Altered books is taking existing books
and reworking them into works of art.
 Altered books are an old way of
recycling
◦ 11th century Italian monks recycled
old manuscripts
◦ 19th century old books used as scrap
books, family albums, even
containing recipes
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Select a book with sewn / stitched signatures,
they are stronger to work with
◦ Old, worn books are great for this project

Choose a theme
◦ Explore a social issue-poverty, homelessness,
politics, free speech, etc
◦ Use a character trait-tolerance, commitment,
responsibility, respect, etc.
◦ Visually tell another story or poem
◦ Visually tell the story of the book
◦ Use some words from the text to create different
messages
Using text from the book to create a different message
Ripped pages
Folded pages
Pasted paper with
stamps
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TAPE TRANSFER
Cut letters of name from magazine
Place letters face up
Place piece of packing tape over the letters
Put tape with letters in a tray of warm water for
approximately 15 minutes
◦ Remove from water and gently rub magazine paper
off tape leaving ink
◦ Let dry, trim if desired, press into book
◦ Gently burnish tape to blend (burnish is rubbing
with a spoon or other hard instrument)
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Trace your hand with open or closed fingers
on the cover of the book
Fill with patterns and/or textures
◦ Must have at least 5 different patterns and textures
drawn with no lines crossing another
unintentionally

Paint around the hand and tape on your name
from the tape transfer