Filed under: Color, Fun Stuff, Crafts & Projects, Design, etc
Unleash your inner muralist and create a sticky note gallery of art. Photo: Peter Hellberg, Flickr
Colorful and frugal scrap art made with the iconic Post-it.
For thirty years, we've all seen first hand that it's tough to stay organized at home or at the office without the ubiquitous Post-it note. With Post-it Brands celebrating its 30th anniversary, we decided to honor some (much more!) creative uses of these cute, little squares of color. (Did you know that you can now also buy digital Post-it notes for your computer? Mac users know this well as the software comes standard. Brilliant!)
It's pretty easy to make wall mosaics with Post-its. After all, they are already cut in perfect squares and they have adhesive, so there's no messing with scissors, only a little creative arranging. So stop scribbling notes on your Post-its -- Instead, put them to good use as a conversation piece of art in your home.
Artist Rebecca Murtaugh has had a love affair with the Post-it note for a few years. It began during one of her first corporate jobs (before she began teaching art at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY) where the office manager kept piles of sticky notes. Murtaugh loved the pink notes and started cutting them up and playing with them when she was bored, and her artwork was born.
Rebecca Murtaugh's once-plastered bedroom felt like sitting in a pinata -- but this work of temporary art launched her career as an artist. Now, this image is available as a photograph. Photo: Rebecca Murtaugh
Her first work? Covering the walls and furniture of her bedroom with sticky notes. "The steam from the bathroom made the sticky notes fall off, so I had to hot glue them," she says. "I invited people in to see the room, and people commented that they felt like they were sitting in a pinata."
She went on to create sculptures out of Post-it notes and even wall art. She loves that sticky notes are valuable yet disposable. That, plus the color palette, make it the perfect artist's medium. The only drawback is that Post-its fade over time, says Murtaugh. "It takes one month for a sticky note to fade in New York, but one week to fade in California," she says of her experiments. So she tends to use Preserve It, an archival spray that helps keep the color.
What to do with all the sticky note cut-outs? Rebecca Murtaugh made desk art. Photo: Rebecca Murtaugh
He's got more ideas for using Post-its, including a really cool mural he created. But you'll have to check out his newest book, David Stark Design, to see those.
David Stark, interior designer, uses his fridge as a work of art. Photo: David Stark Designs
A wall treatment like no other -- that's what Post Typography's Bruce Willen decided to do for Metropolis Magazine's HOME Exhibition back in 2007. The challenge to a handful of graphic design firms was simple: Find a beautiful, indispensable every day product and design something beautiful with it. Willen decided to interpret Post-it notes. He surrounded a traditional fireplace mantel (below) with them. (He also covered a wall in his living room with Post-its.)
Let's just say that this probably shouldn't be tried at home, considering it's a bit of a fire hazard. Still, it's fun to look at.
Don't try this at home. Bruce Willen, a graphic designer and co-founder of Post Typography, used sticky notes to create a contemporary wall treatment for Metropolis Magazine's HOME Exhibition. Photo: Bruce Willen
Seen here, one of Willen's creations: an unexpected and playful living room a la Post-its. Photo: Bruce Willen
A one-of-a-kind patchwork mural created by artists from around the world. Photo: Adrian Wallett, Flickr
Need some pop art for your walls? Photographer Ross Elliott's collection of Post-it note cube close ups (below) will add instant color to your room. For more of his ideas, check out all the angles of his photostream on Flickr for inspiration, then get out your digital camera to make poster-sized works of art.
A work of art thanks to one photographer. Photo: Ross Elliott, Flickr
And since we're really big fans of Rebecca Murtaugh and her take on the Post-it, check out these last two ideas by the artist. First, a really cool piece of wall art -- It could easily take the place of a painting above a couch or a headboard. The latter, a sculpture made out of rolled up Post-it notes.
I bet you'll never look at the humble little Post-it the same way again.
Artist Rebecca Murtaugh is known for upbeat art, and this is no exception -- a pink cloud filled with colorful Post-it note shapes. Why not try it at home? Photo: Rebecca Murtaugh
Rebecca Murtaugh's take on Post-it note sculpture. Photo: Rebecca Murtaugh
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