For those who are new to book arts, create an experimental altered book. This is perfect for practicing and making mistakes.
It isn’t uncommon to feel nervous when starting an altered book project. This is particularly true for those who are new to book arts. In order to relieve these anxieties, create an altered book to experiment with. Not only will this help you find a comfort zone when it comes to book arts, but it will also help prevent artist's block.
Materials:
- Old book, try finding one that is thin to start with
- Glue stick (heavy duty)
- Crayons or colored pencils (multiple colors)
- Walnut ink
- Magazine clippings
- Ephemera
- Rubber stamps (any image that inspires you)
- Black sharpie
- Gesso or white acrylic paint
- Paintbrushes
- Small containers of water
Instructions:
- Strengthen pages in three or four sections evenly spaced out throughout the book. This will keep the book's shape consistent. Be prepared because it will bow open.
- Open the book to a page spread you feel comfortable working with. Apply a thin layer of gesso or white acrylic paint. Allow the text and (or) images to show through slightly. Allow the gesso to dry completely before moving on to the next step. (Speed drying time through use of a heat gun or hair dryer.)
- Add three or four magazine clippings to each side of the page spread. Be sure the entire back of the clipping is covered with glue in order to prevent them from peeling up from the page after they’re dry.
- Layer rubber-stamped images over the gesso and the magazine clippings.
- Color in the rubber stamped images, practicing blending and shading.
- Layer on ephemera over all the page’s other elements. For weighty items, use a stronger white glue rather than the glue stick.
- Add text using quotations, journal entries, poetry, and lyrics.
- Rub walnut ink along the edges of the pages, as well as in random areas of the page spread.
Variations:
- Practice blending the walnut ink using tissues and cotton swabs.
- Tear along the edges of the magazine clippings creating a deckled edge, and then rub walnut ink along them before affixing to the page.
- Use chalks, rather than crayons or colored pencils, to blend in pops of color in various areas of the page spread.
- Use a hole punch, or any other shaped punch, to add small niches and cut-outs throughout the page spread.
As you can see, this is a very basic tutorial meant to break barriers. Take these ideas and run with them. Make mistakes, make messes, rip pages, fold pages, and punch holes. This book is for everything you’ve ever wanted to experiment with, but were too afraid to try.
The copyright of the article How to Make an Experimental Altered Book in Altered Books is owned by Jenn Greenleaf. Permission to republish How to Make an Experimental Altered Book in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
