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Altered Book Binder Journal Tutorial -–Part 1 by Mary Brack -—Blog: www.mewithmyheadintheclouds.blogspot.com
Samples:
Supply List
An old book in desired size with good covers
Watercolor paper—- 140 lb. is best for sturdier pages
Exacto or craft knife
Brayer
Adhesive—- I use matte gel medium, you could use Modge Podge or another speadable adhesive
Dictionary pages and/or pages from the book to cover watercolor paper for background pages
White Gesso
1” Binder rings
Optional: magazine or book photos, maps, patterned paper—to cover watercolor paper for additional background pages
Heavy duty whole punch such as a Crop-a-dile
Ruler
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When I first began art journaling I used heavy weight paper to make my pages and I would make my own covers. Then I learned how to alter a book and immediately fell in love with how the text would show through behind the gesso and paint. But it was when I combined these two methods that I really discovered my favorite type of journal: the altered book binder journal. By using heavy weight watercolor paper covered with book text I have a firm base for the various forms of mixed media art I enjoy in my art journaling. Using the book text as backgrounds and the book covers as my journal covers I still have the feel of an altered book with the freedom and flexibility the rings provide. The rings enable my journals to expand and grow, as I can simply add larger rings as needed. The other advantage I like with the rings is the ability to remove my pages from the journal and work on them individually. In addition to using the altered book binder journals for art journaling, I have enjoyed using them in various sizes for travel journals and memory books for challenges such as 30 Days of Lists and The Documented Life Project. Examples of these types of books can be found on my blog www.mewithmyheadintheclouds.blogspot.com or my Flickr albums https://www.flickr.com/photos/marynbtol.
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The Binder Picking a book: When it comes to finding a book for an art journal, you CAN judge a book by its cover!! I tend to pick books that either have a title that appeals to journaling themes or that is pleasing based on
the
books them
color
work have
or
design.
better
as
fabric
covers
Older
many
of
with
good texture. The book I’m using for the tutorial, “Famous Quotations”, was a book I had previously used when I made an altered book journal binder as a gift for my sister. I was excited when I found another copy at a book sale. Even though it had a different cover, it was in one of my favorite colors, and since I love
to
use quotes
in
my
art
journals, it seemed an appropriate title. As a lover of words, old dictionaries are another favorite of mine to use for journals.
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The Binder 1. To start you will need to separate the inside of the book from its covers and spine. Take an Exacto or craft knife and run it along the end paper, digging in so that the knife point pushes through to the hollow space in the spine area. It may take a few tries before the book separates from the spine. Repeat on the back cover. It should separate intact.
Cut here.
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The Binder 2. Once the inside of the book is removed you will need to separate the spine from the front and back covers. I do this with a rotary cutter left over from my quilting days but an Exacto knife will work well also. Place a ruler on top of the cover even with its edge. Cut along the ruler until the spine separates from the cover. Repeat for the back cover.
Tip: Go to http:// greenpaper.typepad.com/green/2009/12/ now-the-clean-up-begins.html> for instructions on how to make bookmarks out of book spines.
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The Binder 3.
You now have the front and back covers of your binder journal. At
this point I will make a hole template from a 1 inch strip of watercolor paper the length of the cover. Laying the strip on top of the inside edge of the cover, mark a line down the edge 1/4 inch from the edge. Mark the center and punch a hole there centering it on the line you drew. Make another hole 1 1/2 inches down from the top, centering it on the line, and a third hole 1 1/2 inches up from the bottom, centering it on the line. You will use this template to mark the placement of your holes on your covers and on your pages.
Lay the tem-
plate along the cut edge of your cover, trace your holes, then punch them with the heavy duty hole punch. Repeat for the back cover.
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The Binder 4.
It’s now time to add the binder rings and your altered book binder
journal is complete. We will continue on with how to make the binder pages in tutorial part 2.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions:
[email protected]
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