Altered Book Workshop
Transform a vintage hardcover book into an enchanting three-dimensional world! In this full-day workshop, you'll learn to hollow out thick vintage books and construct layered shadow box scenes that invite viewers to peer into miniature landscapes, secret gardens, or dreamlike narratives.
Drawing inspiration from the tradition of tunnel books and Victorian paper theaters, you'll master the art of creating depth and dimension within the confined space of a book's interior. We'll begin by carefully carving out your book's pages, then move into the magic of layering by cutting, positioning, and securing multiple planes that create the illusion of vast space within inches.
We will learn essential techniques for working with found objects and ephemera: vintage photographs, pressed flowers, small trinkets, fabric scraps, and paper elements that bring your scene to life. Discover how to use strategic cutting to create silhouettes and windows, how to build stable layered structures, and how to incorporate three-dimensional objects that add unexpected texture and meaning to your composition.
Whether you envision a whimsical forest scene, an abstract architectural study, or a personal memory captured in miniature, you'll have the time and guidance to bring your vision to life. No experience necessary, just imagination and a willingness to see books as sculptural possibilities!
All materials for the workshop are provided, including vintage books, cutting tools, adhesives, and a variety of found objects and papers.
Feel free to bring personal items or images you'd like to incorporate into your piece.
Students will leave with a one-of-a-kind altered book that transforms a forgotten object into a treasured work of art!
CLASS DETAILS
Enrollment Open!
Day:
Sunday
Time:
12:00PM - 6:00PM
Dates:
October 18
Instructor:
Amanda Wander
Tuition:
$110 for members | $120 for non-members
Location:
Yrabedra Studio
Education Center (121 N. Gadsden St.)
Supplies:
Materials included
Meet the Instructor
Amanda Wander
Amanda Wander earned her BA in Studio Art from Florida State University in 2008. She served as Education Director at LeMoyne from 2004 to 2006 and has exhibited her mixed media collages and assemblages at venues such as LeMoyne and the Gadsden Arts Center. With a diverse skill set spanning photography, printmaking, leatherworking, bookbinding, foundry techniques, and graphic design, she has also taught workshops at LeMoyne and the Thomasville Center for the Arts. Wander's artistic philosophy embraces the idea that "more is better"—a belief she applies through the process of "gilding the lily," continually adding layers and complexity to her work. Her recent creations include artist books and small-scale mixed media collages, reflecting her ongoing exploration of texture, materiality, and narrative.
