So here's a quick re-cap for anyone who is new to the party, I am a fine Art painter who paints both figurative and landscape Art, in oils. My goal is to take my Art empire to the next level, and ditch my part time job and go full guns blazing into a sole Art career. After a bit of research I discovered that to prop up my fine art work I need a passive income that will still give me an income if my Art doesn't sell well. So I have given myself a time out on my oil painting, and will for the next 6 weeks or so be concentrating on my illustration range called Dark Curiosity, its a bit quirky and not everyone cup of tea, but I personally love it.
This week I decided to place my Dark Curiosity illustrations onto a tissue box cover. Not only would I be putting my illustrations on the box, but I will also be making the box.
After many attempts at creating a template for the box using just plain paper I finally had one that could be constructed into something resembling a tissue box cover.
Using stiff card, a scalpel and a ruler and my newly created template I cut the box out.
I had to find a way to glue it altogether so using some good old PVA glue I got to work.
My first attempt was a bit of a disaster all the corners weren't sticking and it looked like a child had made it, I then had the brainwave to line the inside with a repeat pattern that would look like collage I thought this would also add strength.
Again it didn't look that good, very amateur indeed.
Back to the drawing board, I realised I needed to change my template to make it so I had less things to stick together and created a template with tabs, hurray!! we had success.
I painted this drastically improved box a grey and sanded between coats and also the edges to create a nice smooth finish.
I then needed images to add to my box, and created two ladies having tea. Now the only thing left to do was to find away to get these images onto my box.
I found a company who have created a way to make decals using your printer. You simply print your designs, add spray varnish allow to dry and apply to your item.
Well that's what it said, my first attempt at applying the decal ended in the bin. on the fourth image attempt it went semi alright, its a very fiddly process.
And the finished result, a tissue box cover with only 3 images instead of 4 , it could be better, could be a lot better but Im pretty happy with the results, and it shall sit in my living room.
would I be able to sell these? I think I would have to practice the whole process a lot of times to come up with a product worthy of someone wanting to part with money for one.