Introduction to Bookmaking: Basic Structures

Introduction to Bookmaking: Basic Structures is a six-hour beginner workshop at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center focused on the fundamentals of bookbinding. Participants will learn about suitable materials, tools, and foundational book structures while creating their own notebooks or journals. No previous experience is necessary.

The workshop covers sewn pamphlet books, a paper-wrapped hardcover accordion book, single-sheet folded structures, and a slim case binding. The course also includes a tour of the bindery, a detailed list of bookmaking resources, guidance on assembling a basic bookbinding toolkit, and an introduction to designing book content and structures for individual needs.

When: October 31

Showtimes: 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Venue: Pyramid Atlantic Art Center

Tickets: $193

Registration: Registration closes October 24, 2026.

Level: Beginner; no previous experience is required.

Run time: Six hours.

Materials: Registration includes a $28 materials fee for consumable supplies provided in class, including PVA glue, thread, and paper. Participants may bring an apron or wear clothing that can get messy, along with a notebook or sketchbook and pen. These items are optional, and extra aprons will be available.

Instructor: Krista Sharp is a book artist and award-winning graphic and web designer who works at the Smithsonian Institution. A member of the Cherokee Nation and a native of Oklahoma, she has lived and worked in the Washington, D.C., area for more than 23 years. She earned a Master of Arts in Art and the Book from the Corcoran School of Art and Design in 2016. Her work incorporates multiple printmaking processes and explores distinctive structural elements, and it is held by collections including the Art Institute of Chicago’s Flaxman Library, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian’s Dibner Library.