Bookbinding: learn to bind artists' books
Course Code: VD292
Duration: 8 sessions (over 8 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?
This course is designed to develop your ideas using the book format. You will explore the relationship between the structure and the concept of the book by exploring your own interests and themes and the workshop format of the course will support the development of your ideas. There will be a mixture of group demonstrations and individual tutorial support and some of the demonstrations will be determined by student requirements.
What will we cover?
Depending on your level of experience, you will be introduced to a range of book structures; from simple folded books through to more complex multi-sectioned books. This will enable you to develop your individual skills and creativity and the tools to create more complex and experimental bindings.
Beginners:
- Develop content using simple print methods such as mono print and rubber stamping, the creative possibilities of collage and/or digital print at home to create the content for a handmade book.
- Explore book structures such as the concertina fold and pamphlet stitch to create one-off or a small edition of hand-made books.
- Begin to develop a contextual awareness of artists' books and book artists
Intermdiate and higher
- develop personal projects which are self-directed and demonstrate a more in-depth awareness of concepts and structures.
- Be able to articulate the relationship between structure and content of the book and how this might be supported with contextual research.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Beginners:
- Select and use appropriate materials
- Explain the importance of grain direction
- Make a range of book structures
- Practise simple print and other creative visual methods to produce content for books.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the book structure in relation to its contents.
Intermdiate and higher:
- Demonstrate more complex concepts and/or structures
- Demonstrate a more in-depth conceptual and contextual understanding of the book structure in relation to its contents.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
All levels. This course is designed to support beginners, those with some experience and more advanced learners.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, to use the hand-outs which support demonstrations and to follow health and safety information, and you may also be invited to take part in group discussion. You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught by demonstration, individual and group tuition. You will find it helpful to be able to work on developing ideas and materials at home during the course.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Some basic materials are included in the cost of the course. Other materials such as board and paper can be purchased from the classroom and students will be expected to provide for their own, more specific requirements. Please bering your own toolkit, brushes etc. if you have them.
Need art supplies? Our partner London Graphic Centre has everything you need from pencils to printing services, at 15% off.
To get an LGC discount card, students will need to show proof/ confirmation of enrolment of them being a student at City Lit. You can apply for our card in-store or by simply emailing info@londongraphics.co.uk with a scan or photo of relevant confirmation. The student discount does not apply to products that are already discounted or on offer. More information can be found here- https://www.londongraphics.co.uk/student-discounts/.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
- VD438 Print, design and bind: a book in a week
- VD341 Book arts drop-in
- VD337 Book arts drop-in
- VO105 Artist's book club (intermediate)
- VO124 Artist's book club (intermediate)
- VD441 Creative arts for bookbinding III: Papercutting
- VD327 Bookbinding: box making
- VD416 Bookbinding: Japanese books and boxes
- VD288 Book Arts: Experimental structures
- VD290 Bookbinding: paper engineering and pop-ups.
Sue Doggett is an artist who creates hand-made books and bindings. She gained a first class honours degree in Visual Studies and Art History from Oxford Brookes University in 1985 and an MA in Design from Brighton University in 1998. She received the World Craft Council Award for Contemporary Craft in 1994 and was elected a Fellow of Designer Bookbinders in 1996. She has lectured and led workshops in book arts in the UK, Europe and the USA and is currently teaching on the BA (Hons) Graphic Design course at Camberwell College of Arts and is a bookbinding and book arts tutor at City Lit. As an exhibiting Fellow of Designer Bookbinders, Sue works to public and private commission including the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and she is the current editor of ‘The New Bookbinder’ journal. Her work is represented in public and private collections in Europe and USA and can be seen at the Hyman Kreitman Research Library, Tate Britain; The Folger Library, Washington DC; Yale University Library, The Bodleian Library, Oxford; The Centre for Fine Print Research, Bristol and Manchester Metropolitan Museum.
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.