Imagine a personal history made up of maps and charts. What stories would yours tell? In this workshop you'll chart aspects of your personal or family history to make your own autobiographical atlas.

First we'll look at examples of maps and charts that go beyond imparting empirical information. Then we'll embark on a series of exercises that explore ways of conveying personal and autobiographical stories through mapping, charting, and graphing. In the second session you'll turn those into a card book and a custom envelope to contain it. 

Prerequisite:
None

Materials to Bring:
Bring a variety of your preferred drawing materials, plus any personal ephemera you may wish to incorporate. The card book format offers plenty of opportunity to integrate found materials. 

About the Instructor:
Tim Svenonius (he/him) is a mixed-media artist whose work explores the intersections of history, memory and myth. A voracious reader and an avid researcher, his work is shaped by deep investigations into arcane knowledge and lore. He has worked for two decades in the museum field, as a designer, writer, and producer of digital media. In 2015 he self-published a monograph, A Book of Lost Latitudes, which explores the role of the whale in mythology and literature, through evocative drawings and found texts.

Bookbinding Core Certificate Program

The San Francisco Center for the Book celebrates the craft and art of bookbinding. Our Bookbinding Core Certificate Program introduces students to four different binding models, leading them through the history and evolution of bookmaking. It provides students a comprehensive foundation to delve into the practice of binding and qualifies them to rent studio time in our bindery. Core classes must be taken in order, 1 through 4.

The four structures are:

Bookbinding Core 1: Coptic Binding
Students will craft one of the earliest structures in binding. In addition to coming away with a finished book made by hand, students will also make their own decorative pastepapers to be used on their book. Basic practices and equipment will be discussed as students familiarize themselves with both skills and safety measures needed for working in a bindery.

Bookbinding Core 2: Flat-Back Case Binding
Students will create what most of us refer to as a hardbound book. In bookbinding terms, it is known as a case binding; where a sewn textblock is glued into a separate structure known as a case. 

Bookbinding Core 3: Limp Paper Binding
Students will bind a book using limp vellum bindings as a model but employing thick paper as the folded and laced wrapper. They will learn to use a sewing frame and the skill of sewing headbands.

Bookbinding Core 4 :: Classic Rounded Back Cloth Binding (two sessions)
This final class uses skills learned in each previous class to create a beautiful and classic rounded back cloth binding. After sewing, the book will be rounded and backed before the boards are attached and covered.

The Weeklong Intensive rate is discounted $100 off the individual workshop fees.

SFCB's Windgate Scholarship Fund is dedicated to providing need-based financial support to individuals interested in learning bookbinding, letterpress printing, and related book arts. Click here to apply.

Prerequisite:
None

Materials to Bring:
All tools and materials are provided.

About the Instructor:
Beth Redmond (she/her) was first introduced to making books in the photography program at San Jose State. She loves binding books for their perfect marriage of functionality and creativity.  After learning the basics of a well-made book at SFCB she went on to study fine binding at the American Academy of Bookbinding in Telluride, CO. She works primarily with leather to create bindings for public and private collections. Her work can be seen at https://bredmond.weebly.com.

This is a single session online workshop.

Gelli plate transfers are a fun way to incorporate found imagery into your prints. A cross between an image transfer and a print, it is an opportunity for unexpected results.

In this one evening online class, we will start by discussing the basics of gelli plate printing related to transfers. The instructor will demo a number of techniques in the first half of the session. The remainder of the session will be time to work with opportunities or troubleshooting, questions, and experimenting. 

Online workshops are recorded; video links will be emailed to registered students after each session, and recordings will be available for eight weeks after the final class meeting.

Prerequisite:
None, though Gelli Plate printmaking experience is very helpful.

Materials to Bring:

• Gelli plate or homemade gelatin plate, 5x7" or what you have (smaller is easier to work with, but accommodations can be made for larger plates)

• 1 brayer

• Acrylic paint: (whatever you have works, though if you are buying it I recommend Liquitex basics) , in black and 2 pale or bright colors (white, yellow, pink, orange, light blue etc).

• Tray for water

• Rags

• Paper: drawing paper or printmaking paper (about 10 sheets, slightly larger than your plate)

• A variety of high contrast magazine images, can be in color or black and white. I recommend using multiple sources.

• Weight ( a large book is perfect)

• Pencil

  Optional: 

• Photocopies and printed materials: images from clip art books, text etc.

• Fan or blow dryer

About the Instructor:
Hope Amico (they/them) is a visual artist, writer and educator who believes we could all use a creative practice. Through classes, collage meetups and the Keep Writing postcard project, they are excited to share ways we can work together and support each other creatively. Co-founder of the New Orleans Collage Collective and previously known as gutwrench press, they relocated to Portland, OR in 2020. They teach online and in-person through the MCBA, SFCB and privately through their own studio.

If you have heard about letterpress but are not really sure what it is or how it works, this class will allow you to peer inside the rich history and engaging techniques of letterpress printing.

This class introduces the process, the materials, the machines, and the satisfaction of printing by hand on a Cylinder proof press. Participants will learn the basics of setting type using SFCB’s vast collection of lead type and decorative ornaments as well as inking, locking up and pulling a print.

SFCB's Windgate Scholarship Fund is dedicated to providing need-based financial support to individuals interested in learning bookbinding, letterpress printing, and related book arts. Click here to apply.

Prerequisite:
None

Materials to bring:
None

About the Instructor:
Brian Ferrett (he/him) has a printing degree from MATC and worked in offset web and screen printing. In 2008 he joined M&H Type as a typecasting apprentice under Lewis Mitchell. These days he co-manages M&H's daily operations, maintains the historic casting machines and presses, casts type and prints for the various Arion Press publications. Brian is a member of the Northern California chapter of the American Printing History Association, the American Typecaster Fellowship, and volunteers with San Francisco Public Library's annual Valentine’s Day broadside event. In his spare time he plays around with his Vandercook 219AB, C&P New Style 10x15, and his two Kelseys.

