Contemporary Bookmaking & Publishing
PRINTMAKING & BOOK ARTSStudents will develop a strong working knowledge of the tools and materials used in contemporary book arts while learning how to integrate structure with content in the development of their own one-of-a-kind books. Students will develop and build on creative ideas using the artists' book as a medium, focusing on the use of non-adhesive binding as a means to producing contemporary books.
Whatever a student's discipline, re-conceiving ideas as an artists' book will expand and enrich their understanding of those ideas. Students will use various methods to explore the structure and content of contemporary book making and explore new ways of thinking.
This class introduces students to the world of contemporary independent publishing, focusing particularly on the various ways an artist, designer, photographer or illustrator might use the short run, self published book format to explore ideas and work collaboratively with other artists.
Students will learn a range of skills, including techniques in both mechanized and hand-pulled forms of printed media (Risograph, Letterpress, Mimeograph); short-run editions and binding; design and layout; pre-press and print production. The course aims to develop a balance between formal book making and authorship.
Students will learn about and become acquainted with some of the most significant independent publishers working today and throughout history. At the same time students are required to develop their own ideas through research and conceptualization which they then employ as content for their books. Students will leave class having completed individual projects and a final book in an edition of ten, designed, developed and published in class.
Advanced work in the development and production of one substantial book project over the course of the semester. The book may use text, imagery, and range of various print techniques. Production issues will cover editing, design, typesetting, proofreading, printing and binding.
At the completion of the semester the student will have printed and published an editioned set of their artist's book.
The Book Arts program at Florence School of Fine Arts offers students a comprehensive exploration of contemporary bookmaking practices rooted in centuries of Florentine craft tradition. From medieval manuscript illumination to Renaissance printing innovations, Florence has been at the heart of book culture for over 700 years.
Our courses emphasize both conceptual development and technical mastery, encouraging students to think of the book as a dynamic medium for artistic expression. Whether creating one-of-a-kind artist's books or self-published editions, students work with traditional and contemporary techniques including letterpress, Risograph printing, hand-binding, and experimental structures.
The program welcomes students from all disciplines—writers, visual artists, photographers, designers—to explore how the book form can expand and transform their creative practice.