ART 346: THE ART OF THE BOOK 1
San Diego State University / FALL 2015
8-10:40 am TTH Schedule # 20230
Prerequisites: any 300 or 400 level art or design course
Michele Burgess
Office hours (461A) by appointment
Email: mburgess@mail.sdsu.edu
“It is one of the great and wonderful characteristics of good books (which allow us to see
the role at once essential yet limited that reading may play in our spiritual lives) that for
the author they may be called “Conclusions” but for the reader “Incitements.” We feel
very strongly that our own wisdom begins where that of the author leaves off, and we
would like him to provide us with answers when all he is able to do is provide us with
desires...”
-—Marcel Proust
“Once one learns to see, making books can be very exciting. I can hear my teenage
alcoholic friends of yore howling at that crack! Making books exciting? How can this be?
Because making books is to take the same trip into intuition that leads, if successful, to
visual sensual/ total surprise! This journey is essentially the same for all art forms. It is
akin to kidnapping in that once begun by the maker, the maker is abducted by the piece
itself. The piece takes on life and character and demands its completion on its own
terms. It kidnaps the maker, who is the investigator only, captive thereafter.”
—Walter Hamady
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Catalog description: Terminology, tools, materials, and reproduction processes related to
the making of books; historical and contemporary book structures; and development of
content in the form of image and text.
Further: The artist can use and enrich the elements and forms that a book possesses to
translate thoughts, feelings, images, and information to the viewer. The idea behind the
book is central to all aesthetic and practical decisions made during its creation. Other
considerations include: combination, juxtaposition and layering, gradual revelation,
metaphor and visual composition. Book Art is a time-based medium that challenges our
contemporary concepts of reading and seeing, in a form that invites a unique and tactile
intimacy with the viewer. These challenges demand that the artist strive for qualities that
engage the senses, the imagination, and the intellect.
This course is designed as an interdisciplinary exploration for upper level students in
graphic, fine, and applied art disciplines, and students from other departments such as
creative writing and the sciences. Each artist will be encouraged to apply her/his own
particular skills to this time-based, interactive, and multifaceted form. In this context, we
will converse about issues and techniques that expand our current knowledge and
expressive concerns.
In addition to bookmaking techniques, mediums, and techniques of choice may include
those used in printmaking, painting, digital art and other computer generated imagery
and text, hand letterpress, creative writing, metals, photography, wood and furniture
techniques, ceramics and clay, drawing, sculpture, fibers, etc. Early projects will be
image based, followed by the option of text only or text/ image combinations.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students will learn and become conversant in bookmaking terms, techniques, and
structures.
Students will understand the basics of traditional book design and the reasons for
practicing or challenging it in the pursuit of meaningful expression.
Students will apply their own Individual interpretations to proposed concepts and themes
as they are expressed in book form in a way that translates the intended meaning to the
class viewers.
Students will demonstrate good skills in the craft of making books in fourteen different
binding structures
Students will create three of their own artist’s books, which will demonstrate knowledge
of the above.
Expectations & Grading Each of the three book projects include:
1. Preparatory materials done as a step-by-step process, which will be graded and may
include (in this order): (50% of final grade)
Completion of research, as assigned
Thorough and thoughtful brainstorming notes
Page spread studies & mockup bindings
Pagination/layout charts
Progress reports as the book develops
.
2. The final book for each assignment will be evaluated according to the following
criteria: (50%)
Effective use of pagination to achieve stated goals
Well designed images and page composition
Craftsmanship
Development of thoughtful content
Successful integration of theme with structure and materials
These three book projects will count equally toward 80% of your final grade
Prototype bindings (blank books) will be factored in as 20% of your final grade. They
will be turned in together at the end of the semester.
They will include all of these and possibly others:
Single section
dos a dos
Double section
hard cover album
drum leaf
leporello (2 sided accordion)
long stitch
case binding
folded box
slipcase
clamshell box
portfolio
Coptic
4- fold chitzu enclosure
Missed critiques will result in grade for that project lowered by one letter.
NO LATE WORK will be accepted without a doctor’s note or police report. Late
work is work turned in after the first half hour of class.
NOTE: If you miss any information, assignments, or demonstrations, it is your
responsibility to get it from another student in the class. Be sure that you have
contact information for at least one other person in the class. Your record of class
attendance will affect your grade in a substantial way.
Each grade will take into account the following grading standards:
A - is given when both the work and the class participation are excellent. This grade is
reserved for the student who pushes her/himself and demonstrates a high quality of
thought and consideration.
B - Represents praiseworthy performance. All course work completed. Attendance
requirements met.
C - Represents satisfactory completion of required course work, average performance &
effort.
D - Reflects work that is generally late, done at the last minute, poorly thought out, etc.
F - Failure to meet course requirements.
Cell phones must be turned off during class, even while you are working alone.
There will be many impromptu suggestions and comments. No earphones or plugs,
please. No texting or email interception during class. Pretend that you’re on a plane, about to
take off
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this
class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473.
To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student
Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not
retroactive, and that I cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until I have
received an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is
appreciated.
Textbooks:
Recommended: Non-Adhesive Binding by Keith Smith
Japanese Bookbinding, by Kojiro Ikegami.
MATERIALS for Art of the Book
KIT available at Blick will contain:
Bookbinder’s needles
Linen thread
Bookbinder’s awl
Bone folder
8-12” aluminum triangle with FLAT edges
Methyl cellulose powder
Snap-off style knife
24” or longer ruler with one beveled edge (Alumicutter)
18"x24" newsprint pad
Flat 1” brush
3” exacto metal triangle (available from DanielSmith.com)
16 oz. bottle of Lineco neutral ph adhesive (you will probably need more later)
Drafting or artist’s tape
ADDITIONAL materials needed:
1 large sheet of tracing paper
Mechanical pencil
White eraser
8 or more colored pencils
8 or more watercolors or acrylics with brushes
Flat palette or palette paper
2" - 4" wide paint utility brushes (cheap)
1-2 non-food containers with lid for paste and paint
Stapler
Scissors
4 sheets of Rives Heavyweight paper or Arches Text paper
6 sheets of Rives Lightweight paper or a pad of acid free sketch paper
3 sheets colored Canson paper (at least two different colors and an additional
dark color)
1 sheet of heavyweight Canford paper
2 sheets of decorative paper suitable for gluing
1 sheet of Japanese Mulberry paper
Sketchbook (can be one you're currently using)
2 sheets of 90# Letramax black illustration board
½ sheet 110# (double thickness) Letramax black illustration board
3-6” paint roller (from hardware or paint store. VERY IMPORTANT!)
2 yards of bookcloth from Hiromi Paper International (order a color of your choice online
at: hiromipaper.com) before September 22nd.
OR
11/2 yards of bookcloth and 2 additional sheets of decorative paper suitable for gluing
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS WILL BE REQUIRED BUT WILL VARY FOR INDIVIDUAL
PROJECTS