If you have spent any time on TikTok this month, you’ve likely come across at least one video on the “underconsumption core” trend. What is underconsumption core? It’s basically fancy trend language for the old phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle.”
If we’re honest, most Americans would probably admit that we are over-consumers. We have drawers full of products for in-depth skincare routines, a Stanley Cup for every day of the week, clothes we haven’t even worn, or shelves of books we haven’t read. We all have our areas of overspending.
While social media crazes are rarely life-changing (as they don’t stay around long enough to create real change), this one did get me thinking: How can we use the principles of underconsumption in the art world? Are there ways to ramp up our creativity, redecorate our homes, and nourish our social lives without spending a dime? Let’s give it a shot!
What brought on the underconsumption craze?
Technically, underconsumption is an old economic theory referring to the phenomenon of inadequate consumer demand causing recession. It asserts that insufficient purchasing power, in relation to the amount of goods being produced, is the primary reason for economic collapses. After the Great Depression, more complex theories by economist John Maynard Keynes and others replaced underconsumption as a valid explanation, but the term has hung around and taken on a slightly different definition in modern times.
In recent decades, underconsumption was rare, and it was usually seen as some kind of novelty lifestyle by extreme treehuggers or misers. However, with recent inflation since the pandemic, many formerly comfortable families are struggling to make ends meet. At the very least, people are looking for ways to decrease their consumption and eliminate unnecessary spending.
Growing environmental concerns are also contributing to the trend. Many families are choosing to consume less in an effort to lower their carbon footprint.
There also seems to be a movement to get away from fast fashion and its terrible labor laws and unethical fabric sourcing. Smart consumers are buying specific capsule items that can be used and reused instead of a whole cart full of random items. This applies to clothing, furniture, and pretty much every other area of life…so why not art?!
Incorporating Underconsumption into Art
All this got me thinking about the absurd amount of art supplies and embellishments in my craft room. There’s so much stuff hanging around my house (and I’m a minimalist when compared to most) that could be used and repurposed into something new and amazing. I fully expect that most of us, with a little creativity, could produce several new pieces for our home out of the materials we already have. Here are a few ideas on how to upgrade your aesthetic with what you have lying around the house:
1. Turn old shirts into lampshades.
If you’ve got shirts that don’t fit anymore or just aren’t making you feel stylish, turn them into something else! The great thing about good fabric is that it can be reused for a variety of things! Here are a few ideas to repurpose your old fabric:
- Wrap a boring lampshade in a floral pattern to give it a vintage look.
- Transform your throw pillows with a new cover.
- Sew several of your old shirts together to make a cute throw blanket for the couch.
- Wrap cardboard with foam and fabric and nail them together to create a modern art piece.
- Cut the fabric into scraps and use it in a “paper mache” project or a mixed media painting.
- Wrap your books in fabric to create cute book covers.
- Turn old sheets into new shower curtains.
2. Mix your own paint colors.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve got dozens of tiny plastic bottles with a teaspoon of paint left in them. They aren’t really enough to do a new piece with, but you don’t want to throw them away either. Solution…mix them up!
You can easily create new colors with the bits you have left. You just need a little info about mixing colors. Utilize the ideas in our Color Theory Pack to help you create new beautiful shades out of the paint remnants you have—without making muddy, ugly colors.
3. Repurpose side pieces with acrylic pour paint.
Here at Homebody Hall, we love a furniture makeover. You can easily create a marble top for your coffee table, give your chair legs a new flair, or even repurpose your kitchen countertops with paint!
We have handy tutorials to walk you through each of these projects. Transforming furniture with paint is an easy way to completely change the look of your home without spending a dime!
4. Embellish your photos.
Do you have a million old photos in your home— artsy vacation shots of landscapes or buildings that you don’t know what to do with? It’s time to let them shine. Grab some paint, glitter, or gold foil from your supply cabinet and get to work.
Using the concepts of shading and highlighting, glamorous the natural aspects of the photo with your embellishments. Sprinkle some white glitter or cotton onto the snow-peaked mountains. Use blue beads to fill in the river, or brighten up the moon with gold speckles.
Go slow with these projects! There’s a fine line between high art and a kindergarten collage. These can easily go awry. I suggest making a change or two, stepping away, coming back later, and analyzing the photo to see where you can do a little more and where you need to pull back.
