Eco Art: Cardboard shape into breathtaking art forms

Just ordered a Pizza and out goes the box which while taking the delivery was held close to the heart. If you would have been someone like Scott, the pizza would have been thrown but not the cardboard covering. Everything comes packed in cardboard boxes, be it the food we eat or the phone we use. But after unpacking what do we do with these packaging materials. Of course, throw them away. Scott Fife, an artist from America, found an effective way to use this inexpensive material in his art forms, roughly 25 years back. What started as saving money on raw material changed into passion soon. He used to pick cardboards from the streets, carry them all the way home, cut them, paste them glue them and all this gave birth to exclusive works of art. Surprising many with his creativity, Scott soon started using archival cardboard instead of the normal ones insuring his work lived till eternity.

cardboard art

But after seeing his life-like work, it won’t be astonishing if you found it difficult to believe, that low tech tools like archival cardboard, Xacto knife, drywall screws, a screw gun, and glue were the only things used.

The artist

An American by nationality, Scott Fife has won accolades for using archival cardboards which he crafts into detailed sculptures. His passion which started in the year 1976 is well recognized and praised. Putting archival cardboard, glue and drywall screws to good use, he is distinguished for his exceptional detailing which he uses while carving well-liked icons and exhibits later.

The inspiration

What started as a mere passion to create art using an easily available economic material, made his ideas churn and work with a difference. Cardboards are easily available and almost everything comes packed in them. Scott would take cardboards boxes home, which he found on the streets. After that he used to chop them into pieces and color them, which finally were changed into an impressive yet only one of its kind works of art.

The material

Initially Scott used to pick boxes made out of cardboard from the streets and fix them to carve idols. But by hit and trial, he observed that the existence of his art would get limited if he continued using these boxes, reason being the high acid content of the cardboard, which would ruin the work sooner or later. But he found out that a good way to make his art live for long was the use of archival cardboard. So, he switched from normal cardboard boxes to archival cardboard.

The artwork

Bringing discarded cardboard boxes to life, collected from the streets is Scott Fife. Taking these lifeless boxes home, he used to paint them after chopping these cartons into small pieces and turned them into exceptional forms. He switched to archival cardboard, to makes his art survive for a long period of time, which was very similar to the initial street picked boards he used. Painting them in different colors always gave him a high. His all time favorite being the color of blueberry which gives a very cool feel.

Green aspects

Reusing cardboard is not only an inexpensive investment but is also eco friendly. Fetching praises as it did a few years back, encourages this form of art to be taken ahead with time. People can connect with this form of art because as a kid everyone must have cut and pasted stuff in their art class. With a touch of traditionalism, these sculptors will enhance the space they are placed in, making people envious.

Picture Gallery

cardboard art

Carve Cardboard into breathtaking art forms