5 wk daytime* online Bookmaking with Guy Begbie

Wednesday 2 March  – 30 March 2022

10am-1pm

 

During this book making course, the participants will have the opportunity to make 3 diverse book structures using a range of both traditional and less orthodox techniques. This will enable the participants to gain a practical experience of bookmaking that will enable and equip them with transferable skills along with the development of a book aesthetic that will encourage further independent bookmaking investigation.

Week 1

 The Soft Back Pamphlet Book And Innovative Page Structuring Strategies

 During this introductory class, the participants will have the opportunity to make a pamphlet book. It will be bound using both stitching and pasting methods. Strategies for using two types of innovative page structuring will be demonstrated and investigated.

The simplicity in the core construction of the pamphlet book enables a versatility and flexibility that is unique to this book structure. It is a binding technique that can be used to contain both sequential and non-linear narrative page structuring.

Week 2 & Week 3

French Sewn Flat Back Case Bound Book

During these two classes, the participants will have the opportunity to make a cloth bound hardback French sewn multi section book.This is a traditional classic book structure that is strong and durable; the section page spreads will lie flat when the book is opened. There is the option to include some pull out and drop down pages within the sewn sections and a sleeve inside the cover for some minimal loose-leaf content material.

This type of book construction can be applied universally to books of varying scales and formats, providing a professional binding finish and a neutral, elegant space to contain image/text content.

 

Week 4 & Week 5

 Longstitch Bookbinding: A Cloth Paper Covered Multi Section Hardback Book

During these two classes the participants will have the opportunity to make and take home a cloth bound hardback multi section book, constructed so that the cover and pages are sewn together using a longstitch sewing method with chain stitching at each end of the book cover spine. The sewing is exposed as a feature on the outside cover spine of the book.

Inside the book, space between the pages allows for the optional addition of paper based materials if necessary, including the possibility of pull out gate-folded pages. Although this type of book structure has a contemporary appearance in a hardbound cover, it is a bookbinder’s sewing technique with historical origins. This book structure is versatile and the sewing method can be applied to hard & soft back covers.

 

 

 

• daytime according to GMT

Guy Begbie  MA

Guy Begbie is an inter-disciplinary book artist, bookbinder and printmaker based in Wales, UK. He has been teaching at various UK Universities as a lecturer and book arts co-ordinator since 1995. His professional arts background and teaching experience is multi-disciplinary.

Guy’s current ongoing research and development interests are in ‘the activated fold’ in a book arts and print context. In his recent teaching and practice in the field of book arts, graphic investigation and printmaking, he has delivered a Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Lecture at the State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia and also has presented talks on his arts practice at four Australian Universities while engaged in developing new works as an artist in residence at three of these institutions.

His work has been acquired for the Artists’ Book Collection at The State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia and the Manly Library Artists Book Collection, Manly, Sydney, Australia.  

In 2016 he exhibited his architectural bookworks in the exhibition ‘Cover to Cover’ at the Foyer Gallery in The School of Art, ANU, Canberra, Australia. He has been a recipient of the ‘Manly Library Artists Book Award 2017’ and was also selected to exhibit his designer bookbinding work in February 2017 at ‘CODE X: Contemporary Fine Bindings’, Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre, Canberra, Australia.

His 2020 independent artists book workshop tour of Australia was cut short by the world pandemic and he was marooned in Brisbane for four months before being able to return to the UK.