To create an altered book is to use a book as your creative canvas. It’s a form of both book arts and altered arts.

It can be a new book, or an old book. However, I’ve only use old books that are usually headed for the dump or a burn pile. I purchase primarily from library book sales.

According to the librarian books that are not sold are destroyed. So what better way to give them new life that to turn them into a work of art.

How is the Art Created?

What you can do to an altered book is practically limitless. Altered books can be rebound; removing the cover and replacing it, or using the cover and replacing the pages. The books can be torn, folded, stitched, burned, stamped, cut, etc…

An Altered Book doesn’t necessarily have to close when they are completed. In fact, altered books are beautiful sitting on a shelf, or a coffee table, where the viewer can catch glimpses of art. It’s usually art meant to be picked-up and discovered.

An Altered Book may end up being many double spread of pages or art, a cover with a hidden niche inside, or just two pages when completed.

What Else Can You Do?

That’s only limited by your imagination. I’ve incorporated feathers, wire, screen, metal, leafs, charms, fiber, watch parts, and much more.

Below is swatches taken from some of the pages I’ve created:

Where Can I Find Additional Information?

Here. We will add images, plus tutorials on different methods you can use in your altered books. Nearly any technique you’ll find here will be able to be incorporated into an altered book. If a technique works to create an Artist Trading Card is should work just fine in an altered book.

The International Society of Altered Book Artists is an non-organization dedicated to promoting altered books as an art form. They have a forum where artists exchange ideas, and techniques. They also sponsor roaming educational exhibits and other events.

Join one of the Altered Book Groups at Yahoo.com.

The background for this artist trading card is the same background as the Cold As Ice artist trading card. To create the look follow the tutorial for the background technique there. Then simply glue the image to the card.

The image we used was Young Christian Martyr by Paul Delaroche. You may download a high resolution copy of it below.

Downloaded a total of 124 times

This piece of art measures 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″, the same dimensions as an ATC or ACEO.

This is the image I use as my avatar at Blog Catalog and other sites throughout the internet. I like it because it is unique and memorable, or should I say at least it was unique.  Now I’ve told you all how to create it…

How to Get the Look

Supplies:

• Playing Card - 2 1/2′ x 3 1/2″
• Modern Options Iron Metallic Surfacer
• Modern Options Rust Patina
• Rubber Stamp - (I’ll post the stamp used as soon as I get my studio moved, or if you know let me know so I can give it proper credit.)
• Kraft Tag
• Black Ink
• Black Cardstock
• Lace - 100% cotton
• Glue Dot
• Walnut Ink
• Matte Spray Sealant

How To Create

1. Dip the lace in a strong solution of walnut ink and let dry.
2. Cover the playing card, both front and back, with several coats of Modern Options Iron Surfacer, allowing it to dry between coats. You should have a very thick layer of iron paint on surface by the time you are done. You are trying to re-create the look of a piece of rusty metal so create some thickness.
3. Place the card on a paper towel. Cover the surface with the rust patina solution allowing some to seep through to the back. Fold the paper towel over the top. Dampen the top layer of paper towel with additional solution. The iron in the paint will begin to rust as it dries.
4. Repeat the rust patina solution until you’ve created the look you want.
5. Seal with a Matte Spray Sealant. Use several very light coats so you don’t ruin the look of the rust. You want it to look natural. You will get rust on your clothing etc. if it isn’t sealed.
6. Stamp the women’s face on a kraft colored tag, using a black pigment ink. Trim to the edge of the image.
7. Mount the stamped woman’s face on a piece of black card stock.
8. Attach to the card using a glue dot.
9. Glue lace to the card.

The metallic surfacers and patinas are mediums that I come back to time and time again. In fact, they are one of my favorite mediums to work with. Actually, my favorite is whatever product I am using at any given time that helps me get the look I want. So it would be more accurate to say that they are one of my most used product lines.

I particularly love the fact that I can create rusty paper and create beautiful rich blue and green patina on my projects.

The paints are filled with finely ground metal. The copper and iron will oxidize. The copper paint patinas to a beautiful blue or green. The iron can be oxidized to a beautiful rust color. The cobalt blue is absolutely fantastic, especially when combined with copper.

