Instructors: Cat Bennett + Bari Zaki

This Bookful workshop, and its fifteen Bookful brethren, was originally presented to a Zoom audience of students from far & wide. We’ve decided to make our full-length live recordings of each of these workshops available for purchase this summer. (The themes of the fifteen workshops will never be repeated or reprised, as Cat Bennett & Bari Zaki will keep thinking of new subjects.)

Every recording (12-ish hours-ful) comes with the same kit of sumptuous materials as the original workshop, barring the occasional palette refreshment or replacement. Also included is my sincere invitation to contact me if you have questions or anxious moments whilst watching and making. Enticement: a 15% discount ($44.25!) on your second Bookful purchase, likewise on your third, and so on & so fourth.

This four-session workshop was the fourteenth Bookful collaboration between Cat Bennett and Bari Zaki. Our inspiration for this series is to tell a little story illustrated by something you draw, collage, or photograph. Each of the three booklets you make will have its own theme: people, places, and books that have been important to you.

What you’ll make: A trio of French-link stitch booklets—one for each Wordy story. The booklets have sturdy softcovers, and two 4-page signatures (16 serendipitous sides). The three booklets are all the same size, measuring 7½ x 5¾ x ⅜. We will make one together in the workshop, and you will make the second and third on your own, with the complete recording for reference and refreshment (and company!).

Workshop #1 – We begin with a brief introduction about paper grain and a review of workshop tools. Next, you will fold two 4-page signatures. You will measure, score, fold, and slice two pre-cut pieces of St-Armand handmade paper to make our sturdy softcovers. Next, you will choose one piece of vintage wallpaper for our ‘bands’ and stitch the booklet using the French-link stitch. You can take a mini-break, then weave the wallpaper bands into the front & back covers—secure and seal—and voilà, we rejoice!

Workshops #2, #3 & #4 – In the next 3 sessions, Cat will lead you in painting & drawing exercises using a variety of mediums including watercolour, gouache, coloured pencils, pens and markers. Cat will also share her ideas about how to tell stories whimsically and wordily, with a beginning, middle and perhaps a punchy end! As always, there will be a slideshow of various artists’ work for inspiration at the beginning of each lesson.

Workshop fee includes all materials (but not the tools) you’ll need to make three French-link stitch booklets.

6 sheets St-Armand 100% cotton luscious handmade paper in three colours (11 x 15)

6 sheets of Stonehenge (11 x 15-ish)

6 pieces of cardstock for reinforcing your covers

5 colours of 4-ply waxed-linen threads so that you can mix & match

5 pieces of vintage wallpaper (6 x 8 approximately)

18 double adhesive strips

Tools needed: bonefolder, shipping clerk’s knife, triangle ruler, metal ruler, Xacto knife, lightweight awl, bookbinding needle. You will receive a 20% discount on any tools ordered for the workshop (via refund after your workshop purchase). You can purchase these tools individuallyhere.

Ancillary tools needed: cutting mat, glue stick.

The two palette options shown here (left to right) are: Primary and Aqueous. Please order from the dropdown menu below. If you’d like to purchase an additional set of materials, you certainly can. However, you cannot accomplish this in the dropdown menu (because one set of materials is included with the workshop fee). So, please e me, and I will be in touch extremely promptly. It’s $145 per additional set. Shipping is gratis if you order at the same time as your workshop registration.

Cat and I look forward to sharing our love of bookbinding, drawing, painting, and telling Wordy stories with you in this four-session (12-ish hours-ful) live-recorded workshop! 

About Cat: In her former life, she was a commercial illustrator for 25 years. All three of her wonderful books are available in our shop & online: The Confident Creative, Making Art a Practice, and The Drawing Club of Improbable Dreams.

“I believe that drawing and painting create happiness. I love teaching because I get to see people discover their own creative genius!” – Cat Bennett