pictures straight and then tilt one of them, thus force all the others to conform accordingly. ^-^

*Puzzle saver glue is at Michaels, but cheaper at Walmart.

Yup, my first box of this nature was a mother's day present (it was a Twilight box *shudders*). I'm a college student and flat broke, so i still have to make bday/christmas/mother-father days gifts. It's like when you were five and made shitty crafts for your parents cause you can't buy anything, only now i'm 19 and can do oil paints and decorative frames.

It's so great to give them as gifts. Of all the things my friends took with them to their dorms when they moved away for college, these boxes always went with them. Only thing that sucks is that once you give them away, your art is gone (hence why i take pictures).

Good luck with your artsing!

[sighani]

This is way awesome! I've been wanting to do something like this for a long time now, but I had no idea what it was called. XD

Do you ever have any problems with the ink smearing on the printed pictures? And is there any particular trick to doing the edges and corners?

[pro_prodigy]

1) Smearing: Always a danger (though it hasn't been too noticeable for me unless you look really closely). It probably depends on how good your printer is or the quality of the ink

[cognomen]

This is fantastic, an effort of extreme devotion. Now the question is what are you going to put in it?

[pro_prodigy]

A good question!

Right now i have a collection of white rocks i've picked up from a beach in San Diego. This has proven so far to be a mistake as most people, upon seeing the box, have an impulse to pick it up and turn it over a few times to look at it, causing the rocks to rattle quite horribly.

I'll think of something eventually, i'm sure.