Upcycled Cardboard Craft: Primitive Stone Statue
It’s amazing what you can do with a cardboard box. Especially when it comes to making unique things for your home. It’s such a versatile medium. You can combine this paper-based product with charcoal ash and turn it into a vase or dolly it up with raffia to create a Bali-inspired collar . Or, you can celebrate its boxy nature and make an upcycled primitive stone statue like this little guy.
I’m in love with his quite quirky smile. It almost looks like he’s got a secret he’s dying to share. Or maybe he’s puzzled about what the humans in the house are doing. My hubby often has that look on his face.
And then there’s all that gorgeous texture.
He’s made almost entirely from cardboard and other household ingredients.
Well, that’s not entirely true. I did venture into the garden for something that would contribute to that hand-carved, irregular texture.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself. In this upcycle cardboard craft tutorial, I’ll show you how you can make your own primitive stone statue. This craft idea is suitable for school kids and adults alike. Younger kids may need a little help with cutting and gluing the pieces.
Psst….. before we get to the tutorial though, would you mind following us on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram? And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss another post!
Transfer the sketch to a piece of sturdy cardboard.
Use a sharp craft knife to cut out the pieces.
You’ll need two, equally sized front and back pieces for the body and the head. Use the head shape as a guide to cut another piece of cardboard with facial features. I added a rectangular nose to mine.
You can change the posture and facial expressions of your upcycled primitive stone statue to suit your décor or mood. Play around and see what works for you.
Cut a long strip of cardboard to make an edge for the primitive statue. The width of the strip will determine how wide your finished statue will be.
Use the back, front and head pieces as a guide to cut and fold the strip around the cardboard head and body.
Sand the cut edges with sandpaper to round them off.
To strengthen the cardboard statue, I added cardboard triangles inside the body and head. If you’re making a smaller version, it’s probably not necessary. My little guy is about knee high (½ m tall and 30 cm wide). That’s almost 20 inches tall for my American friends.
Glue the front body, head, and face pieces on.
Seal the cardboard statue with craft paint before proceeding to the next step.
….. or your hands.
For some reason, I always start with a craft stick and before I know it, I’m digging in hands and all. Do what makes you comfortable. As long as you keep the texture as rough as possible. You can apply as many layers as you want.
To add interest, I applied a 3D textured stencil to the body of the statue.
And used air-dry clay to make eyes and mouth.
The mouth is a long, curved clay worm. The eyes are a worm with the ends joined together to from a circle.
Leave the texture paste to dry fully. I used plaster of Paris to make this paste so it cured in about 30 minutes. The air-dry clay took a little longer.
You want a fine mixture.
Mix up another batch of texture paste (if you’re making your own) or mix the soil into the store-bought version.
If you’re using a ready mixed, store bought texture paste, you may need to add a little water so it doesn’t become to flaky and dry.
Apply the soil-based paste to the primitive stone statue. I found it easier to use a paintbrush for this layer, especially around the raised stencil detail.
While the paste is still wet sprinkle a little of the dry soil mix over the statue.
If you find that some spots lack depth or detail you can use a pastel or piece of charcoal to highlight those areas.
And that’s it.
All that’s left to do is glue the head and body together and find a spot in your home where the little guy can share his happy smile.
My statue is keeping a succulent-filled plastic stone planter (that I made using the same technique) company.
Doesn’t he remind you a little of those impressive moai figures on Easter Island or a South Korean Dol hareubang?
He’s not as stern and imposing though, but still has that perfectly, imperfect, irregular texture that I love.
What do you think? Have you upcycled cardboard to make unique and budget-friendly décor for your home?
Sharing is caring
Oh, and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you 😉
And if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then maybe these beauties will appeal.
And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love. Thank you for popping in for a visit.
I’m in love with his quite quirky smile. It almost looks like he’s got a secret he’s dying to share. Or maybe he’s puzzled about what the humans in the house are doing. My hubby often has that look on his face.
And then there’s all that gorgeous texture.
He’s made almost entirely from cardboard and other household ingredients.
Well, that’s not entirely true. I did venture into the garden for something that would contribute to that hand-carved, irregular texture.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself. In this upcycle cardboard craft tutorial, I’ll show you how you can make your own primitive stone statue. This craft idea is suitable for school kids and adults alike. Younger kids may need a little help with cutting and gluing the pieces.
