The Art of Upcycling: 10 Amazing Cardboard Sculptures by Mark Langan

Edvard Munch\'s \"The Scream\"

mark langan, upcycling, cardboard, edvard munch, the scream Mark Langan\'s cardboard rendition of Edvard Munch\'s The Scream

Mark Langan is an Ohio artist who has mastered the art of upcycling. For about five years, his focus has been giving used corrugated cardboard a new life as sculpture. His materials are about as simple (and green) as it gets: corrugated boxes, non-toxic glue, a razor knife, a cutting edge and mat.

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While he acknowledges that he isn\'t making a dent in the waste stream, he hopes to inspire people to recycle, and we heartily agree with his assessment that, \"It is something rather than nothing.\" We might add, it is something extraordinary.

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The Daily Green is featuring his work, simply, because we think it\'s really cool. He often works on commission (as you can see from the company logos he\'s created) and you can see more or contact him at www.langanart.com.

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Pictured here is his interpretation of Edvard Munch\'s famous, \"The Scream.\" (larger size)

DK Trucking -- Before

Mark Langan, Diamond K Trucking DK Trucking logo

Mark Langan was commissioned to create a Diamond K Trucking logo that recognizes the Scranton, Pa., parent company\'s business: waste paper recycling. He started with a few images supplied by employees, and sketched this design for transformation...

Diamond K Trucking -- After

Mark Langan, DK Trucking, cardboard, upcycling, art Mark Langan\'s cardboard art for the Diamond K Trucking company The employees of Diamond K Trucking presented this piece of upcycled art to the company\'s owner, David Kirtland. As artist Mark Langan said, \"The tractor and trailer are three dimensional and appear to leap off the art. This one was quite the challenge for me but the results came out great. It now is proudly displayed in their place of business is Scranton, Pa.\" (Larger size.)\r\n

Green Dream

Green Dream, Mark Langan, cardboard, art, upcycling, girl scout cookie boxes Mark Langan\'s Girl Scout cookie box Green Dream logo

Mark Langan created this piece for the Beachwood High School The Green Dream event. It\'s made of Girl Scout cookie boxes! (Larger size.)

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\"Last April, the students held am Eco-Friendly event that was the first and largest of its kind for Ohio,\" Langan said. \"It drew in a huge crowd and with the sponsorship raised funds needed to construct the nation\'s first LEED certified classroom. I will be participating again this year and will bring some of my new creations to show.\"

Newport CH International LLC

Mark Langan, Newport CH International LLC, cardboard, art, upcycling Newport CH International LLC logo in cardboard, by Mark Langan Mark Langan created this three-dimensional logo (larger size) for Newport CH International LLC, an international trading company focused on the purchasing and direct export sale of wastepaper for the recycling industry. Says Langan: \"I rendered their logo three dimensionally having it \'erupt\' from a cracked earth-effect background. The background is basically just shredded corrugated (my scraps) that I add a non-toxic glue mix forming a sculpting compound.\"

Piet Mondrian?

Mark Langan, Piet Mondrian, cardboard, upcycling, art, Mid-States Packaging Mark Langan cardboard art in the style of Piet Mondrian Mark Langan created this piece (larger size) as part of a triptych for the boardroom of Mid-States Packaging of Lewsistown, Ohio, a company that makes honeycomb cardboard packaging and related products. \"I picked up a whole bunch of scrap from their warehouse and returned home with it,\" Langan explained. \"I utilized as many facets as possible in the medium and created this unique artwork for them. I based this particular segment of the art on Piet Mondrian.\"

Where Waste Makes Haste

Mark Langan, waste makes haste, art, upcycling, cardboard Where Waste Makes Haste cardboard art by Mark Langan Langan displays this piece (larger size) at shows, as an example of his work (and humor).

Star of David

Mark Langan, Cohen Bar Mitzvah, Star of David, cardboard, art, upcycling Stylized star of david in cardboard by Mark Langan Mark Langan created this stylized Star of David (larger size) for the Cohen family of Beachwood, Ohio, who presented it to their son, David, as a Bar Mitzvah gift. \"The theme for this event is recycling based on \'Bal Tashchit\',\" Langan explained, \"and the artwork is a stylized abstract Star of David made completely from recycled corrugated boxes. I incorporated David\'s invites (also recycled) into the art as well to personalize it for him.\"

Bar Code

USB, Mark Langan, cardboard, upcycling, art Bar Code cardboard by Mark Langan Created for the Illinois Recycling Association\'s 2007 conference in Springfield, Ohio, this sculpture (larger size) will be immediately recognizable to anyone who\'s been through a grocery store checkout. \"The UBC is so abstract,\" Langan said, \"I couldn\'t wait to create this art by mimicking the design.\"

Cardboard Uncle Sam

Cardboard Uncle Sam, art, cardboard, upcycling, Mark Langan Cardboard Uncle Sam Langan\'s work is summed up nicely by this sculpture, of a classic Uncle Sam (larger size). \"This is an artwork that I constructed entirely from recycled corrugated boxes,\" Langan said. \"It is a three dimensional depiction of Uncle Sam from the old Army recruitment posters.\" With a slightly different message.

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