If you get packages delivered to your door, odds are you have one of our fave art supplies just lying around. (Hint: look in your recycling bin!) That’s right- it’s cardboard! Versatile, lightweight, great for both sculptural building and as an impromptu canvas.

For these adorable animals, we’ve combined cardboard squares with scraps cut from egg cartons. Your animal’s cute snoot will pop out of the canvas!

Here’s what you need:

Cardboard
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil and eraser
X-Acto knife or box cutter
Egg Carton
Glue (hot glue works best for a fast, strong bond, but you can also use regular school glue)
Wire
Paint and paintbrushes

Cut out two cardboard squares with the same dimensions.

Set aside one cardboard square. On the other, measure out a 1 inch border around the edges, and mark it using your pencil. Using your X-Acto blade or box cutter, carefully cut along your lines to create a frame.

Using scissors, cut the egg carton. The “bumps” can be your animal’s snout, beak, eyes, etc.

Using pencil, draw out your animal design on your cardboard square, and make sure to mark where you’ll be gluing the egg carton. You’ll want to glue down the egg carton before painting.

Paint your animal, and decorate your frame! When both are dry, glue the frame to the cardboard square. You can sandwich a small loop of wire between the two layers for an easy way to hang your art.

What we love about this project:

Using recycled materials and found objects as sculptural medium can spark new ideas in making art, and it’s a great way to open a discussion about reducing waste in your home. And also? It’s just the cutest. <3

Recycle Art