Beginning Paper Marbling

Marbled Patterns South of Europe Series

 September 12 – 13  (Mon – Tue)
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
$295 + $65 materials fee 

Marbled papers grace the covers of books both inside and out and are used in countless other arts from box making to matting & framing to greeting cards. You will begin this class by learning how to set up to do marbling and from there embark on your marbling journey. You will learn many traditional combed patterns and how to use the marbling inks to bring forth your own decorative vision from the marbling tank. This course includes numerous extras such as instruction in marbling the edges of book pages and leather. The course culminates with students creating their own marbled-leather, edge-marbled journal. In addition to the journal, students may reasonably expect to produce 20 to 30 marbled papers during the class.

The basis for the techniques of this course originated in ancient Turkey, Persia, and Syria and from there made their way west into Europe. No study of marbling would be complete without a foray into these methods that originated in the marbling communities of the late Middle Ages. Feel the storied history of this art form come to life under your fingers. So long as we continue to learn and practice it, this knowledge will never be lost. No prerequisite.

Instructors: Regina and Dan St. John

*Advanced Marbling: Spanish Wave and Moire Intensive

Marbled Patterns from the South of Europe Series

September 14 – 15  (Wed – Thurs)
OR
September 16 – 17  (Fri – Sat)
9:30 a.m. –  4:30 p.m.
$295 + $65 materials fee

Marblers must be counted among some of the most innovative designers in history. The nearly endless array of patterns and motifs seen on marbled papers both historical and contemporary are a feast for the eyes. Spanish marblers contributed their own flair to the development of marbled patterns and by the middle of the 19th century had created a unique technique that came to be called the “Spanish Wave” (seen at top above). This visually exciting pattern was soon employed extensively in England as a marbled paper used in bookbinding.

The Moiré Pattern builds on the Spanish Wave in a most unexpected manner: before marbling a Spanish Wave, the paper is mechanically manipulated to create a faceted surface. When marbled with the Spanish Wave, the result is as dramatic as a tempest on the sea. A Moiré can be further enhanced by the introduction of elements such as veining (see a Moiré with veining above in the bottom image).

The wave patterns seen on both of these important paper patterns produce a distinctive three-dimensional look. Expect endless opportunities for your individual creativity to flow…like a wave!

PREREQUISITE of Beginning Marbling or similar

Instructors: Regina and Dan St. John

Bellissimo! Italian
Marbled Paper Patterns

Marbled Patterns from the South of Europe Series

September 19 – 20 (Mon – Tue)
9:30 a.m. –  4:30 p.m.
$295 + $65 materials fee

This course will take you beyond the traditional Italian combed patterns (marmo pettinato) into the realms of challenging patterns such as peacock (pavone), snail (chiocciola), and stone (pietra). In their travels, Regina and Dan always make a point of visiting Italian marbling production houses both small and large. The knowledge shared through these contacts represents a legacy that continues on through the teaching of the craft.
No prerequisite.

Instructors: Regina and Dan St. John

Elegant Productions Series:

Introduction to Cartonnage:
the Art of Box Making

June 13  (Mon)
10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
$225 + $45 materials

Cartonnage is pronounced “cart-ton-nazj.” (Say it aloud a few times until you feel very French!) The term makes its appearance in France during the first half of the 19th-century to identify the specialty craft of creating containers from cardboard or cardboard-like materials that were then wrapped in paper or cloth. Valréas, France, became an early and major center for cartonnage—beginning with the development there of a box  suitable for fostering silkworms and growing rapidly into a significant industry crafting decorative boxes for all manner of uses. The desire for French-crafted decorative boxes increased by the year, and in 1900 over a thousand workers were employed crafting cartonnage boxes in the Valréas area alone.

Claudia Squio is a renowned author and expert in the history and craft of decorative cartonnage. Through her business Colorway Arts, she is a full-time practitioner and instructor in the art of cartonnage. You will benefit from Claudia’s experience and passion for her craft as she guides you in learning these specialty techniques that we know will influence all of your future craft work.

In this delight of a workshop you will make a lovely cartonnage container for your treasures. Be prepared to be wowed by this wondrous craft that brings elegance and presence to containers of all kinds.
No prerequisite.

Claudia Squio is the author of Cartonnage: Basics and Beyond.

Instructor: Claudia Squio

Elegant Productions Series:

Claudia Squio and the Mystery of the Hidden Chamber

June 14 – 15  (Tues – Wed)   
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
$295 + $70 materials

Even if you have no secrets to hide, there is something bewitching about hidden doors, drawers, and compartments. Come learn the mechanics of making your own cabinet of curiosities that includes a hidden nook! And even more exciting is that Claudia Squio has designed this small chest especially for our workshop—you will not find it in any of her books and other writings on cartonnage.

Those of you who already know Claudia are familiar with her enthusiasm and proficiency as a practitioner and instructor of the art of cartonnage. For those who have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Claudia, be prepared for an exceptional experience that will enrich all of your artistic endeavors.

Join us for this two-day Hidden Compartment workshop during which you will create a delightful construction that is at the nexus of artistic inspiration and craft technique. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to develop a secret of your own to hide within the hidden chamber—we’ll never tell!   No prerequisite.

Claudia Squio is the author of Cartonnage: Basics and Beyond.