The iron surfacer thickens up very quickly. Even at times when I’ve used tons of it for classes I have had to throw much of it away because it has just gotten to thick by the time I use it the following week. If one was to add water to keep it from getting to thick it simply causes it to start oxidizing and rusts the paint.

To Use:

Apply them as you would other paints. The patina solutions are applied after the primary coatings have dried. The tutorials we upload here will have specific instructions if they vary from a basic application.

So far our online projects that feature this product are:

• The card featured on My Blog Debut

Where to purchase:

• Your local rubber stamp shop, or arts and crafts store. Or call Memory Depot at 512-326-8045 to have the product shipped to your door.

What the product looks like:

I decided to officially launch this it through Entrecard. I have a few other blogs listed here, primarily Dream, Act, Plan, Believe, and the Entrecard community has been very good to me. Thanks!

I haven’t written my About Me page yet, but here’s a very, very brief introduction about my artistic side. I’m a mixed media artist and craft designer, and have traveled teaching at art retreats and stores about scrap-booking, book making, rubber-stamping, and mixed media techniques. I’ve designed and created products for boutiques, publication, and private stores. Much of my work isn’t available for viewing online as it is reserved for print media.

I’ll be sharing techniques on this blog related to lots of different mediums.

I’m celebrating the debut with gifts. So if you’re into art, primarily mixed media or clay this may be of interest to you. I’ve giving away some kato RippleBlades for use with polymer clay to the first 15 artists who comment on this blog and subscribe to my feed. When you do that I’ll send you a thank you email, asking for your address so I can get your blade to you in the mail.

~ Enjoy

How to Get the Look

Supplies:

• 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ Piece Textured Wallpaper
• Alcohol Inks - assortment of blue inks
• Artful Mosaic Rubber Stamp (P2-636) by Stampers Anonymous
• Silver Leafing Pen, by Krylon
• Black StazOn Ink Pad, by Tsukineko
• Acetate
• 4 Black Brads

How To Create

1. Cut the wallpaper and a piece of acetate to the 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ ATC size.
2. Using a piece of felt cover the wall paper with various colors of alcohol blue ink. Let the ink pool in some areas to create more visual depth.
3. Highlight some of the raised areas with the Krylon silver leafing pen.
4. Apply additional alcohol ink to some areas, so the silver blends more with the background, and a strong contrast does not exist.
5. Stamp the piece of acetate with the Artful Mosaic stamp using black StazOn Ink.
6. Glue the wallpaper to a study card stock. We use playing cards.
7. Attach the acetate, ink side down, to the front of the using the brads.

Supplies:

• Stamp of Your Choice
• Versamark Stamp Pad or Other Clear Stamp Pad
• Black Cardstock
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Detail Paint Brush
• MicaColor Palettes of your choice
• Diamond Glaze
• Embossing Gun
• Water

How To Create

1. Stamp the image on the black cardstock using clear ink.
2. Emboss with clear Embossing Power.
3. Color in the recessed areas with the MicaColor by dipping the detail brush in water and then mixing the water with the MicaColor. Mix as you would watercolors. Then paint the paper.
4. Cover the center of the sunflower with Diamond Glaze.

The MicaColor™ Palettes are a high quality artististic product. Each palette contains 10 pearlescent Mica pigment watercolors. The paint is acid free and creates stunning visual effects on both a light or a dark surface. We consider this product a must in our artistic tool box.

To Use:

Use them just as you would watercolor paints. Simply mix a little water with the paint and apply to the surface using a brush, or other application tool.

So far our online projects that feature this product are:

• Night Floral Artist Trading Card

Where to purchase:

• Your local rubber stamp shop or call Memory Depot at 512-326-8045 to have the product shipped to your door.

What the product looks like:

They too can be highly collectible. I’ve seen these miniature works of art sell on Ebay for up to $250.00.

Artist Trading Cards (ATC’s) are miniature works of art that measure 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″. They are created to to trade with other artists and are not for resale.

Creating Artist Trading Cards can be quite addictive. They are generally quick and easy to create and you can have a miniature work of art done in no time.There are lots of internet groups that hosts trades, offer tips etc.

Resources:

Click here for a history of ATC’s
Yahoo Artist Trading Card Group