Please note! Due to the popularity of the Core 1 workshop, we are holding seats in this class for students who are interested in signing up for the full Core 1-4 series. If you want to sign up for the full series, please send us an email even if this session appears to be full.
 

Workshop Fee (includes materials fee): $200
Click here to apply for a Windgate scholarship

Masks are no longer required for workshops, though anyone is welcome to wear one if they wish.
 

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 sequentially, 1-4.

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

Bookbinding Core 1 :: Coptic Binding

To paraphrase Lewis Carroll, we begin at the beginning. This, the first of our Core Bookbinding series, introduces students to the craft with the Coptic stitch, one of the earliest structures in binding. In addition to coming away with a finished book made by hand, students will also be introduced to the tools and terms of bookbinding. Basic practices and equipment will be discussed as students familiarize themselves with both skills and safety measures needed for working in a bindery.

Competencies Gained:

Knowledge:

• Basic vocabulary of bookbinding tools and equipment
• Basic bindery practices and procedures
• Understanding paper grain

Skills:

• Folding, pressing, piercing, sewing, cutting and gluing

Equipment:

• Board shear, nipping press, hand tools

>> Prerequisite: None <<

Materials to Bring: None. All tools and materials will be provided. 

Date & Time: Sunday, May 12, 2024 :: 9:30am-5:30pm

Location: 375 Rhode Island St, San Francisco, CA 94103

NOTE: Please read over the SFCB Registration Policies before signing up for a class. Registration will close approximately three days prior to the start date of the workshop to allow the instructor time to prep materials for class. We recommend you not wait to register, as workshops that don't meet our minimum enrollment will be canceled, sometimes as much as a week in advance.
 

About the Instructor | Clair Emma Smith (she/her)

Clair Emma Smith is a bookbinder specializing in repair located in Oakland, California. She found her love of bookbinding during an art conservation internship at a historical society in Indiana, and she has been setting up her dream home studio ever since. Clair Emma relocated to the Bay Area after graduating from North Bennet Street School's bookbinding program in 2019 and works in private practice for both herself and other conservators as Bouguereau Bindery. 

Past Student Reviews:

"Organized, eloquent and patient instructor."

“I really liked learning from Clair Emma! She demonstrated beautifully, was thoughtful of the order of operations to maximize our practice time and explained the concepts well.”

“Claire Emma is an excellent teacher! She was unflappable when it came to demonstrating skills, doing so in a precise way with excellent explanations and when she ran into a glitch she remained calm and self assured… and ever so patient with each student as we mastered skills."