Book Arts is a studio-intensive program for artists, writers, and craftspersons—and anyone who loves books. This introduction to book arts emphasizes hand-bookbinding and experimental artist's books, with the option to integrate letterpress printing.
Book arts instruction will introduce ancient and modern practices (including a variety of stitches, cover attachment methods, and box-making) and include experimental artists' books—a creative practice of engaging with books as an expressive form laden with cultural values and formal intricacies. Weekly assignments will challenge students to integrate form and idea and to develop proficiency with a variety of hand tools and material practices. An introduction to letterpress printing will acquaint students with this transformative technology that, for us, returns the word and the form of the letter to a touchable and now quite uncommon material form. Continued work with letterpress isn't for everyone, and you'll have the option to focus your project work and assignments elsewhere. Quarter-long individual projects will allow students to develop project planning skills, articulate conceptual foundations for creative work, and focus on a chosen area of practice. Brief readings and discussions will provide historical and critical context for the arts and crafts associated with the book.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:
12 - Book Arts
Registration
Academic Details
literature, publishing, visual arts, design, librarianship, archival work.
$90 fee covers bookbinding tools and materials ($40) and required studio use fee ($50).
Students will likely wish to purchase additional materials and tools to complete individualized projects. Anticipate desiring to spend $30-50.