# Salvaged Book Portraits These Portraits on Books are Utterly Unique and Surprisingly Stunning By Farida Helmy | Published 2014-07-14 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portraits-on-books References: [designtaxi](http://designtaxi.com/news/367150/Whimsical-Portraits-Of-Humans-And-Animals-On-Piles-Of-Discarded-Books/?interstital_shown=1) & [mikestilkey](http://www.mikestilkey.com/) Creating a portrait on canvas is no easy task; now imagine painting portraits on books of people and animals. Crazy, right? Well, apparently not. Los Angeles-based artist Mike Stillkey was able to do it and it looks absolutely awesome. Piling the books in order and using their backends, Stillkey creates his masterpieces that are usually in the form of portraits on books of people and animals. The whimsical series is so surprising and stunning that you will find yourself staring at it for a while to see how the artist was able to do it. The books used to create the artwork were from the library’s discarded trash. Turning trash into canvas for his paintings, the talented Stillkey works with inks, colored pencils, paint and lacquer to create his portraits. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.6/10 - Popularity: 4% | Activity: 5% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Book Art:** Creating portraits on discarded books presents an opportunity for artists to repurpose materials and create unique art forms. - **Upcycled Art:** Using discarded trash as canvas for paintings allows artists to contribute to sustainability efforts while showcasing their creativity. - **Whimsical Portraits:** Painting portraits on books adds an unexpected and visually captivating element to traditional portraiture. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Art:** Artists can explore the use of unconventional materials and techniques to create distinctive and eco-friendly artwork. - **Sustainability:** Artists and designers can leverage the concept of upcycling to create sustainable products and reduce waste in consumer industries. - **Book Publishing:** Publishers could experiment with incorporating book art into their publications, providing a unique and visually appealing reading experience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Custom Pet Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portrait-mom.md) - [Stunning Origami Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/origami-portaits.md) - [Timeless Photo Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/photos-by-artkive.md) - [AI Pet Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drawmypet.md) - [Leftover Househouse Paint Artwork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paint-drop.md) - [Reimagined Puzzled Artful Paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portrait-of-a-woman-in-a-hat.md) - [Abandoned Bikes-Turned Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/objects-from-frames.md) - [3D-Printed Flip Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stl-sculptures.md) - [Oil Painting-Inspired Rugs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/antonio-santn.md)