Bookbinding Core Certificate Program

The San Francisco Center for the Book celebrates the craft and art of bookbinding. Our Bookbinding Core Certificate Program introduces students to four different binding models, leading them through the history and evolution of bookmaking.  It provides students a comprehensive foundation to delve into the practice of binding and qualifies them to rent studio time in our bindery. Core classes must be taken in order, 1 through 4.

Click here to learn more about the Bookbinding Core Certificate Program and how to receive a discount!

Bookbinding Core 2: Flat-Back Case Binding

In this second Core Bookbinding class, students will create what most of us refer to as a hardbound book. In bookbinding terms, it is known as a case binding; where a sewn textblock is glued into a separate structure known as a case. Students will learn more about the mechanics of books as they build on skills from Core 1 and expand both their vocabulary and capabilities in and around the bindery.

SFCB's Windgate Scholarship Fund is dedicated to providing need-based financial support to individuals interested in learning bookbinding, letterpress printing, and related book arts. Click here to apply.

Prerequisite:
Bookbinding Core 1

Materials to Bring:
All tools and materials will be provided. Students are also welcome to bring any leftover pastepapers from Core 1 that they might want to use on their book.

About the Instructor:
Madison Halaby Gordon (she/they) is a bookbinder and conservator-in-training living in Oakland, CA, currently working at Zukor Art Conservation and the Walt Disney Family Museum. She is fascinated by paper, and loves making and repairing practical, fun, accessible, and well-made structures for the use and enjoyment of everyday people. Madison is also trained in letterpress printing and has worked previously with the Key Printing & Binding (Oakland, CA) and Small Editions (Brooklyn, NY).

Students with previous linocut experience will learn about multiblock carving and printing, in which each carved block is inked with a different color.

We will create designs on 5 x 7" linoleum for two blocks/two colors, then transfer the image onto the blocks and learn about registration so that each color lines up on the finished print. All students will leave with an edition of their print on quality printmaking paper using a Cylinder Press. 

Students will learn several registration methods on etching presses and for hand printing, and learn how to edition a print run.  

Prerequisite:
Intro to Linoleum Carving & Printing or other experience carving and printing with lino blocks

Materials to Bring:

• Ideas for a simple 5x7" design; ideally at least two sketches so the instructor can help choose which will work best.

About the Instructor:
Patricia Wakida (she/her) is a bibliophile, artist and writer with a background in trade publishing. Her relations to books are kept tangible and toothsome by running wasabi press, making illustrated letterpress books, broadsides, posters and cards on a Chandler and Price tabletop platen press and a small etching press. Her book arts education began with an apprenticeship in Japanese papermaking in Mino, Gifu- prefecture, Japan in 1996, followed by an apprenticeship at the Arts and Crafts Press under linoleum block artist and letterpress printer Yoshiko Yamamoto, in Berkeley, CA. She's also taught linoblock carving and letterpress workshops as a teaching assistant in the book arts program at Mills College, the San Francisco Center for the Book, and ASUC Art Studio. 

Embroidery on paper? YES! Embellish photos, postcards, and more with thread and stitches.

You will learn to make art with needle, threads and paper. Learn the techniques so your creations can be made without losing a stitch. If you have postcards and photos you want to stitch on, bring them in or copy them on photo paper or cardstock. Everything else will be provided.

Prerequisite:
None

Materials to bring:
Optional: Paper ephemera (photographs, postcards, heavy paper or cardstock) to stitch on.

About the Instructor:
Dorothy Yuki (she/her) studied to be something other than an artist. She began as a fashion designer immediately after college but soon she became a partner of a manufacturing company, In Good Company, from 1965-1976. She designed and manufactured kitchen soft goods and linens. Later, as a production and design consultant, she worked with many identity and music production companies, as well as new startups.

Now in her 80s and living in San Francisco, she is engaged in many volunteer activities, Ruth’s Table, Artseed, SCRAP-SF, San Francisco Center for the Book, and FabMo. She also mentored at Bay High School in their Senior Program. She was past President of Friends of Calligraphy and has been a Master Educator for the Macy’s Fashion Incubator San Francisco.

She still has the time to do ‘art’ and has worked on projects for MMOCA, Flax Art and Design, Kalligraphia, Ruth’s Table, FabMo and SCRAP-SF. She is a recipient of Honorable Mentions for her artwork at the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art Altered Book Show 2014 and 2015. To find out more about Dorothy's work, visit her blog www.dotsrainbow.com

Use collage techniques to create a book with pop-up elements and a hard cover that nestles nicely in an upcycled tin.

Making a little accordion book that fits into a little tin is so satisfying. At first glance it just looks like an adorable decorated box, but on opening a marvelous handmade pop-up book is revealed.

In this class we will be using collage elements such as recycled maps, postcards, and other ephemera to create an accordion book with pop-up elements enclosed in a hard cover front and back. This will fit neatly into an embellished tin (breath mint tin size) that can display the book’s title or associated imagery. 

Prerequisite:
None

Materials to bring:
Optional: ephemera and other materials to collage with.

About the Instructor:
Stephanie Jucker (she/her) is an exhibiting artist who uses mixed media and printing techniques in her paintings, books, and art installations. Originally from London where she earned her BFA, Stephanie has an MFA from Syracuse in painting, printmaking, and ceramics. With 25 years of teaching experience, she currently runs art classes at College of Marin, Kala, and Art Works Downtown in San Rafael.