Have you ever considered making new art from old books? Painting on book covers and using books as art journals breathes new life into old, discarded or thrift store books and saves them from going to a landfill. By using books as a part of your art making, you contribute to a culture of sustainability and creativity; transforming old abandoned (and sometimes smelly, torn up) books into beautiful artworks.
The process of transforming old books into new artwork or art journals encourages artists to explore themes of transformation and adaptation, blending the past with the present through layers of creativity. I personally LOVE IT!
Books offer a unique “canvas” for artistic expression.
The act of reusing old books taps into a unique history embedded within each page. You are telling a story (your artwork) on top of a story (a book cover and book pages). The other bonus is that you avoid the dreaded blank page while finding inspiration in a book’s textures, typography and imagery.
When I use book pages and book covers as part of my art process, I often leave parts unpainted so it can peak through the artwork. I also rip up old pages and use them as collage in my mixed media work.
Gesso or a Matte Medium
Applying a layer of clear or white gesso (my preference) to book covers and pages serves to prep the surface, enabling paint to adhere smoothly while preserving the book’s integrity. This technique not only enhances the durability of the art journal but also ensures that each stroke of paint adds depth to the underlying text and imagery. You avoid a muddy soggy mess and protect your “canvas” before you begin.
Another tip for ensuring a durable surface to paint or draw on is to glue together two or three pages. This provides a stable foundation for painting, drawing and collage.
Embrace the Unexpected
By embracing the imperfections and unique characteristics of each book, you gain new insight and a new skill set – learning to go with the flow and work with each book (or page) you use. Whether it is the texture of the cover/pages (shiny, flat, embossed etc.) or the content in the book (words, images, maps etc.) it often brings out new ideas while you paint. I have found that I love books with maps or sheet music – it adds character and eye catching elements to my work.
Storytelling Through Art & Books
Repurposing old books as art journals offers a practical alternative to buying new art journals. This approach not only saves money (and time trying to find the right art journal) but also fosters a deeper connection with the materials you use in your artwork. You may end up taking scraps of paper, fabric and more and including them in your work. Some of us love to infuse the old with the new and find inspiration in the books we use – it brings many artists like myself joy to merge preservation with artistic innovation.
Books as Art Journals – My Tips for Beginners
Smell the book before you use it in your art – is it musty or mouldy? I do not like bringing mouldy or musty books home. Specifically avoid mouldy books!! I have made the mistake of not smelling a book before I brought it home – had to toss them in the garbage. Also, look for signs of bugs in the pages or between pages.
What do the pages feel like? Are they a matte finish (my preference) or are the shiny? I like matte finish because I sometimes use books as art journals without prepping the pages – specifically for use with pencils and markers.
I only paint on pages with acrylic paints. If you are painting on pages, prep them with gesso! Gesso prevents the soaking in of paint – gesso is used specifically so paint will adhere to it. I do not use watercolour or oil on books. Oil takes a long time to dry and watercolour usually needs to soak into the paper. Therefore, the only paint I use on books is acrylic. Keep in mind pencil and marker also works well on book pages.