ART 275 - Bookbinding: History and Practice

The book has evolved for 2,000 years as an extension of the human mind and body. Its various forms express unique understandings of materials, technologies, tools, and usage. Students in this course will create 4-6 book models, ranging from simple pamphlet and accordion structures to a case binding and a Coptic binding with wooden board covers. In order to develop clean and precise hand skills, we begin with a four-walled box and a clamshell box before turning to the sewing of book structures. Visits to Reed’s Special Collections offer us the opportunity to view and handle many historic and contemporary examples, including the William Morris masterpiece known as The Kelmscott Chaucer. Readings cover both bookbinding history and current directions in the field of artists’ books. Together with successful completion of the taught structures, there are two main assignments: a historically based structure based on independent research, and a final project responding to an excerpt from Italo Calvino’s book Invisible Cities. Class time will be spent introducing, demonstrating, and beginning work on each book structure. 4-6 hours of additional studio time is required to complete each week’s binding.

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group I
Prerequisite(s): ART 170, ART 171, ART 173, or ART 175
Instructional Method: Studio
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Repeatable for Credit: May be taken 2 times for credit
Notes: Enrollment limited to 15.
Not offered: 2023-24
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Understand how arguments can be made, visions presented, or feelings or ideas conveyed through language or other modes of expression (symbols, movement, images, sounds, etc.).
Analyze and interpret texts, whether literary or philosophical, in English or a foreign language, or works of the visual or performing arts.
Evaluate arguments made in or about texts (whether literary or philosophical, in English or a foreign language, or works of the visual or performing arts).