New Directions in Altered Books [Hardcover]

Gabe Cyr (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157990694X
• ISBN-13: 978-1579906948
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #682,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stimulate, intoxicate and alter!, September 5, 2006

By 

Zoe (NEPA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Directions in Altered Books (Hardcover)

For several years now I thought I was done with the concept of an altered book, but then I hadn't seen or read Gabe Cyr's book until this summer. Gabe puts to shame other authors who have come along and offered us formularic ways in which to create--to alter--by intoxicating us with new paths, stimulating our senses and re-invigorating this old dog into thinking once more of reclaiming a tired, discarded friend and turning her into a piece of art.

Her steps are easy to follow, but she doesn't instruct so much as lead one along a path to one's own creative urges and juices. It is this ability to arouse the creative urge and the plethora of eye candy she has included in the book that makes this among the best books on the subject of altered books!

If you want to learn, or regain your excitement about altered books, this is the book to own!

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational, motivational, creative sourcebook for altered books, January 5, 2007

By 

O. Brown "Ms. O. Khannah-Brown" (Twopeas, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: New Directions in Altered Books (Hardcover)

****

This book was chock full of great ideas and inspiration for working with altered books. It covers such topics as choosing the right book, preparing the book, design principles, tools and materials, and techniques for altering books. Then there are many projects, each with a picture of the finished book, a list of instructions, and materials and tools. There are lots of pictures of very creative projects by a variety of artists. Also covered are ways of working with others on altered books, like round robins and working with children.

I am a beginning collage artist, and bought this book to see if altered books would be something I would be interested in. What I did not like about this book, and the reason I gave it only four stars instead of five, is that the projects do not always have pictures of the steps to go along with the instructions. Thus, the projects won't be doable for someone like me who has to see new ways of doing things demonstrated. People who can follow instructions without pictures (for example, people who have worked with altered books before) will probably have no trouble with this. Still, I got enough value from the book as an inspirational tool and creative sourcebook to make it worth my time and money, and to rate it four stars. Recommended.

****

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Directions, August 13, 2006

By 

R2Art Studio "R2Art Studio" - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Directions in Altered Books (Hardcover)

I think this book is very refreshing for anyone who might be working with altered books or may want to start. Gives a lot of ideas on how to think of the book in different ways from the conventional. This book has been a real inspiration for my work with altered books and all my altered work. I highly recommend this book, you will see artists you haven't seen before.