INSPIRED DESIGN:
Fabricating the Handmade Photographic Artist’s Book

A four-day online workshop with Susan kae Grant

WORKSHOP DATES

Saturdays, Sept 6 - Sept 27, 2025

11 am to 6 pm (US EDT)

Follow up Session: Oct 25, 2025 11 am - 2 pm (US EDT)

LIMIT

12 participants

COST

975 USD

APPLICATIONS OPEN

May 16, 2025

APPLICATIONS CLOSE

June 14, 2025

NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE

June 27, 2025

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Building on the practical information and inspiration gained during the Symposium “The Art of Photographic Bookmaking: Inspiration, Creation & Acquisition”, we are offering a 4-day online workshop with Susan kae Grant to learn how to physically create your own photographic artist's book or mock-up, incorporating images and text.

Drawing from memory, personal insight, and intuition, Susan will guide participants through the process of designing and constructing books that symbolically unify imagery, text, and materiality. Participants will engage in guided writing prompts paired with their images to further inspire their creative process.

The course includes lectures, discussions, and hands-on demonstrations, focusing on the technical execution of three binding structures. You will learn step-by-step how to assemble a handmade photographic artist's book using traditional bookbinding methods while discovering how to edit, sequence, and integrate your own photographs and text to create a compelling visual narrative.

This workshop is exclusively for those who attended the Symposium “The Art of Photographic Bookmaking: Inspiration, Creation & Acquisition” and is limited to 12 participants.

Artist and Publisher Drew Leventhal will join Susan kae as Workshop Assistant.

Participants will receive a supply list needed for the course one month prior to the start.

This workshop will be taught online via Zoom. All sessions will be recorded and available to participants through December 7, 2025.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE *

Saturday, Sept 6 from 11 am - 6 pm (US ET)
BRINGING FORM TO CONTENT

  • Welcome - Introductions
  • Presentation - Communicating with Structure, Materiality, and Design:
    Examine and define appropriate binding structures to synthesize form and content
  • Inspiration - Book Design and Philosophy:
    Explore how form, structure, and materials symbolically support content
  • Hands-on Demonstration - Structures and the Mini Mock-up:
    Create four simple book structures and identify key components of the artist’s book format
  • Lunch Break
  • Generative Session - From Image to Insight, Developing Visual and Material Direction:
    Respond to guided prompts using your proof prints to generate language and ideas for design and structure
  • Discussion - Visualizing and Planning the Final Book Form:
    Refine your concept through mind mapping, design principles, typographic considerations, sequencing strategies, and image/text methodologies using a planning worksheet
  • Assignment Prep & Discussion:
    Assemble your pages in advance of Week 2's Pamphlet Stitch Book Demo and Q&A.

Saturday, Sept 13 from 11 am - 6 pm (US ET)
BUILDING STRUCTURE: THE ART OF THE PAMPHLET STITCH

  • Project Shares - A quick round of 2-minute presentations introducing the concept of your book
  • Inspiration - Pamphlet Stitch Examples:
    Close-up views of selected artists’ books
  • Demonstration - The Pamphlet Stitch:
    Learn the basics of tearing, folding, and assembling a Pamphlet Stitch book
  • Lunch Break
  • Guided Studio Time:
    Create your own Pamphlet Stitch book, including tearing, folding, and assembling the pages, end sheets, and cover. Susan kae & Drew available for assistance and meetings
  • Discussion - Class Handouts:
    Review technical books, exhibition catalogs, podcasts, and video tutorials
  • Assignment Prep & Discussion:
    Assemble your pages in advance of Week 3’s Multi-section Book Demo and Q&A.

Saturday, Sept 20 from 11 am - 6 pm (US ET)
THE ART OF THE FRENCH-LINK KETTLE STITCH BOOK

  • Book Shares - A quick round of 2-minute Pamphlet Book. Show & Tells
  • Inspiration - Multi-section Book Examples:
    Close-up views of selected artists’ books
  • Hands-on Demonstration: French-link Kettle Stitch Book.
    Learn to create a French-link Kettle Stitch book by tearing, folding, assembling, and sewing signatures and covers
  • Lunch Break
  • Guided Studio Time:
    Apply techniques learned in the demo to create your own French-link Kettle Stitch book. Susan kae & Drew available for assistance and meetings.
  • Discussion - Class Handouts:
    Review resource materials to support your ongoing projects
  • Assignment Prep & Discussion:
    Assemble your pages in advance of Week 4’s Concertina Book Demo and Q&A.

Saturday, Sept 27 from 11 am - 6 pm (US ET)
BUILDING STRUCTURE: THE CONCERTINA & HYBRID BOOK STRUCTURE

  • Book Shares - A quick round of 2-minute Multi-section Book, Show & Tells
  • Inspiration - Concertina & Hybrid Examples:
    Close-up views of selected artists’ books including concertina, hybrid, dos-à-dos, French door, fan, and scroll structures
  • Hands-on Demonstration - Concertina Hybrid Book:
    Learn to fold and join structure pages, create hybrid pamphlet attachments, and explore soft and hard cover options.
  • Lunch Break
  • Guided Studio Time:
    Create a Concertina book or Concertina Hybrid book using techniques demonstrated earlier. Susan kae & Drew available for assistance and meetings
  • Discussion - Class Handouts:
    Review resources such as book fairs, websites, collections databases, and Book Art Centers
  • Assignment Prep & Discussion:
    Prepare for “Reflections - Show & Tell” in Week 5 follow-up and engage in Q&A session.

FOLLOW UP SESSION:
Saturday, Oct 25 from 11 am - 2 pm (US ET)

  • Reflections & Progress - Sharing Your Book Projects:
    A follow-up session to reflect on and share your completed bookworks or mock-ups.
  • Project Reflections - A Final Show & Tell:
    Each participant will have 15 minutes to present their bookwork or mock-up, sharing insights, questions, and ideas for future development.

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*This schedule is subject to change at any time.

TO APPLY FOR THE WORKSHOP

Please note that this workshop is exclusively for those who attended the symposium “The Art of Photographic Bookmaking: Inspiration, Creation and Acquisition”. To sign up for the Symposium, please click HERE.

1. TEN IMAGES

Please submit 10 images that you envision will become part of your book (JPGs 72 dpi, 1080 pixels longest side).

2. BIO & SHORT STATEMENT OF INTENT

Submit a short bio (up to 200 words) followed by a brief statement (up to 200 words) telling us why you would like to take this workshop, as a single Word document. At the bottom of the document please include the following:

  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • Profession
  • City and Country of origin / City and Country of residence
  • Previous photography studies, including recent workshops attended (if any)
  • A link to your website and/or Instagram
  • How did you hear about this workshop

Please email your application to selma@laluzworkshops.com. Since we receive applications for a variety of workshops at the same time, please be sure to specify the name of the workshop you are applying for.

Upon acceptance, participants are required to pay the full tuition. We prefer payments via wire transfer or check. PayPal would be accepted only as a last resort. If you choose to use PayPal, please note that any commission will not be returned to you in case of a refund.

If you need to pay for this class in installments, please mention this in your application.

Please read cancellation policies here.

If you have any questions about this workshop please reach out to: selma@laluzworkshops.com