child's board book

One of the best investments for a quick altered book is the child's board book. With a little sanding, gesso and imagination you can create a short story in no time at all.

The front (on the right) and back (on the left) covers.

On the yellow page I used one of my favorite mediums, plaster patch ( I use the pink tinted type). While wet I insert a variety of ephemera. Patience is the virtue I sometimes lack when it comes to art, so I know the pink is completely dried when it turns white. After it's dried I add color and glue down anything that didn't stick well (like the Indian). On the next page I collage papers, used stamps and then added dimension with a cardboard picture frame, mini toys, charms, puzzle pieces, domino and stuff. Lastly, I use glazes and dimensional paints.

The page on the right is the last three pages of the book glued together. Once the glue dried I cut out a window (save for another use) and glued the page to the back inside cover. With glues all dry, I painted and stamped the two pages. Bits and bobs were glued down on top of and under a piece of netting on the page to the left. For the back page I followed the same technique only I added a picture to the cut out and then framed the picture to give the illusion of a window. Once everything was in place I pored some glossy accent into the 'opened' window to seal the contents inside.

My short story is complete!

Go make art!