Altered Art Book

Dawn Beckert is a family law attorney by day and a crafter by night. She wants it known that most lawyers definitely have a lighter side! After a long day of hitting the law books, Beckert's creativity flows into her whimsical interpretation of altered books. Artistic in their own right she says these books may also serve as a wonderful way to preserve special memories. Her favorite thing about altered books right now are pages that flip, flop and pull out so that it's a surprise at every turn.

Materials:

old book
sharp scissors or craft knife
brayer or bone folder
gesso
yellow ochre and red oxide acrylic paint
acrylic glazing Liquid
18k gold leafing pen
vintage images–copyright free
project file folders
copper tape
ribbon
alphabet stamps
decorative stamps
jet black inkpad
dye-based inkpad in magenta
Tacky Tape
glue stick - non-toxic, washable and acid free
Ranger embossing ink
Red Dragon embossing powder
Mini Gold Crowns (Silver Crow Creations)
glaze
gel medium*
paintbrushes
foam brush
heat gun
stapler
latex gloves
wax paper
* Gel medium acts as a glue for this project.

1. Select a book to alter. (Artist choose an outdated Statute book) Use a glue stick to glue approximately four pages together before the page(s) you intend to alter and four pages behind the page(s) you intend to alter (figure A). This creates a sturdy base on either side of the open two-page spread upon which to paint and embellish. Apply a coat of gesso to the two-page spread. Place wax paper under the pages to protect pages underneath (figure B).

2. Mix a small dollop of yellow ochre acrylic paint with the acrylic glazing liquid. Tip: Mix a ratio of one part paint to three to four parts glazing liquid. When pages are painted with this ratio it creates a see-through glaze so that you will still be able to see the words under your paint for an interesting effect. Experiment with the glazing and paint mixture to determine how much of the underlying text you wish to cover. Paint the mixture on the pages using a paintbrush.