Book Art Workshop
with John Bently
Saturdays 24 and 31 of October 2026
1:00pm-5:00pm
£95
A workshop exploring various types of low budget book creation of use to artists.
Day One
Part One will consist of an enthusiastic show, tell, touch, and smell of books from my extensive personal collection, spanning over 800 years!
This will be followed by a series of how -to demos where I demonstrate the basic techniques of book creation.
Part two will consist of you trying out some of the simple techniques I personally use for making books, along with individual one to one consultations. You are welcome to bring along your ideas for possible books or work in progress for specialist advice and problem solving.,
The day will conclude with you making extensive plans for future work…
Day Two
… you will be making these!
Biographical note
John Bently is the Author, Illustrator, Performer and Proprietor of the Liver & Lights Scriptorium, being a lifelong exploration of the book as a unique creative medium, 72 editions in 41 years (so far), incorporating community projects, political campaigns, vinyl records, chapbooks, fanzines, giant newspapers, books made entirely from rubbish, eccentric collections, sticker albums and more.
Champion of the seldom heard voice, Liver & Lights Scriptorium is the DIY ethic personified and also incorporates the band bonesandtheaft!, who illuminate the books through music and live performance, augmented by hand made recordings, props, stage sets and costumes.
Who is this for?
This masterclass is ideal for both artists with some previous experience of intaglio printmaking or total beginners!
Accessibility
Regrettably, there is no step-free access to the studio, which is in a basement room that includes a set of steep stairs.
FAQ
Do I need to prepare anything before the workshop?
No, but do feel free to bring any visual references that you might want to have with you when making your Tetra Pak print. There will be some reference books for you to take inspiration from in the studio, too!
What’s included?
We will supply all basic equipment and materials but bring your own if you have them (cutting mats, scalpels, knives, paper needles, thread etc).