Instructor: Claudia Squio

Elegant Productions Series:

Pop-Up Structures:
The Essential Techniques

July 28 – 29  (Thurs – Fri)
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
$295

Students will learn a variety of pop-up structures—beginning with non-adhesive cut-and-fold pop-ups and progressing through a series of more complex, glued constructions. Students will receive instruction in folding and positioning techniques as well as suggestions for incorporating graphics into their pop-up designs. A slideshow of historical and artist-made pop-ups will be presented in order to provide models and departure points for the student’s own innovative new work. Students will be encouraged to explore new applications and to experiment with integrating visual content and text with their pop-ups. This is an ideal session for book artists, paper artists, art teachers, and graphic designers. No prerequisite.

Instructor: Carol Barton

Elegant Productions Series:

The Art of Fore-Edge Painting

June 23 – 24  (Thurs – Fri)
9:30 a.m. –  4:30 p.m.
$295 + $35 materials fee

As early as AD tenth century, people were putting brush and pen to the edges of books…some centuries before librarians could step in and discourage the defacing of books! Edge paintings from this early period can be viewed best when the book is closed as they sit directly on the edges of the pages—akin to the way marbling, gilding, and other edge treatments do.

It is unknown what prompted an artist several centuries later to consider placing the pigments not on the page edges but instead slightly on the top (or bottom) faces of the pages, extending onto the page surfaces the merest amount. In this new technique (“new” in this case meaning 16th century), the pigments did not settle on the page edges due to the presence of gold there that prevented the water-based colorants from adhering or the page edges were gilt after the fore edge painting was made (effectively hiding any painting on the actual edges of the pages). The result of this technical change meant that paintings so placed on the edges of book pages could be viewed only when the text was flexed, revealing the narrow painted strips that together made up the image as a whole. Fore-edge painting, as it is commonly called, continues to thrive to this day and has evolved to include placing hidden paintings along the top and bottom edges of a text as well as settling more than one painting along a single text surface.

Without a doubt, our book-loving ancestors were as charmed as we are by the magic trick presented by vanishing paintings—now you see it, now you don’t (who needs a rabbit in a hat when you’ve got a fore-edge painting?!).  Come join in and learn this art from Melody Krafft, a renowned master and gifted instructor of the craft whose work has been exhibited and acquired throughout the U.S. and internationally. She is adamant that you do not need to be a good painter (or even a mediocre one!) to accomplish a solid and satisfying fore-edge painting. And who knows, fore-edge painting may be just the thing to unleash your inner Rembrandt!

The materials’ fee is for the blank, gilt-edged journals students will use for their fore-edge painting work. There will be also be short list of supplies students will be asked to bring to the workshop. No prerequisite.

A spread about Melody Krafft is included in the book Hidden Treasures: the History and Technique of Fore-edge Painting by Jeanne Bennett.

Instructor: Melody Krafft

 Elegant Productions Series:

 Japanese Tea Box

August 25 – 26  (Thurs – Fri)
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
$295 + $75 materials fee

Historically the “chabako” or traditional Japanese tea box housed the implements used in the tea ceremony. A similar chabako form was constructed specifically for the holding and shipping of tea. This structure is so ideal that larger ones came to be used for storing other foods and even for storing clothes!  The interior of the boxes are lined with tin or metal foil and the outside covered in decorative papers called “chiyogami.” These unique and evocative boxes are delights unto themselves and opening one that has been used for storing tea exudes a fragrance that can only be described as heavenly.

Instructor Lana Lambert fell for Japanese tea boxes after seeing dozens of them stacked in a tea shop selling teas from all over Asia. These stunning containers were all full of different teas waiting to be scooped out for customers. The redolent shop had the feel of the most ancient and magnificent of apothecaries—and with the medicinal properties of tea, this wasn’t far from the truth. Lana used sheer restraint that day: while other customers were purchasing scoops of the various teas, she only purchased two whole tea boxes. It’s like this when you’ve been captivated. There is no turning back.

For the workshop, students will learn how woodblock printing inks are prepared and will go on to pull their own woodblock prints thus creating the decorative chiyogami papers to use on their tea boxes.  As this is a real tea box, you will be including traditional materials in the structure such as wood, paper, laminated paper, and a mirror-like metallic lining. It is a sturdy box, ready for whatever job you give it. No prerequisite.

Instructor: Lana Lambert

Elegant Productions Series:

The Art of Leather Onlay

1-Day Course  TBD  
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.   $225
We are handling this course as an on-demand workshop. Let us know your interest in the class, and we will work out a date to hold the class.

This course covers the basic elements of leather onlay work from preparation of the leather through execution of designs. This course is ideal for anyone who wants to explore leather onlay as a decorative or content element in their bookbinding work.  No prerequisite.

Instructor: Amy Jackson

Elegant Productions Series:

Hatching & Batching:

How to formulate book- and papercraft ideas and build them in production

September 7 – 9 (Wed – Fri)
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
$460 + $65 materials fee

This is a professional-development course for anyone wishing to take their papercraft or book arts designs into cottage-industry production. When making product to take to market, it is essential that the production side of the process be as efficient as possible while not taking away from the handcrafted quality of the work. These are the two immovable endpoints in the realm of making a profit when taking your handcraft into production. The crafter does, fortunately, have control over numerous elements of many of the components of a make-for-market business model. This course is designed to introduce crafters to a wide range of techniques and topics which they can incorporate and adapt to their own artistic vision and goals, leading to a profitable future.

Included in this course is development of jigs and templates, methods for doing price comparisons on raw materials, hands’-on rounds to practice a variety of production techniques, developing a design from concept through prototype and on to production, and avenues for getting your product to market. No prerequisite.

Instructors: Dan St John & Jill Deiss