Book altering

Why don't you just stop and think about that statement for a second...

Anyway, there's nothing wrong with messing around with your books for fun in my opinion. The only reason I don't like it is because it is so unoriginal and cliche. It seems like a form of art that does not really require any skill, all you have to do is do some compositioning...and they all end up looking the same! They all have that, "memoirs" look to them...with meaningless journal entries scribbled across repetitious pictures...usually with paint messily applied to the whole thing. Just doesn't seem very creative to me, either design something original, or do something unoriginal (like paint a picture) that demonstrates talent

Well, being as I don't have the artistic abilities to create that "memoirs" look, mine wind up turnining out far different from the examples I showed. I can't pull that fancy stuff off. The book I altered for my own use has no journal entries, no paint. They're either done in permanent marker or cut-outs from magazines.

Considering that each page is like a new canvas, I don't see how you can differentiate between painting and this. Each is a new creation - and no matter how redundant they may seem to you, they are original to the artist.

I typed it out for a reason.

There are books on the subject (examples: Altered Book Collage, Altered Books Workshop, Altered Books - Collaborative Journals )
There are art classes in my school teaching this technique ('tis how I learned about it)
It's a movement - there is an International Society of altered book artists, for God's sake.

It's not a crime; and if it is then the authorities need to start crackin', because they've got their hands full.

I never said it was a crime. I was just hoping you would notice how little sense that statement makes.

Has anoyne stopped graffiti? Has anyone stopped murder? Has anyone stopped theft? So by your logic, these are not crimes...

Oh...boy.

All of the acts you mentioned have had attempts to stop them. Of course they can't control the entire populations actions, but they do punish individuals when caught.

Altering books, however, is not even on that playing field - there have neen no attempts to stop it. I appologize for not getting in-depth with my definition of "stopped." Thus, as with the first time I said it, my statement made perfect sense.

Unfortunately, meaning to have said something other than what you said does not change the meaning of what you said.

I didn't mean something else. Dear God, do you have no other purpose on this forum other than consistant postings of arrogance? I said what I said, in the words that I said it, for a reason. I appologized, in sarcasm, for not being specific enough with what I meant, but I did not mean something different.

Please, just leave it be! I'm tired of arguing so childishly over such a trivial thing.

Santuary, and Carbon System,

In the case of Altered Books, and Banksy's defacing of art works.

Please read the case on: "DAUBISM", which by definition means, "one (or more) artist(s) adding to form a new work."

http://www.drillerjetarmstrong.com/essays.htm

http://www.drillerjetarmstrong.com/exhibition.htm

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=600864

Some one, some day may take action againts Book Altering, and Banksy's defacing of art works.

I don't know about the legalities.

I have some qualms myself re using existing art (the book) for a substrate, but can also understand doing it, rather like collaged materials. I'll agree it's reactive to an existing surface, and to the extent it depends on that surface for the forms of the finished product, is derivative.

I use my own photography as a trigger for some paintings, and in some cases that is a tad lame and lazy, in others is just that, a trigger, and you'd never be able to pick up that one was started by my looking at the other. Even the more dependent on the photo ones, re part of the composition, can come out as separate works of at least value to me.

On this discussion as veering from the topic question, it seems appropriate to me, especially in a forum about original work.