There are a number of techniques that can be used successfully when altering and decorating accordion books. Sometimes, all we need is a little nudge.
Creating an accordion book is challenging as it is, let alone figuring out how to embellish it once the project has been completed. Chances are, a color scheme has already been chosen for the book. Thus, the theme is already somewhat into play.
Here are some ideas to take it a bit further:
- If the accordion book bulging out a bit isn’t an issue, consider adding some sections that fold out, as well as some envelopes. The addition of such compartments adds interest to the accordion book, as well as small elements of mystery.
- Use the accordion book as a means to house an ATC collection, depending on the book’s size. Simply use photo corners, and attach them to the page similarly to how a picture would be added to a scrapbook or memory book.
- Print out quotations, poetry, or other thoughts from the Internet that are of interest to you. Use interesting or fancy fonts, colors, and formatting. Cut these printouts to size, and attach them to the pages of the accordion book using a glue stick.
- Use the accordion book as a small and unique type of art journal. Create page spreads that are completely different from each other, or carry the same theme throughout the entire book.
- Use eyelets and brads to attach ephemera to the pages and create a sort of “a day in the life” type of journal to look back upon. This is another instance where the addition of pockets and envelopes would be beneficial.
- Distress the edges and corners of all areas of the accordion book, and then add a layer of old torn book pages and some tea-stained paper with deckled edges. Distress those edges, too, if desired. Create a vintage style text journal by writing on to the tea stained pages.
- Create a sketchbook by drawing directly into the accordion book. Or, create a book dedicated solely to paintings.
- If you have children, encourage them to write a story and illustrate it directly into the pages of the accordion book. Create one that looks like a stack of ATCs when closed so the size doesn’t overwhelm them and they can create a finished piece in less time.
- Attached pieces of black paper slightly smaller than the pages of the accordion book using a glue stick. Write and draw on these black pages using a white gel pen, or any other type of pastel milk-gel pen.
- Turn it into a scrapbook or memory book using scrapbook materials, pictures, and other elements that would typically be incorporated into a scrapbook page layout.
The only limit here, really, is your imagination. How much time needs to be invested in this project depends on how large or small the accordion book is. Consider working on this project with one or more friends so ideas can be bounced off each other. The creative process is a lot easier to keep flowing freely if you’re working with other artists. If this isn’t possible, consider discussing your project with a group online.
The copyright of the article How to Embellish an Accordion Book in Altered Books is owned by Jenn Greenleaf. Permission to republish How to Embellish an Accordion Book in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
