Bookmaking for artists with Sue Wood

We’ll begin by creating expressive, colourful papers to use as covers, allowing you to experiment with mark-making, colour, and texture before moving into book construction. You’ll then learn several no-sew book forms—including accordion, flag, and reverse flat piano hinge books—which are ideal for displaying artwork, sequencing images, or creating small narrative pieces.

You’ll also be guided through Coptic binding to make a sketchbook that opens completely flat, making it practical for drawing, painting, and mixed media work. Along the way, you’ll learn how each structure works, why you might choose one over another, and how to adapt sizes, papers, and formats to suit your own creative practice.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have made five different handmade books and gained the confidence to continue making and customising books at home for your own projects.

What you’ll learn

• How to make expressive handmade papers for book covers

• Three versatile no-sew book structures for displaying artwork

• Coptic binding for a flat-opening sketchbook

• How to adapt book formats for different artistic purposes

Prerequisites
No prior bookmaking experience is needed. Suitable for artists and creatives at all levels who enjoy working with paper and want new ways to present or develop their work.

Equipment and Materials you will need: 

Pencil

Notebook

Metal ruler

Craft knife with snap off blades

Cutting mat

Glue brush

Water pot

Acrylic paints and brushes for decorating cover papers

The facilitator will supply all other materials and equipment (included in price of workshop). 

Each participant will take home:

• One accordion-fold sketchbook with Arches watercolour paper pages

• One flag book with Awagami bamboo printmaking paper pages

• One reverse flat piano hinge book with Fabriano Accademia watercolour paper pages

• One small square sketchbook with 64 pages of Kent Edition drawing paper