Give an old book a new calling by transforming it into an altered book! The paper in older hardbacks is perfect for art, and an old book can become a treasured place for sketching, painting, writing, and collage. An altered book is also fantastic for journaling on the go – easy to take traveling or to tuck in a bag for moments of inspiration. 

Angela K. Nickerson, a writer and inveterate journaler, enjoys using an altered book for her art. She introduces you to the work of art journalers she admires and shares remarkable examples from other creatives. Whether you’re new to art journaling or do it regularly, their examples can infuse your practice with inspiration and new ideas.

In the first meeting of this two-session class, Angela shows how to prepare and transform a vintage book. Use her simple method to cut out, paste, and mark up the pages. She’ll also introduce you to a number of techniques, one of which is layering cutouts through several pages to build up a scene. By the end of the session you’ll have christened your altered book with an exercise or two. 

The intervening week provides time for you to personalize the cover and work more on the pages inside. In the final session everyone shares what they’ve done, then Angela demonstrates some more techniques to expand your repertoire. We’re particularly drawn to the way she uses words and phases on the page. She is a writer, after all!

This online class will be recorded and made available to class participants for 10 days after the class.