Karen HanmerKaren HanmerTo register for a workshop, please contact the sponsoring organization. To schedule a workshop for your group, use the Contact form.
Also check the Calendar for scheduled workshops and public lectures.
Workshops are two days unless noted, but many can be abbreviated or expanded.
Private instruction or special workshops on a topic of mutual interest are also available.
July 8-13, 2012
Cullowhee Mountain ARTS
Cullowhee, NC, on the campus of Western Carolina University
Note: This will be a five day workshop making a total of ten to twelve book structures.
August 25-26 , 2012
Biblio Tech: Reverse engineering historical and modern binding structures
Los Angeles area
Guild of Book Workers, California Chapter
Workshop begins with a hands on lecture on a set of approximately twenty models of various historical and modern binding structures, with a focus on methods of board attachment. Similarities between historical and modern structures will be stressed. A chart giving brief structural descriptions of all the binding models presented will be provided to aid students in continuing their study.
Students will create five or six small models from the larger set. These models will remain unfinished so the sewing and board attachment are visible for future reference. A handout will be provided giving a rough outline of the steps to create the models made in class.
This is a fast-paced workshop for students who already have some experience with traditional binding.
Note: Biblio Tech is also available as a four or five day workshop, with students making ten to twelve binding models.
Read a student's blog post about this workshop here.
The sewn boards binding is an elegant, modern adaptation of an ancient binding.
The drum leaf binding is the perfect structure for printmakers, photographers, or anyone who desires to present visual narratives with no sewing thread to interrupt the flow of imagery. Because a drum leaf book is made of single folios, not signatures, the complexities of imposition are not necessary when laying out text.
Both structures can be dressed up or down with a variety of spine treatments and edge decoration techniques. The books open very flat. They can be constructed quickly, are perfect for edition work, and can be made in a sparsely equipped home studio.
In this two day workshop, students will make at least three book models, and experiment with various spine wrappers, decorative spine linings, and edge decoration techniques including solid color, sprinkling, sponging, graphite, gauphering, sprinkling with metal leaf.
A detailed handout will be provided with instructions for all the structures and techniques presented.
Additional images of sewn boards and drum leaf bindings here
July 14-15, 2012
Asheville BookWorks
West Asheville, NC
The nineteenth century Springback Binding with its enthusiastic opening is ideal for journals, guest books, sketch books, or any application where it is desirable that the book open flat, and then some. The book both opens and closes with satisfying jolt.
The Springback Binding is also a perfect way to delve more deeply into traditional binding. The book features two-part “split boards,” reinforced “made” endsheets, and a “spring” made of layers of card and paper.
With its robust aesthetic, the Springback Binding is a great way to begin working with leather. The paring requires minimal finesse, and the modest leather headcap is easy to form.
June 9, 2012
Dallas, TX
Sponsored by the Lone Star Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers
Learn a variety of decorative techniques for use on leather bindings. These techniques require minimal equipment or leatherworking skill, and some can also be applied to cloth or paper. Techniques demonstrated will include: backpared onlays, inlaid lines, stamping texture into leather, feathered onlays, Lacunose (abstract sanded leather collage), various inlay techniques, laminating a paper illustration for use as an inlay, various methods of creating sculptural boards, transfer of computer-printed onlay shapes from paper to leather, and laser printing on leather.
Students’ completed set of four goatskin plaquettes together with a detailed handout covering all the techniques presented will be a valuable reference for future projects.
See examples of the techniques covered in this workshop here
Working on simple sewn and double-fan adhesive text blocks, students will experiment with a variety of edge decoration techniques including gilding, graphite and a variety of techniques with color: solid color, sprinkling, sponging. Gauphering, sprinkling with metal leaf and hot tooling with foil on edges will also be presented.
A detailed handout will be provided with instructions for all the techniques presented.
This artists’ book structure functions on numerous levels: as a codex held in the hand and read page by page in sequence, as a sculpture, and as a delightful object to play with. Students will have the opportunity to examine a variety of finished pieces and models.
Discussion will include cutting triangles of consistent size and angle, techniques to ensure flexibility of the structure, how to determine a path through the structure for text and imagery, and various patterns for assembly. Importance of creating and refining prototypes will be stressed.
In this one day workshop students will make one or more models as time permits, with the triangles hinged to form different patterns and plans for adding imagery and/or text to future books.
June 8, 2012
All Shook Up: A brief exploration of the Flag Book (a half day workshop)
The Sixth Helen Warren DeGolyer Triennial Exhibition and Competition for American Bookbinding Conference
Southern Methodist University,
Dallas, TX
The foundation of Hedi Kyle's deceptively small and simple book "flag book" structure is an accordion folded spine. Flaps attached to both sides of each of the spine’s “mountain” folds allow the artist to fragment and layer a number of complementary or contrasting images and narratives. When the flag book spine is pulled fully open, the fragmented images on the flaps come together to create a large, panoramic image. This transformation is accompanied by a delightful flapping sound. The spine and covers provide opportunities for additional imagery.
In this two day workshop, students will make two different styles of flag book. For both styles a sample will be made from kits provided by the instructor, plus a more finished book with students’ imagery and hand written text will be made for one or both as time permits. This could also be conducted as a one day workshop, making only one of the two styles of flag book.
Students will experiment with complementary and contrasting text and images. The class will discuss the effects of different spine and page dimensions, direction of motion, and which images will be most successful for different book styles. Students will learn a tidy, non adhesive method of covering boards and use a jig to facilitate quicker, more precise assembly.
Before creating books using their own text and imagery, students will review and discuss books from the instructor’s collection of books by other artists, as well as discuss the success and possibilities for improvement of their book models. The instructor will stress the importance of prototype construction and critical thinking at the onset of a project.
While this is not a computer class, digital printing and setting up PhotoShop templates for pages, covers and spines will be demonstrated.
See additional images of flag books here
Download Hanmer's Bonefolder article that this workshop is based on here: (PDF 1.6M)
September 27-29, 2012
Peninsula School of Art, Door County, Wisconsin
In this three-day workshop, participants will be introduced to the basic tools, techniques and materials of bookbinding. During this information-packed course you will build the knowledge and skills to continue making books in your home studio with a few hand tools and no specialized equipment.
We will begin with a session on making decorative papers, which will be used as endsheets and to cover our books. We will explore at least five book structures ranging from unsewn folded sheets to multi signature books with structural and decorative sewing. Some of the books will have soft paper wrappers and others will have hard covers. This attractive set of models, together with detailed handouts, will be a valuable reference and inspiration for future projects.
Karen Hanmer | 709 Rosedale Road | Glenview, IL 60025 | 847.724.6324 | Home | Contact