For students or people living on an artist's budget, portfolio cases can be an expensive purchase that ranges in price depending on the materials. If you are looking to make an inexpensive art portfolio, you are able to do so with cardboard, tape and some other supplies you most likely already have at home. The portfolio can protect your art, keep it flat and provides a nice method of presentation for school projects and potential art galleries.
Things You'll Need:
- Hole Punch
- Duct Tape
- Ribbon
- Cardboard
- Self-Adhesive Velcro
- Utility Knife
Cut two pieces of cardboard that are a few inches larger than the art or prints you want to include in the portfolio. For instance, if most of your prints are 8.5 inches by 11 inches, cut the cardboard pieces to be at least 11 inches by 14 inches. Cut the cardboard with a utility knife or box cutter.
Lay the two pieces of cardboard on top of each other on a flat surface. Apply duct tape along the length of the bottom, right and left edges to keep the cardboard together. Leave the top edge open to insert your art into the portfolio case.
Punch holes in the top (untaped) edges of both pieces of cardboard with your hole punch to begin a case handle. Mark two spots on one piece of cardboard about 1.5 inches down from the top edge, one on each end of the cardboard. Repeat the same for the other piece and punch holes over each of the four marks. Cut two equal-sized pieces of ribbon, insert the ends of one ribbon through the holes on one piece of the cardboard, and knot them through the holes to create a handle. Repeat on the other piece of cardboard with the second ribbon.
Remove the backing from self-adhesive Velcro strips and attach one side of the Velcro to each top-inside edge of the portfolio case. Press the portfolio together to clasp the Velcro pieces and keep the portfolio securely closed.
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