Art In Communication

The “Exquisite Doodle” Artist Project, Post 5

by Alex Mitchell

Materials needed from previous posts:

-the large matchbox and its cover

-the scroll box and its cover

-the two box fillers

-the scroll

In addition:  scissors, tape, a ruler, and a pencil.

This is the last “construction” post.  In the two previous posts we made the scroll and the box fillers that go on either side of the scroll box.  We still need to cut slots and finish our covers.

Now that we’ve made the scroll, we need to be able to insert it into the scroll box.  Cut slots just wide enough for the scroll sticks along the top and bottom of the scroll box as shown.  We want a snug fit.

Since the scroll box sits in the center of the large matchbox, we need to cut identical slots in the large matchbox.  Place the scroll box with one box filler on each side inside the large matchbox.  Using the scroll box slots as guides, mark the large matchbox and cut the slots.  Insert the scroll and make sure the slots of both boxes line up.

Lay the cover of the scroll box face down.  Place the scroll box face down on top as shown.  Using the slots as reference, draw cutting guidelines on the backside of the cover as shown.  We need to cut out the part of the cover that would obstruct the scroll sticks.  In this case, we will remove four pieces of the cover along the edges.  With the cover in place over the scroll box as shown, you can see that two holes for the scroll sticks remain open.

Repeat this same procedure for the cover of the large matchbox, and cut the cover as shown.  Again, we need to cut out the part of the cover that would obstruct the scroll sticks.  In this case, we will remove two pieces of the cover from the center.  With the cover in place over the large matchbox as shown, you can see that two holes for the scroll sticks remain open.

In order to see the scroll when inside the scroll box with the cover on, we need to cut a window on the front of the cover.  The same thing is true for the front of the cover of the large matchbox - we need to cut a window here as well.  I’ve chosen to make it a circle window as shown.

We can keep our “Exquisite Doodle” box closed by placing tape on the backside of the large cover.  We can see the scroll through the window and use the handles to move it back and forth.  What we paint on the front of this large cover will play off of what we see of our scroll through the window.  Coming up soon are ideas for how to paint the covers.  But first I will introduce to you the wonderful artists playing the “Exquisite Doodle” Artist Project!  Stay tuned!