Artists use existing books to create new pieces of art.
An altered book is a published book that has been altered or changed in some way to create an art piece. Altered book artists use paper, fiber, beads, chalk, paint, drawings and pictures to alter books. Sometimes artists incorporate the text or images in the existing book into the project. An altered book might have a personal theme or inspire the artist based on its plot, subject or characters. Scrapbooking is a way for crafters to preserve their photos in books. The combination of a scrapbook and altered book creates a personalized piece of memorabilia.
Travel Scrapbooks
Altered scrapbooking projects focused on travel highlight a specific location or the travels of an individual. Travel scrapbooks include photos from various destinations, transportation tickets, hotel receipts, local newspaper clippings and brochures from area attractions. Using a novel with a strong setting as a backdrop for personal travel mementos combines traditional altered book work with personal scrapbooking. For instance, display a trip to New York City in an altered copy of "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger or use an Anne Rice book as the backdrop for commemorating a trip to New Orleans. To make an altered travel book using "Catcher in the Rye," a scrapbooker attaches with adhesive tickets, brochures and photos from her trip into a copy of the novel. The book does not need to be any special edition or style. There are no rules in altered scrapbooking, as long as the artist is comfortable and happy with the finished product.
Heritage Scrapbooks
Heritage books celebrate the ancestry of a person or family. An altered heritage scrapbook might include photos of family members, letters, discharge papers from the military, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses and other mementos showing a family's personal history. Altered heritage books might be organized by family member, branches of a family or important family events. For instance, an altered scrapbook dedicated to weddings tells the history of each married couple in a family with photos, love letters and family trees. An altered scrapbook focused on military service in a family features military photos, medals or awards, and newspaper clippings. Ideas for a heritage-themed altered scrapbook include "Running in the Family" by Michael Ondaatje or "Voodoo Queen: The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau" by Martha Ward. The latter is an appropriate choice for a Cajun-heritage-themed altered scrapbook.
Event Scrapbooks
Creating scrapbooks focused on a particular event provides an opportunity to reflect on a special time in a person's life. Altered event books include wedding albums, graduation albums, christening or baptism albums or anniversary albums. Photos from the event, as well as memorabilia, are used to create the book. Popular items for the book include event programs, greeting cards and monogrammed napkins. Splicing the items together by cutting them and positioning them on the page creates the cohesive look for which altered books are known. Wedding or party-themed novels that work for altered event books include "A Wedding in December" by Anita Shreve or "The Wedding" by Nicholas Sparks.
Decorative Scrapbooks
Altered scrapbooks do not have to be personal. Many altered book enthusiasts use traditional books such as novels, nonfiction or literary classics to create altered art projects. Photos, scraps of decorative paper, fiber and stickers are added to pages of text, creating a hodgepodge of interesting items. Altered books might be based on a color or theme but are often created by whatever inspires the artist at the moment.
