Summer School - Beyond the Spine: Creative Bookbinding

Summer School – Beyond the Spine: Creative Bookbinding

What The Course is About:

Beyond the Spine: Creative Bookbinding is a hands-on course that explores the book as both a functional object and a creative, expressive form. Moving beyond traditional binding methods, participants will investigate how structure, materials, and sequencing can shape meaning and narrative. Through practical demonstrations and guided studio sessions, the course introduces a range of contemporary bookbinding techniques alongside experimental approaches, encouraging participants to think critically about the relationship between image, text, and form. The course focuses on creative and experimental book structures, including folded, stitched, and non-traditional bindings. Participants will explore how books can function as narrative devices, sculptural objects, or archives of ideas. Emphasis is placed on material exploration, papers, threads, found materials, and printed matter, and on developing a personal approach to sequencing and presentation. The course is suitable for artists, designers, printmakers, and anyone interested in book arts, whether working with drawing, print, photography, text, or mixed media. No prior bookbinding experience is required, though those with existing skills will be encouraged to extend and challenge their practice.

Materials Required:

What to bring to the first session:

For this course participants will need

Large sheet of paper 100 x 70 cm or bigger
Couple of sheets of A2 paper
Half a ream of photocopier paper
Prints and decorative papers (whatever you can bring)
Linen thread for sewing (waxed if possible)
Grey Board (2 x A3)
PVA and Pritt stick glue
Ruler, pencil and rubber, craft knife, scissors

Bring to the first class any prints or drawing & painting materials you possess; paper and further items can be purchased from the school shop. Tools will be provided.

Previous Experience:

All Levels - Suitable for artists, designers, printmakers, and anyone interested in book arts, whether working with drawing, print, photography, text, or mixed media. No prior bookbinding experience is required.

End of course:

What will I achieve? By the end of the course, participants will: