Debra Disman

Artist

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Single Signature Binding

Making Journals at the Granada Hills Branch Library

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It was a pleasure to lead a “journal-making” workshop/program at the Granada Hills Branch Library as part of my Artist Residency there, supported by the wonderful Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Who knew creating a journal, traditionally a place to record daily thoughts, ideas, activities, fears, concerns, dreams and wishes would be so salient?


Families joined together to learn how to fold a “signature” (gathering of folded pages),


glue cover and spine boards to white-prepped canvas to create the book structure and “house” the pages,


then sew the signature  into the book through the spine using durable, earthy  hemp cord.


Having exerted this labor to create their book structure,  participants had the glorious pleasure of developing and embellishing their journals with decorative papers, washi tape, markers, beads, and other collage materials. The canvas book covering, functioning as a book cloth is a wonderful surface for painting, stamping, printmaking, stenciling and any other wet or dry media.

May journaling help all and any through this very difficult time we are in.
Journal on!

Make Your Own Book at the Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library!

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Join us and the Wide Open Reading group at the Sunland-Tujunga Library and learn to bind together your own book you can use as a journal, sketchbook, diary, dream catcher or idea book!

Learn what signatures are in bookbinding, and how they become book pages.
Create your book, then design, embellish, decorate and personalize your cover for inspiration

All materials provided.
All ages welcome. Bring the family and create together!

This program is part of my Artist Residency at the Sunland-Tujunga Public Library and is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department Cultural Affairs.

Make a Gift Book at the Granada Hills Public Library!

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Give the gift of books, that you make yourself!
Make a Gift Book at the Granada Hills Public Library!

For the Holiday Season, come join Artist-in-Residence Debra Disman and make a fabulous gift book. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

 

“Make A Photo Album”

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Join the fun and create a unique photo album in which to honor family and friends in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month!!

Learn single signature binding, the pamphlet stitch, and how to create pockets for treasured items as well as how to use all kinds of beautiful and festive materials!

Free, all materials included, open to the public, all are welcome!

This workshop is part of my Department of Cultural Affairs Artist Residency at the Sunland-Tujunga Public Library, 2019-2020 and is made possible in part by a grant form the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

 

Children Create Unique Handmade Books

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It was a gift to be able to work with students every day for five weeks this past summer, and introduce them to the book arts as well as other media. As a teaching artist, we often only see students once a week, so to be able to watch them learn and grow on a daily basis was a thrill!

In our “Creating Unique Handmade Books” class, students aged 6-8 learned and created a variety of book structures while exploring all sorts of materials. They learned about folding, gluing, sewing, and book structures including accordion, single signature, flag book, and side binding.

At the end of our time together, parents were invited to celebrate their bookish achievements, and a good time was had by all!


We used a wide variety of materials to create our books, including all sorts of papers, ribbon, stickers, washi tapes, feathers, glues, drawing and writing tools and more!


The accordion or concertina fold is primary in many bookmaking structures. Students learned this process then applied it to several projects.


Our wonderful TA wrote personal notes to all the students!


Single signature (a gathering of pages sewn together through the fold) structures were fun for the students to create, because they looked to them like “real” books.


We invited families to join us the second to last day of class to see all the students had created.


This student adores pattern and collage and had an impressive array of books featuring these by the end of our class session.


Mother and daughter peruse her handmade books together.


A young student shines as she shares her accordion-folded and flag books with her parents.


Sharing books with Dad…this student created so many books he made a second portfolio to hold them all!

It was hard to say goodbye after such storied adventures this summer, but it is my hope that these students will continue to exercise their imaginations as they make books and develop their skills and creativity.
They are well on their way!

The Art of The Book: Ages 11-14

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It was a rich and fascinating experience to work with 11-14 year olds in creating books this summer…in our class, “The Art of the Book“.

I had the opportunity to work with students every day for an hour, for 5 weeks straight, and it was joy!


Our 14 year old maker…loves PINK!


Flag book extraordinaire!


Pink accents painted on illustrations taken from book being altered.


Beautiful marbling work done on watercolor paper cover of this 11 year old maker’s side-bound book.

This same 11 year old (going into 6th grade) is an amazing painter, self-taught to some extent.


She spontaneously decided she would create this astounding painting on her multi-colored accordion fold book with terrific results.
Students created their own “book cloths” through painting with acrylic on canvas, and using it as a binding for their single signature books, done with real book board.

To teach this class was a real treat. I will be perusing these images, and pondering over what the students created for a long time to come…

Gratitudes!