Having to give away a book leaves us with an awful feeling in our gut. Whether it’s a story that meant something to us, a textbook that helped us learn, or even an instruction manual that we never really read–passing them on always feels terribly wasteful. And even though it’s sometimes got to be done, we’re glad this artist has found a way to give some old tomes some new homes with book sculptures featuring original art, Harry Potter inspiration, and more.
Artist Malena Valcarcel recently shared some of her art via a post on Bored Panda and we’re blown away by how she’s able cut, glue (we’re guessing), and sculpt the pages of books in order to transform them into tiny works of art.
There’s a certain beauty in being able to recycle or re-purpose something that’s no longer used and give it new life. This is especially true with Valcarcel’s work because the end result is something so darn skillfully crafted. She even seems to have a nerdy side, as you can see in this Where the Wild Things Are sculpture.
Or this Harry Potter one we mentioned earlier.
And while we’d be content to just endlessly stare at the gallery of her work on her Facebook page, Valcarcel has some of her pieces for sale at Etsy.
At first glance you might think the price tags are a bit high–with most larger book sculptures ranging in the hundreds of dollars and made-to-order ones over a thousand–but just think of the delicate and painstaking work that must go into each piece. Just know that if you stumble across a spare $1,317.37 in the couch cushions, you too can own a the Harry Potter one.
Which one of Valcarcel’s pieces do you like the best? Let’s discuss in the comments below!
Images:Â Malena Valcarcel
See more incredible fan-made creations!
- Look at this amazing Freddie Mercury sculpt.
- Intricate Game of Thrones pencil sculptures.
- Sculptures that come alive thanks to math.
