Our Creative Troupe just keeps on surprising us with the most incredible pieces of art using our products.  Look at how Susan I. Jones has transformed this Ready-to-Go!® Blank Board Book!  The title says it all…”Ars Gratia Artis” which means “Art for Art’s Sake.”  Read on for the project instructions. Click here to see more Creative Troupe projects on our Flickr page.

Ars Gratia Artis

By Susan I. Jones

Materials:

• Ready-to-Go!® Blank Board Book 8″ x 8″ Black
• Black Lutradur® (or white Lutradur painted black—available here)
• Gold and Interference Blue Liquitex® acrylic paints
• Bird rubber stamp (designer made her own)
• Rubber stamp cutting materials
• Crown stamp
• 3 transparency sheets (for your printer type)
• 2 sheets of marbled paper (or paint your own)
• Black ribbon
• Paint markers

Instructions:

1. Using the bird stamp as a guide, cut a bird-shaped window into the blank book cover.
2. Scan the stamp into your computer and print image onto a transparency.
3. Glue transparency onto inside of cover so the bird shows through the cut shape.
4. On page one, glue hand-marbled paper or paint with interference blue paint just behind the bird.
5. Once dry, glue page one to cover (sandwiching marbled paper and bird).
6. Paint the black Lutradur sheet with intereference blue and stamp with the bird and gold paint. Adhere to back of page one.
7. Cut windows out of the next four pages leaving approx. 1” border.  Glue them together.
8. Cut out rubber stamp with words “Ars Gratia Artis”(Art for Art’s Sake). Collage the words, bird and crown stamp and scan image to computer.  Print on two transparencies. Using paint markers, color one of the transparencies.
9. Adhere marbled paper to back page.
10. Adhere the two transparencies together and then attach to the back of second page (w/ window).
11. Add some glitter and a painted ribbon tie (to right side) before adhering page 2 to back cover.
12. Wrap and adhere hand-marbled paper around front and back cover. Stamp title and adhere painted black and gold paper to front cover.
13. Finish the edges and the inside frame with gold paint.