We recently received our new phone books at work, which means figuring out what to do with the old ones. It seems a shame to dump all that paper in the recycling bin, so I tend to hang onto them (yeah, my cow orkers think I’m odd, but that’s their problem, not mine).
What do I use phone books for?
My favorite use is for blotting brushes while I’m painting (saves on paper towels!). The paper is soft and absorbant, so it sucks up excess liquid nicely. I also like to use phone books while I’m working on collages. The pages are great for placing under small items while you’re painting them or applying adhesive to them. When a page gets yucky, just tear it out or flip to the next page.
You can also use the pages as a collage base. Tear them up to create visual interest. Paint them. Ink over them or use some of the blotter pages you’ve gotten paint on. You can then seal the paper or you can draw or paint directly onto it. It takes charcoal, ink, and oil pastel nicely (just like newsprint).
Here’s a quick and easy example from one of my glue books. I tore out several pages, then tore them into vertical strips. The lettering was done using a Pitt brush tip pen. The page was then inked by gently rubbing an ink pad directly over it.
collage in composition book
red paper boat 