Bob Meadows starts off his Bookmaking for Beginners course by showing a few of his own finished products and by giving a bit of historical and artistic perspective on each. He then singles in on the one particular style of book the students will make during a class, shows the basic materials to be used to make one, and explains the general assembly process before finally guiding novice bookmakers through the process.
Students in Meadows' bookmaking classes make one complete book during each of the six weekly two-and-a-half hour classes. Meadows guides students through the process of making books of a range of styles, including Western-style sewn books, Eastern-style or Japanese stab binding books and origami style.
Students are asked to bring tools like a craft knife, scissors, an awl, linen thread, a ruler and a pencil to make their bound beauties as well as small decorative items if desired to attach to the book.
Handmade books are usually made, not surprisingly, outside-in. The book covers are made of an acid-free pasteboard, which Meadows cuts ahead of time for his students. The students then use decorative papers, which they pick out from a wide selection Meadows keeps on hand, to add an artistic element. They are pasted onto the book covers with an acid-free glue. Precut recycled printing text paper is used for the inside pages which are stitched in and bound, typically with thread though leather strips and other materials can be used for this purpose.
"You decide on the colors and the patterns, the papers, illustrations, if any," said Meadows. "It's like designing something from scratch and coming up with a product that speaks to others."
First-time bookmaker Anna Shugart appreciated the creativity of the bookmaking process.
"Part of the creative process was picking out the combinations of papers for the covers, the insides of the covers, the cover pages," said Shugart. "A lot of times you would have three or four different kinds of papers involved. Sometimes you had to fold the paper for the pages in particular ways. And we used beads and buttons and things like that for decoration with some of the books."
Shugart had been impressed with the books her sister had been able to create after taking the class and decided to try her hand at it.
"Every one of the books we made was sewn differently," noted Shugart. "Sometimes we used a punch of some kind for making the holes and one time we actually used a drill. They were all interesting. They were all different. And it was such a new kind of learning experience."
Shugart said that since the class ended, she and her sister have been getting together and making books on their own, though she wants to take another bookmaking class with Meadows.
Nanne Johnson was another pleased newcomer to bookmaking. "I made books I never dreamed I'd be able to make!" exclaimed Johnson. "It was a lot of fun."
Bob Meadows has been making books since 2008 when he took a course in the ancient art at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C. He began teaching it in the fall of the following year. Meadows is a multi-faceted artist who makes books and paints watercolors, among other sundry artistic pursuits. He was a graphic artist for four decades and has also taught calligraphy. He is the current president of the board of the Fountain City Art Center and volunteers there one day a week.
"I just want to instill an appreciation for the processes and the materials and the books they create," said Meadows, of his bookmaking class. "A lot of students have no artistic background and they find that this is something they can do and come up with a beautiful, usable product. They just really get into it. It's just amazing."
Meadows periodically offers bookmaking classes at Fountain City Art Center and occasional workshops at other locations. The next bookmaking classes at Fountain City Art Center will likely be in September. Typical cost for this six-week course is $120.
The center is at 213 Hotel Road; 865-357-2787.
Call us at 1-877-304-7769.
Monday – Friday: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. / Saturday & Sunday: 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.