Learn the art of altering books!
the ALTERED
BOOKS workshop
Make Altered Books and Save thrift store finds from landfills
If you would like to learn how to alter books and find out what altered book art is, this course is for you. By the end of this course you will be an altered book artist and will be able to use your own ideas and create beautiful books.
I made my first altered book when I was 18 and haven’t stopped since! I love old books and find it very hard to believe that a lot of them make their way to landfills while we buy new blanks to create scrapbooks. I am a die hard recycling nut and so whenever I can, I try to incorporate things I already have in my art.
In this workshop you will learn how to use any old hardbound book from the thrift store and turn it into a marvellous scrapbook for yourself! You will learn how to prepare the book, different painting techniques that can be used to transform the pages and so much more!
We’ll use everything from paint to bubble wrap, fibers to images cut out from old books and ofcourse we will use a LOT of glue.
Sometimes we spend so much on buying expensive ready-made books when all we need is an old book, some paper scraps and paint to create a unique piece of art. This is a great way to play with different art techniques and end up with something uniquely you!
This is the perfect project to do when you want to try out some fun new mixed media techniques and want to create a truly unique keepsake. This is a perfect activity for summer months and teen parties too! What are you waiing for? I’ll see you in the videos!
Mahe Zehra Husain (MZ)
Altered Books are SO much fun! Turn your old books into new works of art.
Let’s Make This Together!
Here are some images of the Altered books I have made.
It all began when I was turning an old book into a scrapbook for my adventures in Italy with my family. I had an old book lying around that was a hardback but had a few missing pages. I started playing and never looked back!
The Lesson Plan
In this mini class we’ll start from the basics. You’ll Learn:
First we will prepare your book by treating the pages.
After the base is created we will move on to adding paint and embellishments to the pages. You will learn how to use unusual household supplies to paint - so roll up your sleeves and get ready to have some fun with acrylic paints!
We’ll go over ways to incorporate fun embellishments to your pages.
Next up we will start adding ephemera into the book.We will use everything from old book images to fibers and more!
You’ll learn to create everal different kinds of pockets to store all your treasures.
Find images and embellishments in unexpected places like old picture books and fun painting tools you never expected!
Where to Find Old Books?
If you don’t have old books and want to try altered books ideas, you need to find some old books. You can easily find them in many places around you. You can get old books from:
Thrift stores
Your friends and family
Flea Markets
Garage book sales
Library book sales
Sales from online stores
Craigslist
Just grab a book from any of these sources and start decorating it with the easy and simple DIY art and crafts ideas in my videos.
A few things to look out for are:
Try and go with a hardbound book.
The book should have a strong spine and good binding.
The pages should be strong – not yellowed and old and brittle.
Approach to Book Altering
Your approach towards altering the books could vary. You could create a story in your book, you could turn it into a scrapbook or a smash book, you could turn it into a travel journal. The possibilities are endless.
Tips and Tricks You’ll Learn:
To incorporate unusual painting tools in your page layouts
How to create everal different kinds of pockets
How to use images from old books as embellishments
To incorporate trims, punches and more to create unusual layouts
How to use old books and found images in your books
How to make a handmade book that is an incredible keepsake and gift!
Why an online class?
Why an online class?
Online courses are so much fun because you can learn at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home. May we suggest a tasty beverage and pajamas? Perhaps on your favorite chair? Or even in your studio at our craft table? You can take online classes anywhere you want!
You also have lifetime access to the video course and can come back to watch it and rewatch it anytime you want.
You can ask as many questions as you want on the course page and I will always do my best to answer your questions as best as I can.
Join a fun community of makers and creators and share your work and learn from others!