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Altered books - Making a frame


It takes at least two pages in your book to create a frame, plus whatever image you might want to insert.  In my example, I have sandwiched a piece of velum on which I've written and painted between the two pages of the frame that are attached to my book.  Here's how it's done:

Materials and tools list from Part One

1. Choose 4 pages in your book, and remove a couple of pages on either side of the group. 

2. Open and spread the pages so that there are 2 on each side.  Use a stamp or draw a design for your frame, adding any paints or other color that you wish.

3. Using an X-acto knife, cut out the inner portion of each page (only the top page on each side), leaving the frame intact.

4. Paint or decorate the outer pages that are serving as "mats" if you wish.  You can either adhere images to this mat, or as I have done, you can glue something in between the two pages on each side.  This technique gives you many layers to work with.  It is possible to use even more than two pages on each side, and to cut each page opening smaller than the previous one to create a layered "tunnel".


Part One: Introduction to altered books
Part Two: Mixed text technique
Part Three: Blending in an image
Part Four: Nesting pages
Part Five: Adding tabs
Part Six: Making a frame
Part Seven: Slicing up an image
Part Eight: Foil lettering
Part Nine: Doors and other flaps
Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

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Comments

Very nice. I guess you could do a frame with multiple smaller cutouts as well. This really has me thinking.
Cyndi L said…
Oh definitely! And they can be any shape you want too...
Limar said…
Love this idea! Thank you :D