Altered art is the result of looking for new worth in everyday places. Because it is a mixed-media project, you are free to use any elements at your disposal to create a one-of-a-kind, inspired piece of tangible art. Even ordinary journals, such as the typical school composition book, can receive new life by being turned into a piece of altered art. Each page of the book can be used to tell a story or express an aspect of the human condition.
Choosing and Preparing your Book
Find a composition book that you don't mind turning into an altered art piece. Your book can be either new or used. Using a new book gives you a blank canvas to work with, but using a used composition books gives you the opportunity to use some of the existing content as inspiration or part of an altered art piece. Slip a piece of wax paper between every sheet of paper in the book. These will help your pages dry without damaging the previous or following page in the book. Once your art work has dried, these can be removed and saved for your next project or discarded.
Altering the Pages
Decide on a theme for your altered art book. Your book can be a different story on each page of the composition journal, or it can have one cohesive theme to every page. For instance, if the theme was "love" you could show different aspects of the one unifying theme of love on each page. Or, each page can tell a different story of people in love, or follow no theme at all. Use anything you have at your disposal to alter your pages. Make your pages look drastically different from the new or found piece it once was. You can use paint, magazine clippings, glue, fabric, stamps, paper, crayons, tea stains, markers---anything that will help you to convey your idea. Let your imagination run wild here, as this is the most rewarding and important step. Allow your art to shine by adding three-dimensional elements to your pages. Consider using beads, buttons, sequins, fabric pieces, flowers, leaves, or any other item that will add presence and weight to your altered book.