Psst….. before we get to the tutorial though, would you mind following us on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram? And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss another post!
What you need
- Cardboard box
- Texture paste (homemade recipe here)
- Garden soil
- Stencil (Optional)
Tools
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Sharp craft knife
How to make a primitive stone statue
Creating a cardboard statue base
Sketch or draw a mockup of how you want your stone statue to look. Simple shapes work best for this upcycled craft. I went for an arched-shaped body and head. You are more than welcome to use my sketch as a guide. Keep the bottom of the statue flat so he doesn’t fall over.
Transfer the sketch to a piece of sturdy cardboard.
Use a sharp craft knife to cut out the pieces.
You’ll need two, equally sized front and back pieces for the body and the head. Use the head shape as a guide to cut another piece of cardboard with facial features. I added a rectangular nose to mine.
You can change the posture and facial expressions of your upcycled primitive stone statue to suit your décor or mood. Play around and see what works for you.
Cut a long strip of cardboard to make an edge for the primitive statue. The width of the strip will determine how wide your finished statue will be.
Use the back, front and head pieces as a guide to cut and fold the strip around the cardboard head and body.
Sand the cut edges with sandpaper to round them off.
Building the primitive cardboard statue
Glue the cardboard strip around the body and head pieces.
To strengthen the cardboard statue, I added cardboard triangles inside the body and head. If you’re making a smaller version, it’s probably not necessary. My little guy is about knee high (½ m tall and 30 cm wide). That’s almost 20 inches tall for my American friends.
Glue the front body, head, and face pieces on.
Seal the cardboard statue with craft paint before proceeding to the next step.
Hiding the cardboard under texture paste
This is the bit I always enjoy. I love seeing how the cardboard transforms into something completely different with texture paste. You can buy texture paste at most craft stores, but I prefer mixing my own. That way I can control how much texture I want. You can get the homemade texture paste recipe here. Apply the paste using a craft stick…..
….. or your hands.
For some reason, I always start with a craft stick and before I know it, I’m digging in hands and all. Do what makes you comfortable. As long as you keep the texture as rough as possible. You can apply as many layers as you want.
To add interest, I applied a 3D textured stencil to the body of the statue.
And used air-dry clay to make eyes and mouth.
The mouth is a long, curved clay worm. The eyes are a worm with the ends joined together to from a circle.
Leave the texture paste to dry fully. I used plaster of Paris to make this paste so it cured in about 30 minutes. The air-dry clay took a little longer.
Turning the texture paste to stone
There are two ways to turn the texture paste into “stone”. You can either give the paste multiple washes of diluted paint or take a cue from Mother Nature and use garden soil. I went for option two. Sift the soil to get rid of any small pebbles or other bits.
You want a fine mixture.
Mix up another batch of texture paste (if you’re making your own) or mix the soil into the store-bought version.
If you’re using a ready mixed, store bought texture paste, you may need to add a little water so it doesn’t become to flaky and dry.
Apply the soil-based paste to the primitive stone statue. I found it easier to use a paintbrush for this layer, especially around the raised stencil detail.
While the paste is still wet sprinkle a little of the dry soil mix over the statue.
If you find that some spots lack depth or detail you can use a pastel or piece of charcoal to highlight those areas.
And that’s it.
All that’s left to do is glue the head and body together and find a spot in your home where the little guy can share his happy smile.
My statue is keeping a succulent-filled
Doesn’t he remind you a little of those impressive moai figures on Easter Island or a South Korean Dol hareubang?
He’s not as stern and imposing though, but still has that perfectly, imperfect, irregular texture that I love.
What do you think? Have you upcycled cardboard to make unique and budget-friendly décor for your home?
More unexpected cardboard creations
If you’re have a collection of cardboard boxes waiting for a creative makeover, why not explore some of our other cardboard tutorials. Just click on the web story below for a selection of some of our best how-to-guides that involve cardboard.If you like the idea of making a primitive stone statue using upcycled cardboard don’t forget to pin it for later.
Sharing is caring
Oh, and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you 😉
