Nov 29 2008
Altered Romance
“Altered Art” is basically something make out of scrap, discarded objects and other bits and pieces. It can be scrap-booking, cyberpunk taxidermy or pretty much anything. Recently I have been making cute little monsters out of old My Little Ponies and mythical creatures from scissors confiscated at airports. (I just put the finishing touched of ‘My Little Cthullu’ and sprayed on that coat of sealant that means I have to stop fiddling with it).
I recently suggested that it might be fun to make altered art based on a page from a romance novel. This is normally done by selectively blocking out some of the words to create a different message. It is a method often used by the poets, but can be a fun exercise for anyone (well, I thought so). As it happens, I wasn’t exactly stampeded by people taking up the challenge. But what was lacking in quantity was more than made up for by quality.
Bree Bridges came up with this stunning digital approach (shown below). Bree is half of the wonderful writing team Moira Rogers. So show some appreciation of her obvious talent by visiting her/them at moirarogers.com. (Go on, go and have a look.)

And here is my rather less skillful stab at the same idea–which is not at all digital and predictably came out…well, a bit rude. (Quelle surprise). And a little bit rude in an M/M sort of why. (ditto).

If anyone else wants to have a go at it, please do send me the results and I will be sure to post it. That would be worth at least 5 bonus points, maybe even as many as 10.
What, nobody wants a toaster?
Well, I had a fabulous time doing it! Digital collage might be my new favorite hobby! Now I just need more excuses to practice it. :)
I was really more impressed by these, both of them, than I had expected to be while working through the description. Yet again it proves true that hiding 85% of something makes it more profound.