Fourth year students will complete a doublurethe ends at the edge or is pulled over the edge. Fifth year students continue to learn new techniques and perfect their skills. One week Students execute designs of various difficulties on leather covered boards or, if they already have some gilding experience, on their full leather bindings. A number of gilding and onlay techniques are incorporated, including blind or gold tooling and multi-colored onlays. Coptic bindings are characterized by wooden boards and a flat spine.
Students use the double needle sewing technique and incorporate dyed and waxed Balsa wood.
The Carolingian or 8th Century binding is bigger and heavier with a slightly rounded spine and sewing with supports. Students learn long and chain stitches for the 16th Century binding, which is characterized by sewing the textblock through the cover and a spine strip. During this two week course, students will practice the fine art of leather binding in the French tradition. It is advisable to have some previous experience in leather. Please plan your arrival accordingly.