Close up of right page (currently the front page. The following 2 are visible through the cut outs.
I should really ban the word 'finished' from my vocabulary!These are essentially the same pages as I showed last time but stepped up a little.
I really want to get good at altering books and decided to try several new things with these pages- cut outs and masking text. This book is a bit of a Guinea pig. Learning on/in/with the book means mistakes in/on the book or things that are a little rough, but practise makes perfect as they say! I hope you'll continue to enjoy the journey with me:)
I had already found the St Frances image and used the birds when I spotted the words " I see a temple in the forest" and " I see hope" which I pieced together from the original text and gave them a new context. I was looking at book sculpture on line and decided to do some cutting with a craft knife, nothing ventured, nothing gained! These aren't exactly sculpture in the true sense but that was the inspiration and this book now has a lot more intrigue. People have commented to me both here and in person that they love books and could never do this to a book. I highly recommend everyone tries it! I would never use a perfectly good book for altering. I choose books that are old but not collectable and not damaged (yellowed, spotty, musty, brittle) and I won't use a book that I think will be of interest to others. I found 2 copies of "Treasure Island" today, 1 of "little woman" and 1 of "Tom Sawyer" but decided they might actually get read and loved again by someone else. The books I use are either destined for the rubbish or an extended stay in either the 'free' box at the second hand shop or on the back of a shelf unread. I bring these books out of there retirement so to speak! Here's a link to an artist who does 'book autopsies' nothing gory, unless of course you can't bear to think of any book being cut up! They're very clever- be prepared to be wowed!
6 comments:
I am a book lover, but I think it is wonderful what you do with your books and I sure can appreciate it. I don't think it is sacrilege at all. Some books are not worth saving and wouldn't be read again, as you said.It is interesting to see what you make of them.
What Nora says is very true. Imagine how many books are published every year and how many are not very good, very informative or worth the effort to even read. Plus, there are library books that are routinely sent to the dustbin once their useful life has been reached. Anyway, I love what you're doing too ... keep at it! :)
I have never altered books and this is all very intriguing to me... Nice work.
Hugs to you and your family :)
you perform book cpr form waht I see...hope all is well there....my best.
Great work Lisa! Whether you've finished, or not :-).
About the books...I've had my own inner debate on this same thing, as I have some very, very old books and journal archives (not in very good shape)that I have cut into for images and I ask myself if I should be saving them. But then, saving them for who? The dustbin? Most old books are not really valuable, and not worth much(there are exceptions I know). Mick is right there are sooooo many books out there, we can't save them all, and quite frankly, shouldn't. I like to think that when I cut and use the images I am giving them a second life that they wouldn't have otherwise. I'm talking about 100 year old images here (yep, I've done it).
Lisa, love what you are doing to these books. What better way to repurpose.
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