If you enjoy saving and collecting interesting old papers, buy vintage books at thrift stores just for the pages, or have a soft spot for anything analog and hand-made, this ephemera art project is for you.
This project takes a single page from an old book (a dictionary, a phone book, a paperback, whatever you have on hand) and turns it into something you could hang on a wall, turn into a card, or just make for the fun of it.
All you need is paint, paper, scissors, a brush, a pen, tape, and about 30 minutes.
What You’ll Need
- An old book page: The text becomes part of the artwork.
- Acrylic paint or Watercolor paint: Choose your favorite colors.
- A stencil brush or any brush. wide, for covering the page in loose, gestural strokes
- Cardstock or heavy paper: for cutting your stencil
- Scissors
- A pencil pen
- Tape (optional, to hold your stencil in place)
Step 1: Choose and Prepare Your Book Page
The page you choose is part of the art, so pick something you enjoy.
Look for pages with interesting visual texture like columns of small text, foreign characters, vintage typesetting, or yellowed edges.
You don’t need to do anything to prep the page. Lay it flat on your work surface. Tape it down if you like.
Step 2: Paint the Background
Paint over the page, allowing the text to show through.
The goal isn’t to paint perfectly, but to have fun with it.
Step 3: Cut Your Stencil
While the paint dries, cut your stencil from cardstock.
For this project I made a butterfly. But you could use any simple silhouette like a leaf, a bird, a geometric shape, a house, or a hand. The simpler the better.
How to do it:
- Draw your shape in pencil. I used a pen so that it would show up for the photos.
- Cut it out with scissors or a craft knife.
Step 4: Apply the Stencil
Once your painted page is dry, place your stencil on top of the painted area.
Add little rolled-up pieces of painter’s tape to hold it in place. Don’t stick it down too firmly. Then, using a stencil brush with a small amount of paint. Apply paint around the outside of the stencil shape in an up-and-down motion so that the paint doesn’t leak under the stencil.
Step 5: Peel and Reveal
This is the most satisfying moment.
Wait until the paint is dry or almost dry, then carefully pull the stencil off the page.
What you’re left with are layers of paint that allow text from the original paper to shine through.
What to Do With Your Finished Pages
- Frame it
- Use it as a junk journal page or insert
- Cut it into cards or gift tags
- Layer multiples together as a collage base
- Use it as an art prompt, and paint over it again
- Use it in a collage
- Make a series, Use the same stencil with different colors or on different pages
Why Ephemera Art?
Ephemera art is the practice of making with found, discarded, and overlooked materials such as old letters, book pages, vintage receipts, maps, stamps, and newspaper clippings. Book pages are one of the most accessible forms of ephemera. A dictionary page or old phone book page that would have ended up in a landfill becomes art. Ephemera art is so satisfying because the worn pages offer a peek into history and almost always tell a story. It’s a practice rooted in collage and mixed media traditions, and I’m thrilled that it’s having a moment right now!
Want More Ephemera Art Projects?
At TinkerLab, we create hands-on art projects for people who want to make things. If you love working with paper, ephemera, and found materials, The Art Habit Mail Club is designed for you! It’s a monthly envelope of curated paper ephemera, an art prompt, and a letter, delivered to your door.
Learn more about The Art Habit Mail Club →
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