5. Change the frames.
One of the fastest ways to update your artwork, mirrors, or photo collages is to change the framing. This can easily be done with paint. For a fun and funky aesthetic, consider hydrodipping them to get that colorful marbled look. To create a uniform and classic display, consider painting all your frames matte black or soft gold. For a modern look, take your wall paint and use it on the frames to create a monotone color scheme! This is one of the fastest ways to completely change your wall art with minimal effort and cost.
6. Put skincare bottles to good use.
We’ve already talked about the refuse that our skincare routines proliferate. The good news is that most high-end skincare and perfumes come packaged in real glass that’s beautifully adorned. Those bottles are fantastic for repurposing.
- Use them to store and display essential oil concoctions.
- Display our incense in them.
- Use them in the kitchen to artfully display spices and oils on your countertop.
- Use them in your vanity area to keep cotton balls, Q-tips, or jewelry organized.
- Organize your art room, using the pretty glass bottles to store leftover paint, glitter, or beads.
7. Redo old art.
Most of us artists have pieces that didn’t turn out like we wanted, something that didn’t sell, or pieces we just never finished. It’s time to revisit them! Grabbing a new, clean canvas is easy, but it isn’t necessary. Those old canvases can be just as beautiful with a little prep work.
Maybe you work with what you have already done and go in a slightly different direction. I often find that a painting I hated when I was working on it takes on a new life when I revisit it later. I have new ideas, and I can see it differently after some time away. You could also Gesso over it and start all over. Either way, pull out those old canvases, dust them off, and give it another go!
8. Layer your canvases.
One of the easiest ways to create an interesting outfit is to incorporate good layering. Wall art is no different! Creating 3-D art with eye-catching dimension is as easy as layering up!
Remember those unused and unfinished canvases. Lay them out on the floor, and move them around, alternating size and direction until you get a larger piece that looks interesting.
Secure them with construction glue or nails. You can either leave each canvas different or repaint a scene that spans the entirety of the newly built conglomeration. The options are endless.
9. Save the lids!
From the hundreds of little paint bottles to your medium jars, lids are everywhere, and they’re awesome for 3D art. Circles are a popular aesthetic in mid-century art and modern collections. Lids are an easy way to make perfect circles with added dimension.
They’re also handy for use in children’s craft projects. Even the smallest children can paint and glue a lid onto a canvas to create freeform art or “paint by number” creations! You can also use colored lids to:
- Make party streamers by stringing them together.
- Create hanging art with displays to be hung from your ceiling.
- Make “beaded” curtains for cabinets or kids’ rooms.
- Create sweeping outdoor murals on your fence or patio walls.
As an example, check out this Pinterest rainforest mural by Katie Weymouth created with painted paint and marker lids!
10. Turn your old paintbrushes into signs.
If you’re anything like me, you have several paintbrushes lying around that you have shamefully neglected. You used it with glue and didn’t get it rinsed out well, wrapped it in a plastic bag to use later and forgot about it, or let it sit in water and get rusty. (Please tell me I’m not alone in my paintbrush maltreatment).
The good news is that the metal stripping and pointed end of most large paintbrushes make them perfect for decorative signs, even when the bristles are no longer good for painting.
- Use a sharpie to write on the metal stripping and insert the paintbrushes into your garden or potted herbs to label the plants.
- Use them for food labels at a paint-themed birthday party.
- Accessorize a large paintbrush and use it as a door knocker or welcome sign for your front door.
- Gather your old brushes and create an abstract sculpture piece.
- Paint them with a floral motif and motivational sayings. Adorn them with ribbons and hang them from string to make an art-themed wind chime or hanging display.
Closing Thoughts on Underconsumption in Art
If you think about it, creatives are natural advocates for underconsumption. It is our natural ability to see what could be instead of what is. That’s what makes you a great painter. However, the ease of Hobby Lobby and Amazon have pushed us all towards the underuse of products. We aren’t utilizing them to their full potential, and we can do better!
Challenge yourself this week to get creative with what you have. Don’t be afraid to manipulate an old piece. Tear it apart. Put it back together in a new way. Use items in a way they were never meant to be used, and see what masterpiece you can create!
We’d love to see what you create! Share your ideas in the comments!