Virtual Bookbinding I

Virtual Bookbinding ICourse Code: 26MBB100V This five week, virtual workshop takes place online on Tuesdays, June 2nd 30th, from 6PM 9PM ET. Tuesday, June 2nd, from 6PM to 9PM ET Tuesday, June 9th, from 6PM to 9PM ET Tuesday, June 16th, from 6PM to 9PM ET Tuesday, June 23rd, from 6PM to 9PM ET Tuesday, June 30th, from 6PM to 9PM ET Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on Tuesday, May 19th at 11: 59 pm. About the Workshop: This virtual class at Center for

Course Code: 26MBB100V

This five week, virtual workshop takes place online on Tuesdays, June 2nd - 30th, from 6PM - 9PM ET.

• Tuesday, June 2nd, from 6PM to 9PM ET

• Tuesday, June 9th, from 6PM to 9PM ET

• Tuesday, June 16th, from 6PM to 9PM ET

• Tuesday, June 23rd, from 6PM to 9PM ET

• Tuesday, June 30th, from 6PM to 9PM ET
  

Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on Tuesday, May 19th at 11:59 pm.

About the Workshop:

This virtual class at Center for Book Arts is taught by instructor Elizabeth Castaldo.

While the art of bookbinding may seem daunting at first, there are some basic book structures that make entering the world of book arts fun and accessible. In this introductory class you will learn the basic use of bookbinding tools and materials, along with simple bookbinding structures that utilize softcovers.
Students will learn about non-adhesive structures, bindings for single sheets, and other bindings that can be made with little specialized equipment. Accordions, pamphlets, drum leaf books, and a variety of softcover bindings will be taught during the course. This class is ideal for those who wish to learn simple forms for presenting work, or for building fundamental knowledge on bookbinding.

Required Materials:

• Pencil and paper for note-taking

• Bookbinding awl

• Bone folder

• Olfa Snap-off Blade Utility Knife

• Bookbinding needles ( #1 Bookbinders or Curved #7)

• Linen thread (Irish Linen Thread 18/3)

• Cardstock or cover-weight colored paper (at least 5 sheets of 11 x 17 cardstock)

• Text-weight paper (at least 25 sheets of 8.5 x 11 regular copy paper)

• Adhesives (PVA recommended or Archival Glue Stick)

• Large mat for cutting (self-healing mat or a large flat piece of cardboard)
  

About the Instructor

Elizabeth Castaldo  is a New York based artist working in printmaking, collage, drawing and painting. She creates visually abundant works on paper and artist’s books reflecting on pattern as abundance, and the body as a site of action, as well as its inclusion in larger webs of connection. In 2025 she was an artist in residence at the Institute for Electronic Arts at Alfred University and a 2024 art-in-ed workspace resident at Women’s Studio Workshop. Additionally she has completed residencies at Proyecto ‘Ace in Buenos Aires Argentina, Arquetopia in Oaxaca Mexico, the Center for Book Arts in NYC and Printmakers Open Forum in Oxford PA. In 2025 her solo exhibition – born of Chaos, was presented at the Croton Free Library.  She teaches printmaking and book arts at the Center for Book Art and Parsons School of Design. Castaldo received her MFA from SCAD Atlanta and her BFA from the School of Visual Arts. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in many private and institutional collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Public Library, SCAD, The University of Alberta, Carnegie Mellon University, Yale University.

All images courtesy of the instructor unless otherwise noted.