Drum Leaf Binding and its Precedents

Scott McCarney looks at you from the other side of his workbench
Scott McCarney headshot

Event Info

This three-week virtual workshop takes place on Zoom on Tuesday nights, June 11, 18, and 25th from 6:00 pm–8:00 pm:

  • Tuesday, June 11, 6–8pm
  • Tuesday, June 18, 6–8pm
  • Tuesday, June 25, 6–8pm

Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on May 20, 2024 at 11:59pm.


About the Workshop:

Drum leaf binding and its various precedents all create a lay-flat structure ideal for displaying photographs and prints. This workshop will explore three techniques – a Japanese Album, a Japanese Butterfly book, and a Drum-Leaf binding – which all have similarly easy and ingenious modes of assembly.

After learning these structures, participants will then case their Drum-Leaf books into easily assembled quarter-cloth covers with throw-back spines. Since each page spread is a single folded folio, participants can print their images across the gutter with no interruption, making these techniques very popular with printmakers and photographers. Once completed, these books lie flat when opened, making them easy and comfortable to view. No previous bookbinding experience required!

Fun Fact: Drum leaf binding is a structure developed by artist and bookbinder Timothy Ely. He was inspired by his studio of vellum binding in England, where he observed how vellum was drummed to boards to minimize pulling.


Required Supplies:

Materials:

  • Paper
  • Book cloth
  • Book board
Tools:
  • Bone folder
  • Glue
  • Ruler
  • Scissors

More detailed materials lists, including measurements, will be provided in the confirmation email sent upon registration. 


About Scott McCarney

Scott McCarney is an artist, designer, and educator based in Rochester, New York. His primary art practice has been in book form since 1980 and spans many media, from offset and digital printing to sculptural and site-specific installation. His bookworks can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Victoria & Albert Museum, London; and Yale University Art Gallery, among others. His work is shown internationally (Sao Paulo, Brazil; Melbourne, Australia; Baku, Azerbaijan) as well as closer to home (Hallwalls, Buffalo NY; Everson Museum, Syracuse NY; Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester NY). His teaching and lecturing itinerary is varied and eclectic, carrying the banner of artist’s books to Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Mexico, and South America. He recently concluded 16 years of teaching in the College of Art and Design at Rochester Institute of Technology.  


All images courtesy of the instructor.

In order to best serve our community near and far, many of our online classes are pay-what-you-can. The amount you choose to pay goes directly toward our instructors and toward creating scholarship opportunities for the future. Virtual workshops at Center for Book Arts will be recorded and the recording will be provided for all registered participants after the class.

16 Remaining

Pay what you can:

Attendees

Your cart is empty.