BOOK ART: Anyone Can Do It!

I'm not one to fold book pages into fabulous, complicated designs, but I admire those who do.

 This is a terrific way to create beauty from unloved, unwanted books.

I'm the free-form type, decidedly not methodical, so the project detailed below was just my style.

I filled a large pan with a little acrylic medium and a lot of water.  White glue would be a good substitute for the medium. I also collected thin pencils, thicker ones, and fat rolls of waxed paper. These would serve as armatures. Remove hard covers from the book unless you want a straight "stem."

Oh, but wait, there's more!

Dipping pages--still attached--into the pan (sometimes just one or two, sometimes more!), I wetted them, removed from pan, and rolled. I varied the directions and amount of curve, as you can see in the photo above. And yes, this takes awhile, since I only recommend doing a few sections at a time. I left the supports inside until dry, but the diluted mixture dries fast. 

Took a couple of days, but so fun and simple to do!

I used spray paint and a touch of brushed-on acrylic paint on  mine. Then I photographed it from above. I suggest either white, gray, or black as a background.

Here's another idea to try, if you're more precise and meticulous than I: a butterfly!

                (Art teachers might find discarded books and try this with fast-working kids who always seem to need more to do. If not photographed with a digital camera, try scanning.)

BEEN WANTING TO DO ARTY JOURNALING?

THESE ARE SOME MOTIVATORS TO GET YOU GOING!

Below, tiny squares on a calendar were filled with daily thoughts.

 

FOUND ON FLICKR



 

Front and back cover, and the fastener.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Love the integration of back and front.

 

The third example, also found on Pinterest, is a finished page that I quite liked.

Love the color scheme!





ENCRUST ALMOST ANYTHING!

Embedding is Easy

 

The back of a thrift-store hand mirror can be embellished with bits of  costume jewelry. The adhesive can be heavy gel medium or any of your favorite, heavy-duty glues.



Transform a plain surface by encrusting it.

I have posted before about this method of altering objects. The covers of altered books are great for this technique!   

Texture is a good thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See how I re-created the surface of the

vessel below at this link: http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2013/05/encrustation-and-embedding-in-artwork.html

Creepy, right? Like Pandora's Box!

 

                                                                  

                                                 Even a handbag can be collaged and encrusted.



THIRD POST IN THE ALTERED BOOK SERIES

The cover of a book you alter must, of course, be striking. The one below is dimensional, with the leafy design sculpted of paper pulp. You could duplicate the idea by using Sculpey or other products. Press them into a mold if you don't want to form them yourself by hand.

The background is fabric.

I added shading around the paper sculpture (above) to incorporate it into the design of the cloth cover.

Here's another cover, below, done with a board book I altered. Each "page" was carved into a different curvy shape. The eye (on the inside facing page) shows through  a cut-out hole in the cover.

Imagine, by P. Guhin

Remember to design an interesting spine and edges, too! 

Beaded trim adds a decorative touch.

IDEAS FOR ALTERING UNWANTED BOOKS

Second in a series about altered books.

A closure device can be a nice touch. Below, you see a finished cover (I left quite a lot of the antique book cover showing) with a polished horn and leather loop at the open side.

Rusted metal, fibrous fabric, imagery, and corrugated cardboard.

Here's a side view of the finished book, below.

Close-up of my closure device.

Now for a freebie offer (now closed) for my followers only! I have sooooo many books and not enough room, so the first person (who follows this blog) who contacts me privately with their postal address (U. S. only, please) WINS the antique schoolbook shown below. I think it's from the 50's.

With color illustrations inside!

I'll mail it to the winner at no charge, of course, and I promise I won't use your mailing address for anything else. When the book has been given away, I'll make a note here.
The winner of this vintage book is Jo Rice!

ALTERED BOOKS ARE AWESOME!

How many of you have altered an old, unwanted book and created something both beautiful and useful? This post begins a short series on a few formats to try, details to add, & more. You'll also find links to other helpful sites.

                      This tiny, fold-up "book" stands alone for display. I used slide frames, tiny holes in the corners, and jewelry jump rings.

Anyone Can Draw, by P. Guhin

And here's another idea I love: Make a double picture frame or an altered art shadowbox!

Sea motif with images, glass pebbles, shells, etc.

For this stand-up shadowbox , I had to cut the center rectangles out of a discarded book. And here's a video link to a method of making a hidden shadow box inside an old book!

I love horses!

I made an altered art book on equines, and folded this page so I could slip some mementos into the pocket.

Are you a visual arts educator? This site includes tips, assessment, and more!

UNUSUAL SURFACES FOR COLLAGE AND PAINT

Try Collaging or Painting on Unusual Supports or Dimensional Objects!

Tired of creating art on the same old surfaces, in the same old shapes? In this post you'll see some unconventional "canvases." Paint and collage almost anything from a large animal bone to an entire vehicle! Breathe new life into a battered briefcase or hard-sided suitcase. Rescue a scruffy table. Unusual collage surfaces or painting "canvases" include far too many materials to mention them all here, but I hope you'll take inspiration from some of these ideas.

Robert Esquivel is a very talented artist who has done wonderful mixed-media work on old LPs ! He painted Captivation, below,  over a collage done on an unwanted vinyl record.

An old album cover might be perfect, especially if you use clear gesso on the front and also gesso the back. 

Collage/painting using old LP cover as the substrate.

I used the round format to collage and paint a mask on a  discarded dinner plate. 

                                                                              Here a game board served as my collage base. 

Game board substrate.

Wooden cases, salesmen's sample cases...these can
easily be collaged and painted. (Lightly sand and gesso 
first if necessary.) 

I can't wait to use these!

Large cow bones can be painted, too! 

Bone Mask, cow pelvis, acrylic paint.

(Always clean bone thoroughly and let dry before painting. You can apply gesso as a first coat if desired. As a final step, a layer of varnish is suggested.)

Other unorthodox "canvases" include vintage book covers (above), old bowling pins or decorative metal tins (after sanding and gessoing). 
Rejuvenate an ordinary bottle into a fantasy genie bottle with Lumiére or glass paints, fibers, beads, found objects, and more. Even a shoe can become a blank canvas--create cool kicks that you can actually wear, if you dare.

                            Go ahead, be re-creative  with any funky object you can revamp!

How to Create a Mock Leather Effect

My most recent book at the time of this posting is Creating Decorative Papers (available from Stackpole Books or Amazon.com, amongst others). There are two different methods in the book regarding faux leather. One of them is pictured here, and it's really easy!

You can use this 

distressed leather effect 

on a book cover,

 in a collage or collage/painting, 

even on your walls or wood furniture!

Be a Follower to Qualify for this Drawing...a Free Book!

The prize for this contest is my most recent book, just out this month! 

Simply become a follower of this blog (if you're not already) and you'll be entered in the random drawing.


This offer is good until Friday evening, Jan. 20, 2012, when the winner of the blog candy (book prize) will be announced.


Winner must email me his or her snail mail address (post office address).


                                                                

A SHAPED ALTERED BOOK

I made this little altered book from a children's board book, first cutting each page into a curvelinear, each different from the others. Of course I sanded and gessoed the pages before painting and collaging them.

The hole was already in the cover, so I just used it!