How to make an Art Calendar

I have lots of art calendars.  I get one every year to keep the inspiration going.  (This year it's the Metropolitan)

It occurred to me that it would be great to make your own so I created one that showcases some of my favourite projects.

It's a desktop one that stands up on it's own and once you know how to make one you can easily adapt this project for a keepsake book or journal (i.e Mother's  Day).

I added a small calendar to each page for this year.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- 2 pieces of corrugated cardboard, the size you want for the calendar
- paint 
- coloured cardstock
- binder rings, chain, wire, or even ribbon/string
- artwork for the different months, same size as the cardboard
- glue
- hole punch
- piece of wide ribbon
- printable calendar

PROCEDURE:

I'm going to walk you thru how to make the covers and how to get it to stand up first.   You then can add the pages/months.
Cut 2 pieces of corrugated cardboard the size you want for your calendar or book.  These will be the front and back cover of your calendar.

I like to prime them with white paint or gesso.





Prime both sides. Set aside to dry.

Now you have different options for binding your calendar.

Binder rings are nice but can be a bit pricey especially if you are doing a whole class.  Another great option are shower curtain rings.  I can get a set of 12 for $1.00 at the Dollar Store.

You can also just use wire, ribbon or string.

I'm going to use binder rings for this calendar.

I mark with a pencil where I want the holes to go on one of the primed pieces of cardboard.

Punch with a single hole puncher.

Place this piece of cardboard on top of the second piece and mark with pencil where the holes are.  Punch them on the second piece.

You can now attach the rings.

To make the stand I cut a piece of wide ribbon slightly longer than the width of the calendar when it is standing.

On the back of the front cover glue the end of the ribbon to the middle of the bottom.



You can use tacky glue or hot glue.

Glue the other end to the bottom of the other piece of cardboard.

 Now have a calendar/book that will stand up.


If you want you can get fancy and do 2 pieces of ribbon on either end as an alternate way.


You can now add your pages as well as artwork for the front and back cover.  Punch holes in each new page.

Each piece of artwork is mounted on a piece of coloured card stock that is the same size as my cardboard covers.

You can add the names of the months with stamps, hand lettered, stencilled, or using computer text.  I used my cricut.

I found a printable calendar online.  I cut each month out and added them to my artwork pages.




That's it.

I hope everyone had a great holiday break.  I know I did.  I start a new residency today and I'm looking forward to working with my new crop of students!



It's going to be a week of clay projects, some old , some new.  You'll get to see the finished results in a few weeks.