Books as art materials

I love finding old books at library sales.

books for making art

I think of old books as fodder for art making. I can use:

  • The pages for black out poems
  • The covers for journals
  • Pages for printing surfaces

black out poems on book pages

BE brave and make something from a book!

Use old books to make art journals

I look for covers that talk to me, pages with words that jump out at me and subjects that catch my eye.

artist book made with old book covers

I am excited to share that I am working on a new class that will be all about repurposing old books and less than perfect prints into beautiful pieces of art.

Stay on the mailing list to find out about the details of this course that will run in July.

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1 thought on “Books as art materials”

  1. Joanne Goranson

    I’m so glad that you admit to cutting up old books! I’ve had a few friends who were horrified when I told them I cut up and use every part of old books. I tell them that books are meant to be used and when they’re no longer readable it’s better to cut them up than to throw them in a landfill. I have a degree in English and have always loved everything about books and I don’t feel a bit guilty about cutting them up. It’s called recycling! I have lots of used books in our homes in AZ and MN (where I am now that it’s almost summer) that I’ve collected strictly for that purpose. In MN our local thrift store sells books that no one wants at ten for $1.00. In Arizona I have a friend who owns a booth at a local Swap Meet who looks for interesting books and other things I can use in my Art. One of my favorite books is “The Repurposed Library” by Lisa Occhipinti, subtitled “33 Craft Projects That Give Old Books New Life”, so I can’t wait to hear all the details about your new class!

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