The Alchemy of Bookmaking

Mixed Media / Printmaking - Materials included

Book Selected Date

Course details

Explore bookmaking beyond the traditional. Using Gelli printing, collage, and stitch, this course focuses on playful experimentation and creative freedom, resulting in a unique, hand-made book.

Rather than focusing on traditional bookbinding techniques, the emphasis is on making expressive, hand-made books that celebrate colour, texture, layering, and experimentation.

Participants will begin this new two-day course by creating a rich collection of collage papers using a variety of accessible and playful techniques, including Gelli printing, painted papers, simple printing with everyday objects and stamps, collage, stencils and stitch. These papers will form the visual foundation of the work and will be brought together to design bold, individual book covers. Students are encouraged to come with an open mind, ready to have some fun and be creative.

On the second day, students will be introduced to a range of book forms and concepts, including pages, signatures, and different binding approaches. With guided demonstrations, participants will select and organise their papers, assemble their pages, and bind them together using stitch, before finishing their books with the covers created on the first day.

By the end of the course, students will have created a unique, hand-made book and gained a toolkit of techniques that can be applied to future creative projects.

The Rise of Gelli Printing | St Ives School of Painting

Day to day plan

This is a rough indication of what to expect over the course. However sometimes the structure of the days may alter depending on the nature of the group and weather.

Day 1

The course begins with an introduction to a range of techniques for creating expressive collage papers, which will later be used to form the book covers. These techniques include Gelli printing, painted papers, simple printing with everyday objects and stamps, collage, and stitch. The papers are then brought together and composed into a finished design, which will become the cover for the book created on the second day.


Day 2

Lesley will demonstrate how to construct a book, introducing key ideas such as different book structures, pages, signatures, and binding methods. Students will then select and organise the papers for their books before binding everything together and finishing their work with the cover created on the previous day.

What will I learn?

  • Develop a range of expressive collage and printed papers using Gelli printing, paint, and simple printing techniques.
  • Gain confidence combining colour, texture, and layered surfaces through playful experimentation.
  • Learn how to design and construct a book cover using handmade collage papers.
  • Understand basic book structures, including pages, signatures, and simple stitch binding methods.
  • Create a unique, hand-made book and build techniques that can be applied to future creative projects.

Who would this course suit?

This course is suitable for all levels, with processes that are easy to learn and adapt. It welcomes anyone with an open mind who is keen to experiment, explore new techniques, and enjoy a relaxed, creative approach to bookmaking and the creation of printed papers.

The Alchemy of Bookmaking

Mixed Media / Printmaking – Materials included

Book Selected Date

Taught by

Lesley
Plumridge

View Lesley’s Work

Through my teaching I give inspiration and enthusiasm; I love showing students new techniques and processes and then helping them incorporate them in their own way and develop them into their creative practices.

What to Bring

Our studios are fully equipped and we provide you with all the materials you need for your course. However, if you have a favourite set of brushes or any specialist materials that you would prefer to use, please bring them with you.

We will provide all the materials you need. If you have chosen a landscape class please wear appropriate footwear as you may spend time on the beach we look out over, a short walk from the studio.

Our studios are fully equipped and we provide you with all the materials you need for your course. However, if you have a favourite set of brushes or any specialist materials that you would prefer to use, please bring them with you.

Timings and Breaks

The first day starts at 10am and finishes at 4.30pm, please aim to arrive ten to fifteen minutes before the start time.

All course days after that start at 9.30am and finish at 4pm and there will be an hour for lunch. There are plenty of nearby places to eat and we will serve tea and coffee at break times during the day.

In Summer half day workshops run from 10am – 1pm. Full Day workshops run from 1pm-4pm.

The first day starts at 10am and finishes at 4.30pm, please aim to arrive ten to fifteen minutes before the start time.

All course days after that start at 9.30am and end at 4pm. There are plenty of nearby places to eat and we will serve tea and coffee at break times during the day.

FAQs

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