MAKING A BOOK

Getting Started in the Cleveland Institute of Art Library

Finding inspiration
You may wish to start by looking at examples from the history of books and book arts and
traditional Eastern and Western book styles.

International Crafts. NK 789 .I57 1991

The book arts section has some very nice photographs.
Kropper, Jean. Handmade books and cards. Z 271 .K76 1997
LaPlantz, Shereen. Cover to cover: creative techniques for making beautiful
books, journals, and albums. Z 271 .L44 1995
Although both books provide instructions and diagrams, these books are better as
sources of inspiration rather than technique. The photos of folding, binding, and joining
possibilities are wonderful!
Olmert, Michael. Smithsonian book of books. Z 4 .O54 1992
Look here for a quick history of the book and to see excellent photographs of traditional
book binding, illustration, and printing.
Vervliet, H. D. L. The Book through 5000 years. Special Collections Z 4 .V46
This is a history of the book from its earliest form (including non-western book styles)
and has good full-page color photographs. This is a good place to see examples of
different writing surfaces and traditional styles of binding them together to form a book.

Learning about artists’ books

Artists have long been associated with books, most often as illustrators, binders, printers, and
th
papermakers. By the middle of the 20 century, artists began to have a more direct interest in
books as works of visual art in book form, and the artists’ book movement started. The CIA
Library has books and exhibition catalogs on artists’ books, and these are a great place to learn
about the history, critical issues, and variety of books made by artists. The following are useful
introductions.

Drucker, Johanna. The Century of artists’ books. N 7433.3 .D78 1995

Artist and art theorist Drucker has been making artists’ books since the early 1970s, and
she brings an important voice to the history of artists’ books. She places books made
by artists within the range of twentieth century art movements and discusses over 200
artists’ books, with many black and white photographs.
Hubert, Renée and Judd. Cutting edge of reading: artists’ books.
N 7433.3 .H83 1999
This is a well-written and critical discussion of a range of issues related to the history,
styles, and role of artists’ books in Europe and North America, illustrated with color as
well as black and white photographs.
Lauf, Cornelia and Clive Phillpot. Artist author: contemporary artists’ books.
N 7433.3 .L37 1998
This book offers good color photographs of selected artists’ books.
Lyons, Joan. Artists' books: a critical anthology and sourcebook.
N 7433.3 .A75 1985
The first major book on artists’ books, this remains a solid introduction with plenty of
black and white photographs of artists' books (many of which are in the CIA collection).
Wasserman, Krystyna. The book as art: artists' books from the National Museum of
Women in the arts. N 7433.35 .U6 W37 2007

Many of the artists’ books included in these histories, anthologies, and exhibition catalogs are in
the CIA Library’s large collection of artists’ books.

