Bookbinding improvers’ workshop
Time: 18:00 - 21:00
Location: Keeley Street
experience of binding techniques and some knowledge of tools, materials and equipment in order to benefit from this workshop-style class. There will be the opportunity to work on your own projects, or to practice skills in which you feel less confident in order to enable you to progress to higher level courses. Not suitable for beginners.
Course Code: VD320
Duration: 10 sessions (over 11 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Learning about and practicing bookbinding techniques beyond basic skill sets. The aim is to bolster and expand expertise through discussion, demonstration and supervised implementation of skills on individual projects or practice books.
What will we cover?
-Specialist tools, maintenance and use.
-Endpaper types and textblock styles.
-Sewing structures and supports.
-Spine linings and cover board attachment.
-Binding leathers and preparing them for use.
-Best practice in the workshop.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Identify, prepare, use and maintain specialist tools such as paring machines/blades, band nippers, backing hammers and presses, ploughs and sewing frames.
- Prepare and assemble 2 styles of jointed endpapers and construct a textblock using a variety of sewing styles and supports.
- Perform spine rounding, shoulder creation, and spine lining as appropriate for different binding styles in order to forward a text block for binding with a case cover or leather bound laced on boards.
-Identify leather types or other cover materials and know how they are cut, pared/prepared and applied to cover boards and spines.
-Have confidence in performing intermediate level bookbinding skills and to undertake book binding projects beyond beginner level.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is aimed at students with basic bookbinding experience who wish to develop beyond a beginner-level skill set and the more skilled students who wish to continue to practice and refine their skills at an intermediate level.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course will be part tuition/demonstration, part supervised workshop practice. The structure will be flexible in order to accommodate students who seek specific skill development together with students who seek guidance, advice and a place to work with specialist equipment. No work is set outside the class, but students will be encouraged to practice what they are learning at any opportunity.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
VD322 City Lit Bookbinding Intermediate
VD197 City Lit Higher Bookbinding: Fine binding
VD402 Hand Marbled Paper
VD300 Introduction to gold tooling on leather
VD412 Gold tooling on paper.
Gavin Moorhead is a professional book conservator and conservation teacher. He is a Design graduate from RMIT and worked as a Graphic Designer before changing direction to take up a career in Conservation. Gavin says he became dissatisfied with consumerist creativity after becoming enlightened by conservation. Combining new aspiration with his passion for books, he trained in conservation techniques at the State Library of Victoria and went on to work on some of the most iconic items in cultural collections around the world. He came to the UK to pursue further opportunities and now, more than 30 years on, he is a senior conservator and conservation team leader at the British Library Centre for Conservation. In becoming a tutor in book conservation and bookbinding, Gavin sought to articulate the ethics of Conservation and to train students in the fundamental skills. After 10 years teaching at City Lit, he continues to enlighten and nurture aspiring book menders and makers.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.