Bookbinding Courses in London
City Lit bookbinding provides a comprehensive range of traditional and contemporary taught and workshop-based courses at all levels from beginner to advanced. Students studying on our courses can develop skills in traditional bookbinding, gold tooling, paper marbling, historic and experimental book structures and contemporary fine binding.
Students interested in book arts can explore both classic and innovative techniques and structures to produce unique books and editions. For students who wish to study conservation and repair, we have classes covering paper repair, the conservation and repair of cloth, leather and vellum books, hand tooling and machine blocking.
We run evening, daytime and weekend classes in our purpose-built studio that is well equipped with presses, guillotines, and hand tools and our courses are taught by tutors, who are skilled practitioners, industry specialists and experts in the fields of bookbinding, book arts, fine design binding, conservation and repair.
Many of our courses are delivered online. For more information about our live online courses, please see our guide to online learning.
Browse our range of bookbinding courses in London below to choose your perfect option.
- Book arts drop-in
Course Date: Tue 25 May 2021 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
A one-day, tutor supported book arts workshop. This short course is ideal for students who would like some technical or conceptual advice and the space to work on a personal project. Students will work independently with one to one support.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £49.00 Senior fee £49.00 Concession £49.00 - Start bookbindingCourse Date: Fri 4 Jun 2021
Location on this date: Online
Discover the art of handmade books! Three days of progressive projects will guide you through core techniques and prepare you to experiment, design and craft your own unique books.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £65.00 - Bookbinding: experiments in paper foldingCourse Date: Sat 5 Jun 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Explore colour, structure, and layering to produce exciting sculptural forms. By combining and extending techniques such as origami and concertina folding, cutting, piercing and slotting, you will create your own unique books.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £65.00 - Bookbinding: learn to bind artists' booksCourse Date: Mon 7 Jun 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Explore the world of artists’ books and create your own one-off or small edition. Combine text, image and bookbinding to bring your interests to life; this course will help you develop your ideas through the structure of the book.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £195.00 - Bookbinding: crossed-structure and criss-cross bindingsCourse Date: Mon 14 Jun 2021
Location on this date: Online
Immerse yourself in contemporary sewing techniques to create two attractive multi-section books using decorative paper, felt and board. These flexible books are unglued so that the pages open completely flat so as well as looking good, they are also excellent for use as sketchbooks, diaries and notebooks.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £60.00 - Bookbinding: limp vellum bindingCourse Date: Fri 18 Jun 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
This course will introduce you to the techniques for making a flexible and versatile limp vellum binding and equip you with the skills needed to produce a beautiful binding of your own. Some bookbinding experience required.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00 - Creative arts for bookbinding II: leather dyeing techniquesCourse Date: Sat 19 Jun 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Spend a day experimenting with leather dye and dyeing techniques. You will be introduced to different dye types, methods of applying dye and a range of creative techniques such as resist, crackle and speckling, to use on bookbinding and other leather projects. Suitable for beginners.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £48.00 - Bookbinding weekend: notebooks and foldersCourse Date: Sat 26 Jun 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Learn to make single sheet folded books, a simple multi-section sewn book and a folded slipcase. This weekend course is an opportunity to make an exciting range of notebooks and folders and learn some useful bookbinding techniques. Suitable for beginners.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £65.00 - Try it out: bookbindingCourse Date: Sat 3 Jul 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Dip your fingers into bookbinding. Learn a little about the history, materials and craft of bookbinding while making a simple binding to take home. A chance to discuss further study in bookbinding at City Lit.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Try it out conservationCourse Date: Sun 4 Jul 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Discover the tools, materials and skills involved in book repair and conservation while trying out some basic
techniques on paper, book cloth and board. No bookbinding experience required and a chance to discuss further
study in bookbinding at City Lit.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Beginning miniature bookbindingCourse Date: Thu 8 Jul 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Explore the magic of tiny books in this introduction to miniature bookbinding. You will discover the history and appeal of this unique style and make three adorable miniature books to take home. Suitable for beginners.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £65.00 - Creative arts for bookbinding III: papercuttingCourse Date: Sun 11 Jul 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Learn how to manipulate paper into abstract or representational designs. A range of paper cutting and folding techniques encourage you to explore silhouettes, pattern, imagery, colour and scale to develop your own approach. Techniques can be adapted for use in book arts and bookbinding projects to create pages, covers and structures.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £79.00 - Wooden boarded bindingCourse Date: Wed 14 Jul 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
The earliest books were sewn on to wooden boards. On this short course you will learn about early book structures and create a Coptic binding using some historical techniques and materials.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £121.00 - Beginners' bookbindingCourse Date: Mon 9 Aug 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Explore the exciting world of the handmade book in this 5 day introduction to the craft of bookbinding. You will be introduced to the tools and materials needed to create folded, simple sewn books and more complex stitched bindings with flexible and hard covers.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £289.00 Senior fee £289.00 Concession £145.00 - Print, design and bind: a book in a weekCourse Date: Mon 16 Aug 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Come and enjoy a week in the print and book studios and leave with an artist’s book. This course will encourage you to experiment with printmaking techniques and bookbinding structures and help you to develop your initial ideas into a finished work. Some printmaking and/or bookbinding experience may be beneficial but not essential.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £152.00
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