Painted Newspaper Package

Leaf Detail

This from the top of the package...little leaves made of primed and painted newsprint. I cut them into freeform leaf shapes and added the veining with paint in bottles with a pointy tip. (Probably used for fabric painting)
Newspaper Bow
Looks like a cabbage or a mum but it IS really the bow for the top of the package. Got a little out of hand and threatening to overtake the whole package........ Strips of primed and painted newsprint glued to a square light cardboard base and just layered and layered and layered. It started out as loops of newspaper and then I ended up cutting the loops open to try to release some of the form. Having to think in 3D and about the sculptural qualities. I wanted it to be different but it's OK for a first attempt....

The Present itself
Wrapped in painted newsprint. I gessoed it and then added the colors and folded them into each other ( sort of like cooking!) When the muted background was dry (pink,rose, gold and white) I added on the white hearts randomly with a stencil I had cut. I had to tape two pieces together to fit the box completely so I planned ahead a littel to try to make two similarly painted pieces of painted newspaper.

A close-up of another newspaper wrapping paper idea. Similar to the present but with the red hearts.

This is the bigger sheet of the red heart wrapping paper. Liking the variation in color on the background and the random placement of the hearts. I'm working on more wrapping paper and card ideas from the painted newspaper. Liking the idea of creating, using and discarding the painted paper in the shape of the I Ching...all about change. ( Thanks to Erin Mishalanie!)