Lincoln College of Art and Design introducing heritage skills to a new generation

Designer Bookbinders’ Transferring Design initiative funded by The Printing Charity gains momentum

Following Designer Bookbinders’ launch of its Transferring Design initiative and four successful introductory pilots promoting the craft of bookbinding, Designer Bookbinder Fellow, Mark Cockram, recently ran a follow-up, three-day workshop at Lincoln College of Art and Design, supported with funding from The Printing Charity. 

Twenty-five students from the College’s UAL Art and Design Foundation Diploma course attended, alongside two tutors. The three-day workshop was the start of a newly established CODEX unit as part of the students’ learning programme, giving them the opportunity to gain practical skills and professional creative practice.

Jeanette Koch, Trustee and Honorary Fellow of Designer Bookbinders, says: “The new CODEX unit created as part of the Foundation course at Lincoln College of Art and Design is a very positive step as the students are learning about aspects of bookmaking at the start of their studies and creating work that shows great promise.” 

During the workshop, the students produced a Drum Leaf Miniature Binding, which included work on text block, print, type, de-bossing, handwork, transfer, collage, and machine sewing. This was followed by the making of larger books and fanzines, looking at aspects such as paper engineering, typography, and combination printing and bookmaking techniques. 

The workshop concluded with all the students completing their own projects, bringing together the skills and techniques learnt over the previous two days. The students are now looking for venues to exhibit their work. 

One of the course’s tutors, Daniel Rapley, who attended the three-day workshop, described it as an enriching experience for the students, opening their eyes to the possibility of bookmaking as a career. 

Neil Lovell, The Printing Charity’s Chief Executive, says: “It’s great to see the students at Lincoln College of Art and Design engaging with the Transferring Design initiative as part of the drive to introduce heritage skills to a new generation.”