One of my favorite students is working on an altered book project. She is going through a confirmation class at her church and is creating a book as her final project to express what her faith means to her. This is the essence of what art should be.
She has tons of photos which show her "acting" out her faith through various service and missions trips, and tons of other tidbits, papers, quotes and the like, which will add to the whole meaning of her book. Yesterday we cut out a huge hole in the back portion of the book.
Nooks, crannies and holes are a great addition to any altered book. They can be used to make a secret hiding place for a treasure. Or they can be used as a shadow box area so that you can use 3D items to your page without added bulk.
The secret is to score (or use a pencil line) the shape you want to cut out. Then use an exacto knife or box cutter to carefully cut through the pages. It may be easier to just cut through a few at a time until the desired depth is achieved. We made a square, but depending on how nifty you get with your knife, any shape would do.
Then you must glue the pages together. I think Elmers white glue works best. This is the most tedious part of the project. It takes some time, and then you must weight the whole thing down to prevent bumpiness.
You can add a border or paint around the shape. Remember, there are no rules with altered books, so the possibilities are endless. This is a great way to make a hiding place for a flask, or money, as well, but then you probably wouldn't want to display it on your coffee table.
This particular nook will hold a rosary.
Here is her completed page:
She has tons of photos which show her "acting" out her faith through various service and missions trips, and tons of other tidbits, papers, quotes and the like, which will add to the whole meaning of her book. Yesterday we cut out a huge hole in the back portion of the book.
Nooks, crannies and holes are a great addition to any altered book. They can be used to make a secret hiding place for a treasure. Or they can be used as a shadow box area so that you can use 3D items to your page without added bulk.
The secret is to score (or use a pencil line) the shape you want to cut out. Then use an exacto knife or box cutter to carefully cut through the pages. It may be easier to just cut through a few at a time until the desired depth is achieved. We made a square, but depending on how nifty you get with your knife, any shape would do.
Then you must glue the pages together. I think Elmers white glue works best. This is the most tedious part of the project. It takes some time, and then you must weight the whole thing down to prevent bumpiness.
You can add a border or paint around the shape. Remember, there are no rules with altered books, so the possibilities are endless. This is a great way to make a hiding place for a flask, or money, as well, but then you probably wouldn't want to display it on your coffee table.
This particular nook will hold a rosary.
Here is her completed page:
