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Go to next: "What is Altered Art?" - Page 3
various forms? You can try altered books, altered artist's trading
cards, alter a box or make a shrine - just about anything can be your
starting point. Here are some hints and suggestions based on my
experience, along with ideas about unique materials you can include
and where to find them.
Themes: Some altered art has no discernible theme, but most does,
even if only in the mind of the artist. A theme unifies the piece and
keeps it from looking like a random assemblage of objects, techniques
and surfaces. Think of any category that makes you happy or
intrigues you, whether an object, an emotion, a person, a day or
season, the list is infinite. Sometimes a category can be to broad –
keep narrowing it until you find ideas popping into your imagination.
Add a color, texture, or repeated motif or supply you will use. Then
think of a technique you’d like to use. My favorite source of inspiration
is to think about what a friend would enjoy. Mix it up by trying to make
someone else happy with icons and memories special to him or her.
Or simply select a collection of objects unified by color, vintage, or
subject, even if the unity is not apparent on the surface, and carry out
your project in a way that brings out that similarity. I have sometimes
started projects without any theme in mind, and one has sprung out of
the beginning, from the aspects of the ongoing work that please or
intrigue me to most.
Some base or accent materials useful in altered art:
Bases: books, of course, just make sure that the binding is sound
and stitched rather than glued; heavyweight art paper, paper tags,
playing or trading cards (this edges into another related genre: Artist’s
Trading Cards); old frames, boxes or containers of all kinds; cigar
boxes, Altoids boxes; wood; raw or finished, a cupboard door, for
example, freestanding objects with interiors, shelves, or drawers, bird
feeders, mini-cupboards, spice racks, small cupboards, jewelry
boxes; the list goes on and on.
Accents: too many to list, but a few examples: paper goods including
postage stamps, stickers, old letters and/or envelopes, photographs,
magazine illustrations, any example of printed text, ticket stubs,
receipts, words or letters cut out ransom-note style. Metal accents can
include coins, keys, washers, tin (punched or not), foil, house address
numbers, wire, paper clips, brads, rivets, screens. Fibers and fabrics
of any sort. Dried plant materials, stones, sand, butterfly wings,
seashells. Glass tile or microscope slides. Thin sheets of mica.
Beads, baubles, jewels. Glitter. Door knobs. Bottles, Dolls, in whole
or in part. Toys. Any small object, in short, which initially had a
different purpose.
As you can see, altered art can be a wonderful excuse for a packrat
(like me, for example) to add more and more miscellaneous items to
their collection(s).
Where you can find materials:
In your own home. Go through that junk drawer (or, if you’re like
me, the junk room) and find old game pieces, matchbooks, postcards,
anything that has visual interest and perhaps would add texture. If you’
re a crafter, anything you use in your regular hobby can find a home in
altered art work.
In your garage. Washers, the older and grungier the better, to me,
make wonderful accents, can be used as frames for small images, or
even extensions or feet when stacked and affixed. Nails can be affixed
whole, driven into a thicker base material partially or fully, just leaving
the head exposed. Tacks and hooks, wire, small machine parts.
The hardware store. Screens, door or cupboard hardware, nuts
and bolts. Metal sheets or strips. Twine. A broad variety of adhesives
and tapes. Tool boxes and tackle boxes perfect to store and organize
materials. A trip to the hardware is a different experience for an altered
artist than the home handyman.
Thrift stores. Old silverware. Containers, racks and decorative
accents of all kinds. They frequently sell jars of buttons or broken
jewelry for relatively little. Old toys or board games with fun cards or
game pieces. Even an inexpensive article of clothing can supply trim,
buttons, fabric scraps, or (this is fun) pockets cut out with their
backing intact, so that if affixed to your base, it creates a unique holder
for whatever you like. Old photos. Postcards. Books to use for the
paper within (foreign language or art books are great sources), or as a
base for an altered book.
Garage sales. Anything and everything mentioned above, with an
added element of mystery due to its prior ownership. Recipe cards,
old Bibles, scrapbooks that pre-date modern scrapbooking and
contain old photos that can tell a story.
The sidewalk. Yes, you might look like a dumpster diver when you
pounce on something wonderful in your eyes, but trash to anyone
else. Found objects are very special. Personally, I’m a sucker for
anything rusty, especially bottle caps.
Art and Craft Stores. These are my last resort for materials,
because they do sort of defy the purpose of altered art. They are art
materials to start with. But if I need tools, or adhesives, or reinforcing
material, etc -- in other words, something not itself artistically
interesting but necessary for assembly – that’s where I go if I must.
And of course, for any application of color, in any medium, you need to
visit an art and/or craft store. I must admit that I occasionally use
scrapbooking materials, especially the paper, which comes in
wonderful selections, or jewelry charms, but somehow it feels like
cheating unless I keep it to a minimum.
eBay or other online auctions: You really can find it on eBay. Lots
of it,no matter what it is. But remember, 99% of the sellers of this kind
of stuff are aware that someone somewhere is collecting and/or using
it, so the prices are not usually bargains. Keep your eyes open,
though, especially in the eBay vendor stores, where you can either
post a request for something specific (Want It Now) or find things at
sometimes fair prices you couldn’t find anywhere else. I find the Buy It
Now feature, and the ease of Paypal, a real bonus. However, don’t
forget to check shipping charges, which can quickly turn a bargain
into an over-priced item. I like to find a good store and combine
purchases for cheaper shipping.
For ideas about altered art and altered book techniques and
effects you can create with standard art materials, go to
"What is Altered Art" - Page 3.
WHAT IS ALTERED ART - PAGE 3 - NEXT
WHAT IS ALTERED ART - PAGE 1 - BACK
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Participatory Altered Art and Assemblage
What Is Altered Art? How To Make Altered Art Ideas Materials Bases Accents, Embellishments Sources. Where To Find Materials: eBay Thrift Stores Garage Sales Hardware. Shop Custom Altered Art & Gifts: Book Art or Altered
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