Handmade Binding without Stitches
A course by Susana Dominguez MartinNational Artistic Bookbinding Award (Spain, 2017)
A course by Susana Dominguez Martin, National Artistic Bookbinding Award (Spain, 2017)
Learn to bind graphic artwork for full-image viewing
Susana Domínguez is an artist and expert in handmade bookbinding who uses her craft to bind pages into one-of-a-kind works of art. Her artisanal techniques add the perfect finish to publications that already hold immense personal value, such as artists' books. The quality and creativity of her work has earned her awards in multiple countries, including the 2017 National Artistic Bookbinding Award in Spain. Since 2006, she has been working side by side with her business partner Guadalupe Roldán to run Códex, a studio that has become an international reference in artistic bookbinding and whose mission is to bring this art form into the 21st century and make it accessible for everyone.
Susana's work is characterized by her desire to break new ground; she is constantly experimenting with a variety of new materials and techniques, often borrowed from other disciplines. For Susana, the outward appearance of a book is directly related to what its pages hold, meaning that what's inside determines how the outside looks and the materials it's made of, creating a casing that matches the quality of its content.
In this course, learn how to make an artists' book using techniques that don't leave a curve between pages. Susana teaches you how to bind a book without staples, stitches, or image creases by combining three different techniques: Orihon, perfect binding, and case binding.
What will you learn in this online course?
20 lessons & 10 downloads
What is an artist's book?
9 minutes, 38 seconds
Types of paper
17 minutes, 31 seconds
Coatings and finishes
13 minutes, 10 seconds
Tools for the project
10 minutes, 33 seconds
Materials for the project
10 minutes, 9 seconds
Preparation of printed paper 1
18 minutes, 18 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start the course by getting to know Susana and her work as she talks through her professional career and shares her biggest influences. She also introduces you to the concept of an artists' book and shows you the range of formats and designs they can have, as well as some of their peculiarities.
Discover what kind of paper you can use for your projects and learn about different covers and finishes.
Susana then shows you the tools and materials you need to embark on your bookbinding journey. Learn how to prepare printed pages before moving on to the folding and gluing process.
To wrap everything up, Susana teaches you a set of techniques to create original covers using leather and vinyl paper.
What is this course's project?
Create two books without stitches or staples, one in leather and the other in vinyl paper, using a simple, yet highly practical binding technique that's perfect for all kinds of graphic artwork.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Photographers, illustrators, designers, artists, and anyone interested in hand-binding graphic art with a unique finish.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is necessary as Susana guides you through the entire binding process step by step.
In terms of materials, you need a utility knife, a bone folder, a ruler, a square (or similar object with a 90° angle), a brush, a cutting surface, card stock, paper, white glue, and any other material you have on hand that you want to add to your book.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
Magnifica Profesora, aprendes con ella de manera natural, como si ya lo hubieras hecho anteriormente
- 3 months ago
Corso molto interessante e utile. Spiegato nei minimi dettagli. Non sono le solite nozioni che si trovano ovunque.
- 4 months ago
Un curso maravilloso, realmente aprendí cosas nuevas!
- 4 months ago
Excelente me encanto¡¡ . Reforzo mis trabajos con diseño industrial. Saludos a la comunidad de artesanos
- 4 months ago
Je suis très contente de ce cours ! J’avais déjà suivi un atelier de reliure il y a longtemps, mais j’avais oublié beaucoup de choses. Je vais pouvoir m’y remettre, les étapes sont bien expliquées et Susana est tellement sympathique et d’un naturel ! Une artiste qui fait de très beaux livres, c’est stimulant !
Her work has received awards in Spain and other EU countries. Since 2006, she has been teaching her craft alongside Guadalupe Roldán at the studio she founded: Códex. Their studio has become an international reference in artistic bookbinding and is a space for exchanging ideas and knowledge where many bookbinders and artists from different nationalities have honed their skills and explored their creative potential.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What is an artist's book?
- U2
Tools and materials
- Types of paper
- Coatings and finishes
- Tools for the project
- Materials for the project
- U3
Elaboration of the body of the book
- Preparation of printed paper 1
- Preparing printed paper 2
- Preparation of the skin and decorative paper: chrome tanning
- Preparation of the skin and decorative paper: vegetable tanning
- Folding of the body, preparation of cardboard for lids and pressing 1
- Folding of the body, preparation of cardboard for covers and pressing 2
- Gluing
- U4
Preparation of the coating and final recommendations
- Covering of leather covers 1
- Covering of leather covers 2
- Covering of covers in vinyl paper 1
- Covering of covers in vinyl paper 2
- Covering of covers in vinyl paper 3
- Finishes
- FP
Final project
- Seamless bookbinding
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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FAQs
You’ll learn both classic and contemporary bookbinding techniques, how to transform and personalize materials, select papers and leathers, and create unique artist books using dyes, embossing, gold leaf, and experimenting with color and texture.
The course is designed for those with intermediate skills in bookbinding or visual arts, but it also covers techniques and materials from the ground up to support gradual learning.
You’ll need leather, a variety of papers, cardboard, acid-free adhesives, a craft knife, metal ruler, bone folder, synthetic brush, dyes, and alternative materials like vinyl paper, fabric, plus basic cutting and gluing tools.
Classic bookbinding uses traditional techniques and materials like leather and gold leaf, while contemporary bookbinding embraces experimentation, mixed media, new materials, and more creative design.
Techniques taught include embossing, gold leaf application, image transfer onto leather, cold stamping, paper dyeing, aniline application, stitchless binding, accordion books, and flip books.
You’ll learn to dye leather with anilines, apply alcohol-based dyes, use mixed paste techniques, create embossing, stamping, and image transfers to achieve unique textures and colors.
You’ll be able to create artist books, limited editions, personalized portfolios, graphic art bindings, illustrated books, and creative structures like flip books or accordion books.