An Altered Book is a handmade piece of art created from a variety of materials. It is similar to a friendship book wherein people write notes or messages for the owner. Decos can be created from bound books and children's books, as well as from CDs and so on... There are no rules about the size, shape, number of pages, theme, decorations, or the materials you choose for your Deco. Here are some basic instructions to help you get started on Altered Art.

Board Book Basics

Board Books (children’s books with thick pages) are slightly different than regular books when it comes to altering due to the glossy finish. Here are some steps to help with the problem.

• Sand board book up and down with fine grit sandpaper.
• Sand pages from right to left to create a cross hatch pattern that will help gesso & mediums adhere.
• Use gel medium to glue items.
• Adhere lots of paper and the paper will absorb the ink.
• Use Lumiere paint or Color Box inks on gessoed book board. Place a layer of medium over pigment inks and seal with spray sealer.
• Embellish as desired using decorative papers, ephemera, mounts and tags. There are no rules!