Has anybody ever made an Altered Book?

**heavensent_7** · 08-19-2003, 08:03 PM

I hadn't even heard of these before a few days ago.

Now I WANT one! - There's so much info to sort through, but there doesn't seem to be any rules really (I like that bit LOL)

I was wondering if anybody else had ever made one - I'm looking for inspiration and tips really.

Which also makes me wonder - where's Melissa? I haven't seen her since I got booted off the village???

**guest2** · 08-19-2003, 08:04 PM

Please explain what these books are Bev. You've got me all curious now!!!!

**homesteadmamma** · 08-19-2003, 08:10 PM

Bev, Melissa is on holidays.

I agree, please explain what these books are.

**heavensent_7** · 08-19-2003, 08:11 PM

Here's a picture of one Debbie

http://xrl.us/pqs

If you do a search for Altered Book there's LOADS of them! (They are new to me too - I didn't know it was so big)

Here's something I copied about the history of them:

History of Altered Books

Altered books is an art form in which existing books are reworked into works of art, often manifests in a variety of ways. The existing book becomes the canvas for the new ideas and images. Sometimes words or images from the book are retained as a part of the altering. At other times it is the books is entirely obscured to become a new idea totally.

Altered books are actually an old way of recycling. In the 11th Century Italian monks recycled old manuscripts written on vellum by scraping off the ink and adding new text and illustrations on top of the old. This was known as “Palimpsest.” In the late 19th century people used old books as a sort of scrapbook, pasting on its pages the ephemera from their society including magazine images, personal recipes, and family pictures. This is "Grangerism", a Victorian practice of illustrating a particular book with engravings torn from other books.

Today artists are exploring the form of the book along with its substance. Existing images and text become something entirely new. Tom Phillips’ Humament is one of the first contemporary examples of this art.

By covering, cutting, and changing the structure, altered books run the gamut from books that have become shrines to books that are transformed into colorful images totally unrelated to their origins.

Recently, Altered Books have become popular and one of the “new” trends in the art/hobby industry. It was the focus of many booths at the HIA (Hobby Industry) convention in the winter of 2003. The Carol Duvall show featured altered books as part of their special on HIA. This show had a segment with Beth Cote who was demonstrating altered book techniques at the HIA convention. Several magazine articles and books have recently been published on this topic. Rider College in NJ recently hosted an exhibit of Altered Books, one of the first that focused solely on this art form.

**heavensent_7** · 08-19-2003, 08:12 PM

Oh Thanks C.J. - I wondered why I hadn't seen her and now I think of it I think she may have told me that before she went LOL. Thanks for reminding me - I have a brain like a sieve LOL

**heavensent_7** · 08-19-2003, 08:16 PM

There's also seems to be an argument about whether it is 'right' to deface a book? But these are unwanted books which (this is the argument) would otherwise be filling land fills - so it's recycling. I'll have to go with that or my Dad would turn in his grave LOL - He had a great respect for books and we were never allowed to bend spines or fold corners etc. or he went mad.

So it could be hard for me to start one of these - unless I get round the recycling idea

**guest2** · 08-19-2003, 08:32 PM

Wow, I had never heard of this before. Thanks for the link Bev.

**Sara Noel** · 08-19-2003, 08:35 PM

In this thread I posted some links you might like.
hardcover book purses

**heavensent_7** · 08-19-2003, 09:03 PM

Oh this is an excellent link!!! Thanks Sara!

I never saw it before - some of the links have excellent links too!

I've just got another great idea - I have loads of scraps of Paula Yates, everybody here doesn't seem to like her but I thought she was awesome, I've never really known what to do with them but they have some pop art tags on one of those sites and I have some great pictures to do that.

Thanks ever so much - I'm really happy with this info

**homesteadmamma** · 08-19-2003, 09:13 PM

Boy I'm glad there is someone here who remembers those older threads, because I sure don't. I didn't even remember posting to it.

**Missy** · 08-21-2003, 09:46 AM

I am right here (on my mom's computer...) I am on vacation, so I haven't been on all that much, just enough time here and there to check my emails. Thanks Bev for thinking about me

I have a book I have begun to alter- Got it from the thrift shop. It is fun so far. It is hard though to "just do it" because I was brought up with a great respect for books. So it isn't easy for me to go and cut up, write, paint, glue and so on in a book. Some stores (I know hobby Lobby does) sells blank books witht he specific purpose of being altered. If I wa on my computer at home I would have a few pics to show ya of a page or two that I have done. I'll show them when I go back home. But it is going to be about a week before I go back.

hardcover book purses