Altered

When I posted this Out and About Nothings, Aunt Amelia’s comment said, “Actually, I'd not be a good one to comment on your altered book, anyway. I never got my mind around "the why" of Altered Books.”

So here is my long-winded version of whys and wherefores and a surprise offering.

To alter an existing book is taking something that would be discarded; in this case a book I bought from the Goodwill. But a person can take any notebook to decorate (alter) or even various pages (think scrapbook) and affix them into a book. They can be themed or a hodge podge. Assembling of found or castoff objects into a pleasing and cohesive design adding paint or doodles or just about anything, imagination is the only limit. A lot of time these books have some sort of interaction between the reader/viewer and the pages they can be -pop ups, disc to turn and change a view or give surprise perspective to the page. It is a different type of medium that offers art that can be touched, smelled or whatever. There is a certain 3 dimensional aspect to altered art / altered books.

This is a venue that I am still learning, it is something that cannot be hurried as one must wait for glue or paint to dry. I think my attraction to this form of art is that one takes things that are textural and combines them with visuals to create something emotional. They are great for gifts of the heart because they can be so personalized. Well like … who remembers ‘This is your life’, I don't but I heard it was a TV show about someone’s life, yeah sorta like that, but about the theme or not of your choice.

I could see you, Auntie, taking seed packages of flowers in your husband’s garden, a tiny bottle of it’s soil with perhaps dried petals pasted to pages and some of the lovely words you write about it or some of the letters you get and placing them in an old gardening book. There see Aunt Amelia your very own altered book.
OR
Lets say for instance you like to walk in the woods or on beaches and take photos or make drawings. One could put these in a book along side tree bark, leaves, feathers little rocks (without damaging nature of course). One could mention the way the air felt or how is smelled on that particular day.
OR
Maybe you could to do one of your pregnancy or on the birth of a grandchild. Do a book teaching your little ones numbers, letters, colors and nursery rhymes, where they get to decorate the page. Guys, you don’t have to be left out, there are many “manly” subjects out there, you have the whole array of outdoors activities, sports, cars, outer space, tools, bb que or whatever you men do. The limit is… well there is no limit.

Just curious here, how many of you dabble in art and or crafts? Would any of you care to win a book about beginning Altered Art? I’m just asking cause “indoor” weather will be here before you know it and you may want try out something new to do with the kids and this is so kid friendly. Guys may want to make a special gift for their partner (keep it clean fellas) And maybe I can have a give away, but only if more then… lets say 5 folks were to be interested and if so maybe I will.

You tell me.