Constructing a book
Bodman, Sarah. Creating artists’ books. N 7433.3 .B62 2005
Fox, Gabrielle. The essential guide to making handmade books. Z 271 .F78 2000
Holleley, Douglas. Digital book design and publishing. Z 116 .A3 H64 2001
Holleley has brought bookmaking to the digital world with his discussion of material
selection, software processing, page layout, printing, and binding. His text is supported
by easy-to-understand diagrams and plenty of color photographs (many of artists’ books
in the CIA Library’s collection).
Ikegami, Kojiro. Japanese bookbinding: instructions from a master craftsman.
Z 270 .J3 I3713 1986
This has good photographs and diagrams, and a detailed list of tools and instructions.
The Penland book of handmade books: master classes in bookmaking
techniques. N 7433.3 .P46 2008
A combination of inspiration and instruction for the intermediate to advanced book artist,
this book presents 10 artists who have taught at Penland, with personal texts about their
bookmaking, lovely photographs of their books, instructions for various book
construction techniques, and a gallery of artists working with similar techniques.
Smith, Keith. Exposed spine sewings. Z 271 .S6 N6 1999
Keith Smith is a prolific book artist, having made 200 artists’ books. [Some of his
books are in our collection.] This last book in his Non-Adhesive Binding series contains
elaborate patterns and instructions for sewing “along” the spine as well as across it.
Library also has 1995 edition.
Smith, Keith. Non-adhesive binding: book number 128.. Z 271 .S6 N6 1990
This is Smith's third book on bookmaking and is a "how-to" binding manual, explaining
basic to elaborate binding techniques that do not require adhesives, presses, or other
heavy equipment. He begins this book with the “why” of binding. The second part
presents 32 binding patterns, and the third part focuses on book covers. The last section
lists various binding resources. Smith’s instructions are clear and accompanied by
excellent drawings and photographs. This is a very useful book; if the circulating copy of
the book is out, ask to see the copy in the artists' books collection.
Smith, Keith. 1-2-&3 section sewings. Z 271 .S6 N6 1995
This is really volume two of Smith’s Non-Adhesive Binding, and you will want to look at it
first. 1-2-&3-Section Sewings begins with fairly simple section sewing patterns and
 instructions and continues with more complicated raised support patterns for the
advanced binder willing to consider what Smith calls “unorthodox” procedures.
Smith, Keith. Quick leather bindings. Z 271 .S6 S6 2002
Smith, Keith. Sewn and pasted cloth and leather binding for book artists…
Z 271 .S6 S48 1998
Smith and bookbinder Fred Jordan provide clear instruction on how to cover a book with
cloth or leather without using special equipment or tools. They include over 400 detailed
drawings and 60 reproductions of books by contemporary binders and book artists.
Smith, Keith. Smith’s sewing single sheets. Z 271 .S6 S6 2001
Part I: Preliminaries guides the reader through basic tools, the nature and types of
paper, folds, sewing preparation and knots, glue and paste, and covers. Parts II and III
cover “supported” and “unsupported” sewing. The instructions are detailed and very
precise and supported by excellent photographs and exceptionally clear illustrations. In
Part IV: Gallery, photographs of the sewing techniques’ possibilities are amazing and
inspiring. The book concludes with a useful reference section.
Smith, Keith. Structure of the visual book. Z 116 .A3 S58 1984
In this book, Smith considers some of the inherent properties of a book's structure--such
as traditional book forms, picture relationships and sequence, movement, and
composition--using his own and other artists' books as examples. Smith will change the
way you see read a book. The library has a copy in the artists’ books collection as well
as a circulating copy.
Smith, Keith. Text in the book format. Z 116 .A3 S58 1989
In this book, Smith deals with the issues of text presentation, such as the "spaces" of
the written word, the printed line and page, sequential and random reading, and the
uses of texts for referral, reference, and reading. His focus is on movement through
reader awareness of page space and composition, and the resulting pace of page
turning and reader experience. The library has a copy in the artists’ books collection as
well as a circulating copy.
Van Vliet, Claire and Elizabeth Steiner. Woven and interlocking book structures.
Z 116 .A3 V36 2002
Using Janus, Steiner, and Gefn Press books as examples, this handbook provides clear
and detailed instructions for constructing accordion books, and woven and concertina
structures.
Watson, Aldren. Hand bookbinding: a manual of instruction. Z 271 .W36 1986
The library has several binding manuals but this is one of the best—clear instructions,
and good diagrams. Library also has the 1963 edition of Watson’s book.
Webberley, Marilyn. Books, boxes, & wraps. Z 271 .W37 1998
This book is notable for the variety of ways it suggests to bind, or enclose, a book. The
text is non-technical, and the illustrations are clear.
Withers, Larry. Bookbinding. [video] Z 271 .W57 2007
This hour long video demonstrates making a hard cover “case binding.”
Zeier, Franz. Books, boxes, and portfolios. Z 271 .Z4413 1990
This is a very detailed, step-by-step book covering book materials, folding techniques,
adhesives and glues, all manner of book forms (Eastern as well as western, traditional,
modern, and specialty styles), a variety of boxes (including round ones), and portfolios.
Good line drawings and color illustrations.
 Finding more information
The library is constantly adding more books on and exhibitions catalogs of artists’ books as well
as books about specific artists’ book presses and artists. To find more information about the
genre of artists’ books and its history, look up the following SUBJECTS in the library’s online
catalog:
ARTISTS’ BOOKS—STUDY AND TEACHING.
ARTISTS’ BOOKS – HISTORY

For other book-related topics, look up these subject words and phrases in the online catalog.
ARTISTS ILLUSTRATED BOOKS
BOOK DESIGN
BOOK INDUSTRIES AND TRADE
BOOKBINDING
BOOKS - - HISTORY
BOOKS IN ART
CONCEPTUAL ART
ILLUSTRATED BOOKS
ORIGAMI
PAPER, HANDMADE
PAPER SCULPTURE
PAPER WORK
PRINTING—HISTORY
PRINTING
TOY AND MOVEABLE BOOKS

You will also find articles on artists’ books by searching these topics in Art Source (CIA access only)
and design and applied art index (CIA access only), and you will find some digital images of artists’
books in ARTstor (CIA access only).

These periodicals with a special focus on artists made books are available in the CIA Library:
Book Arts Newsletter
Blue Notebook
Hand Papermaking
Hand Papermaking Newsletter
JAB: Journal of Artists’ books
Umbrella (also online)

You might also wish to look at Artist’s book yearbook (N 7433.3 .A774). In addition to information
on individual artists and artists’ books, it includes information on resources, exhibitions, book arts
courses, book fairs, etc.

Looking at CIA’s artists’ books

The Institute's collection of artists' books, begun in 1981, is a teaching collection of over 1,500
books representing the broad range of books made by North American artists, with examples from
South and Central America, Western Europe, and Asia. These books date from the 1960s to the
present including some rare "classics."

The Library’s artists’ books collection requires special care and is shelved in a secure area.
Selections from the collection are displayed in the library several times during the year. To find out
what artists’ books are in this special collection, use the special artists’ books browse feature. You
may request individual artists’ books to look at in the library; ask the staff for help.

Connecting with artists’ books community

These websites are also useful:

 There are many online images of artists’ books, such as these online collections
Otis College of Art
School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s
University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Kohler Library

 Selected book dealers with online images and book descriptions

Art Metropole
Printed Matter
Vamp & Tramp Books Sellers
Visual Studies Workshop
Women’s Studio Workshop

 Some useful websites

Books Arts Web
JAB: Journal of Artists’ Books (related links section has a wealth of useful information)
Artists’ books Online (founded under the direction of book artists and theorist
Johanna Drucker, this site is online repository of facsimiles, metadata, and criticism)

STILL NEED HELP? Ask the library staff.

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© Cleveland Institute of Art Library staff,

May be reproduced only for non-profit, educational purposes. Last updated 7.2013