[Ginger]

Book altering is a form of art that involves creating art out of books. For all of you book readers, does the thought of cutting up, painting, drawing in, glueing, or sculpting things out of books mortify you?

Personally, I love book altering. I only alter old, outdated books that people probably wouldn't care about if I transformed it into a work of art that they can appreciate. I have only altered one very old geography book, but man it was really fun. I have started on another outdated Careers book but this one is going to be way different than the first.

What do you think book lovers? Do you think book altering is alright, or should all books be treated with care?

edit; Here is my first altered book that I made out of the old Geography book. It is a bookbox, but it's not used for that. It is instead used for decoration. I added a few things like a button for the eye on the cover, some ribbon, and a little key surrounded by cute jewel beads hanging from fishing line. The key is hanging from a string. This is a simple altered book and there are many different forms. I will post more examples as I finish them, or even WIPs if anyone is interested~

[Serra Britt]

I used to work in a bookstore and I know that, paperbacks at least, we threw away by the HUNDREDS. So I'm not opposed to making art out of them, I'd actually love to see some of it ^^

[Suzerain of Sheol]

I don't see why it would be a problem, as long as it isn't some rare, antique book. For stuff that's easily replaced and widely available, it seems perfectly reasonable to me.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

I might object if one took a very old and very valuable manuscript to do it, but on the whole, nah. I like to make things myself and book art, while not something I've done, is something I've thought about. I've seem some lovely greeting cards made from book excerpts and stamps, among other things. I certainly wouldn't call it offensive either, unless the author of the book in question happened to have a particular gripe with it. It's the same thing when one cuts out and glues the pages to make a book-box.

[Espy]

Che, I have issues with cutting anything out of anything....even mags and newspapers and stuff.

But it's more of a perfectionist sort of issue.

[Mizeria]

"Personally, I love book altering. I only alter old, outdated books that people probably wouldn't care about if I transformed it into a work of art that they can appreciate."

After this you said geography book + Careers book so I'm okay with that.

But the way that first sounded made me twitch inside. I love book and the thought of cutting them up bothers me. But Outdated school type books is okay with me, or rather, more okay then if it was some really old book that might have some hidden value.

Do you have a picture of what you made the geography book into?

[Coda]

Me, I'd rather see this done with a book that's still in print -- old books, even old outdated textbooks, sometimes have value, even if it doesn't seem like it. With a book still in print, you can always replace it.

[Lunaryon]

I think that would be wonderful, especially if we did it will all of America's Tax codes. Turn something horrible into something beautiful.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

I would be inclined to do it more with art and poety books or novels rather than number stuff, depending on the project. I would like working with the passages and text themselves, though if we're talking only a word or two here and there, then I guess the book doesn't really matter. I would definately feel better about it if it was a trashed copy to begin with, or I had another.

Certain old books, like old dictionaries or old anthologies I would be hesitant to mess with because they can contain stuff that is no longer around. I keep many of our outdated dictionaries becaue they often contain words that current dictionairies no longer have. The same goes for early volume lit or poetry anthologies, which contain different poems than the new ones, often by the same author. It gives a greater view of the work, in my opinion.

[Echo-chan713]

When I first saw the title I thought of the re-wording books like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, that's to me is offensive.

But when I read the first post I got it and I think it's unique as long as it's not a rare antique books that cost a million dollars or library books unless you found it in the garbage (I've seen good books in the trash) or you bought it from the library; old textbooks I can handle cause to me no one is going to use it.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

Textbooks I'd rather send to a used book store or donate to a charity since they are useful for people who can't afford them for school or don't otherwise have access.

And yea, abridging or rewording books bothers me too. I can understand when I see it done for English as a second language studies, but overall I think a book should remain intact as much as possible since it's the writing and not just the story that makes a manuscript what it is.

[Joey]

I never heard of book altering before, but it sounds pretty cool in using things from a book to make it into something new. And I agree with the majority here, as long as the book is not valuable, then should be okay to use it to make art, etc.

[Fey]

LOL my best friend and I have a rule, she's allowed to collage anything I've already got a copy of. This mostly has to do with comics(american), but ties over to books, manga or magazines as well. I've got some lovely things she made this way and I love it!

[Ginger]

I assure everyone that I check a book's value before I start altering it ^^ That old Geography book was from the 90's and I looked it up on eBay, while the Career Encyclopedias are from 2006 and are now outdated according to my school's librarian. I think it's because of the current downfall of the economy and those careers are either less in demand, more in demand, have different wages, etc.

I agree about altering old poetry books. I would love to do that, but I am having a hard time finding one that I would be able to cut up. I don't think I have the heart to cut up poetry, but I would love to make a bookbox out of a poetry or art book.

[Duchess]

I had no clue what this was about... even with the description in the OP...

So I google image'd it... and it scares me ._____.

I mean its beautiful and creative and probably takes a lot of time.. and i dont see the harm as long as there's more than one or a few of it.. but.. its sooo creepy..

like a cavern.. or a hell hole.. in a book .__.

[Coda]

Originally Posted by Ginger

I assure everyone that I check a book's value before I start altering it ^^ That old Geography book was from the 90's and I looked it up on eBay, while the Career Encyclopedias are from 2006 and are now outdated according to my school's librarian. I think it's because of the current downfall of the economy and those careers are either less in demand, more in demand, have different wages, etc.

I agree about altering old poetry books. I would love to do that, but I am having a hard time finding one that I would be able to cut up. I don't think I have the heart to cut up poetry, but I would love to make a bookbox out of a poetry or art book.

But who in the 1930s would have ever imagined that the children's books they learned to read from would end up being priceless treasures of history?