These remarkable ladies are from a 1935 textbook called The Art and Craft of Hairdressing. When I acquired this book the covers were long busted beyond repair so I took out the plates to use in journal pages and collage. If you would like to use them, just click on any image in the gallery below to get a full-size resolution. Then right click and copy, the copy it into your favourite editing programme, such as Paint. (I use Word which isn’t really for images but what the heck, I know how to use it so I do.) You may want to resize them for a larger or smaller image, depending on what you are making. Happy [read more]
Paper Arts (page 1 of 3)
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SOLD: My latest altered book is a small format but packed with vintage paper goodness. This book is completely hand-altered and is a one-of-a-kind art piece that you can display on a table or shelf; it is meant to be handled, the inserts taken from their pockets and enjoyed for their own sake.
The book is from Bell’s Miniature Series and dates from 1905. Inside are six unique collage layouts and paper ephemera that includes:
- Border of handwritten French document, 1838;
- Ex Libris, 1897;
- Rotograve (photograph) post card of kitten, 1906;
- Engraving of man in top hat from “The Girl’s Own Paper”, 1883;
- Welsh text, 1881;
- Nautical animals from children’s nature guide, 1876;
- Handwritten postcard, 1875;
- Hand-painted, hand-lettered celluloid French holy card, c. 1905;
- Vintage sales card from Singer sewing machines, c. 1910s;
- Page from Observer’s Guide to Bird Eggs,
- Vintage French card frame containing black and white cigarette card photograph, 1890s and Victorian era scrap card with French scripture
- French holy card with extra angels, 1922.
If you would like to buy this book, scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on thumbnail boxes below to see a larger version of any image.
The book measures 4″ x 6″ (10cm x 15cm). Cost is £105 GBP (this is approximately $145 but [read more]
Painting, drawing, and collage-making on vintage text and handwritten pages is one of my favourite techniques in creating altered books and art journal pages. While I sell a lot of antique paper for book and journal arts and am lucky enough to have a big stash for my own work, I fully realise that it is not in everyone’s budget right now and that we are all at different stages and levels of our creating experience, so I also want to offer these free, high-res scans that you can print or use in digital collage. If you’re not sure how to use these with visual pieces, check out my Youtube video below.
Just click on any image to get a larger view. To grab it, right click and copy, then copy into an editing program such as Paint. (I actually use Word which is not meant for visual but what the heck, I know how to make it do what I want.) You may want to resize an image and make it smaller or larger, depending on what you want to make.
Happy making! Here’s the video with [read more]
SOLD:
This altered book is made from a vintage book, then filled with paper ephemera, pockets, collage, and mixed media embellishments. A book like this takes several weeks to make: pages must be prepared, pockets formed, layouts created, gluing gluing gluing, drying drying drying. Each layout is a unique, collage piece, making this altered book basically a collection of one-of-a-kind collages. Here is a video flip through showing page by page detail with a description of the techniques I used inside.
Here are still photos of the pages. TO SEE A LARGER VERSION OF ANY photo, just click on that image.
To buy, the cost is £165 GBP + £19 worldwide shipping. (This is approximately $227 + $26 USD but please use this currency converter for an exact price.) You can use the Buy It Now button or email at kelly@bookandpaperarts.com for more information. I can also be reached on Instagram at @Book.And.Paper.Arts and you can send me a [read more]
SOLD: My latest altered book is in a book of children’s Bible stories from 1915. It is a larger size than I usually get to work in and I really had fun with the larger format. Throughout I have used original 19th-century paper ephemera to create collage layouts before embellishing the pages with a variety of mark making. Here is the video flip through and below that are still photos. CLICK ON ANY PHOTO IN THE GALLERY TO SEE A LARGER VERSION.
This altered book is for sale. The cost is £145 (approximately $205 but please use currency converter for exact exchange rate). Worldwide shipping is £15. To buy use the Buy It Now button. You can also email me or contact me on Instagram via DM @bookandpaperarts.
(Click on any photo in the gallery to see a larger [read more]
I am so excited to announce my new, online video course. It has 90 minutes of content that will teach you how to make six different books with simple, easy-to-find materials and no sewing! These books make pretty, lightweight journals. The variations are:
- Single signature with ribbon binding;
- Wraparound cover with ribbon binding;
- Dos-a-dos cover;
- Concertina sketchbook;
- Mini concertina book with pockets; and
- Faux ring binding.
To see an introduction to the course and a look at the finished books, check out this video.
This course is $30 USD. To buy, just click here and go to the online school. Please let me know if you have any questions. Happy [read more]
Here is a recent video from my Youtube channel on ways to look at the stuff that we all have all around use and see if we can’t be resourceful and turn it into free, found art supplies. Whether you are on a budget, trying to reduce waste, or enjoy a challenge to your imagination, these ideas will jumpstart your practice with everyday stuff available for free to anyone. I go through these ideas pretty quickly so here is a list that you can refer to if needed (and the approximately time stamp so you can forward there if you want).
- Introduction
- Ways to use found cardboard and packaging: *Making a mini-book from box or mailer (2:48)
- Tags and Bookmarks
- Die cut paper embellishments (6:48)
- Free, found stencils (8:24)
- Tissue Paper (12:00)
- Paper Wrapper Frame (10:05)
- Mesh Onion Wrapper (9:11)
- Brown Envelope Pocket With Window (11:15)
- Bubble Wrap Mark Making (13:30)
- Printmaking with Styrofoam “Plate” and Mark Making with Corrugated Cardboard and Blister Dispensers (15:35)
In the final segment I mention Birgit Koopsen’s Youtube channel for tons of inspiration and it is [read more]
I have a huge thing for the work of artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté. He was official court artist of Marie Antoinette (imagine putting that on your CV) and is considered one of the greatest botanical artists of all time. Today I have some high-res scans for you to download and print, or use in your digital collage work.
1. Click on any image to get a larger version.
2. Right click and copy.
3. Paste into an editing programme such as Paint. (I use Word which is not as good but I am used to it😁). You may want to size them down. Experiment and see what [read more]
What’s with the French and 1 April, the day when school children go around pasting paper fish on the backs of the unsuspecting and yell “Poisson d’avril !”. No one knows for sure but there are plenty of adorable, probably not-entirely true theories behind the tradition.
One comes from the fact that back in the day the new year began around the first of April. That changed in 1564 when King Charles IX took France into the modern world by adopting the Gregorian calendar and a new year beginning with January. This caused understandable confusion and frustration. (Think about it. As it is, Daylight Savings Time throws me off for weeks. Imagine shifting a whole season.) The response was to jokingly continue to celebrate the beginning of the new year on 1 April with gag gifts of fake fish.
Okay, but why fish? It may have been connected to Lent which often fell about this time of year. Meat was forbidden and fish was a big treat, ergo giving someone a fake fish was hilarious. (Don’t ask me, I don’t understand pranks at the best of times.) It is more likely to be linked to the fact that fishing [read more]
One of the questions I am asked the most often is where do I get my bird images. Well, I do actively search them out and then some just find me but yes, I have a lot of birds. So here are a few to share and add to your collage, art journals, altered books, or other mixed media work. To use these, click on an image for a larger resolution, then right click and copy. You can then add it to an editing program such as Paint. (I use Word. Even though it is not a visual platform per se, I am used to it.) You may want to resize these, make them larger or smaller. Happy Making!
