Workshops
Mentored by Book Arts & Design Chair Richard Reitz Smith, learn the process of taking a book concept from start to finish.
There are no available registration dates at this time.
ACT QUICKLY! Just TWO seats remain.
Creating a digital file of a book is a maze of developmental steps and material choices. Starting with a strong concept, the process weaves the maker through print production and design challenges as well as creative considerations. Over a period of 4 months, we will walk through these choices and end up face to face in the Maine Media studio where you can augment your digital book with a hardcover, slipcase, or box, or add a few letterpress accents. This is an opportunity to take a book concept from start to end.
That result may be sent to an online printer/publisher and we will walk through those steps and choices from papers, cover materials and special bindery effects like foil stamp and embossing to name a few.
Starting in mid-January, participants will meet with Book Arts & Design Chair, Richard Reitz Smith via Zoom to introduce your ideas and projects to each other and develop an appropriate path forward for a successful book arts or digital print project. Collaborations are welcome and encouraged for larger scale projects.
Watch: Learn more about your mentor, Richard Reitz Smith, and Maine Media’s incredible book arts program
Schedule
Meets via Zoom once per month (Wednesday 2:00 pm – 4:00pm) as a group and by individual appointments starting in Jan, Feb, March, April and meet on campus the first week of May 2023.
Course recommendations
Knowing InDesign basics is extremely helpful for this class. Maine Media offers several Adobe InDesign classes for all experience levels. For your own course satisfaction or if you are not comfortable with this publishing program, I would suggest taking the 2-Day: Intro to Adobe InDesign (Online). Our publication class will also offer useful information and valuable skills: Adobe InDesign: Digital Design for Publication (Online).
This Workshop is Sponsored by:
Fine Art Washi Papers, Digital Inkjet Papers, Origami, Stationery, Papercrafts, Stationery and Washi Decor crafted in Tokushima, Japan - for Photographers, Fine Artists, and Designers. Visit Awagami.com to learn more.
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Instructor: Richard Reitz Smith
Richard Reitz Smith is a letterpress and book artist who excels in marrying traditional techniques with technology and is the Book Arts Program Chair and Studio Manager at Maine Media. He is the owner of DoubleDoor Creative in Camden, ME. In 2015, Richard was the first Book Artist in Residence at Maine Media where he wrote, illustrated, printed, and bound a limited-edition abecedary of alliterative haiku. Richard received a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in painting and illustration.
After working for three years developing products for Crayola and Liquitex, he returned to school and earned an MFA in graphic design (Tyler School of Art- Temple University). Then started a five-year tour of universities as an art and design professor which led him to New York City, where he taught at Pratt Institute and School of Visual Arts. While doing this, he freelanced as an illustrator and graphic designer for companies like The GAP, Macy's, American Craft Museum, Metlife, Pearson Education, and Scholastic. Then he took positions at Clicquot, Inc. and Clinique Cosmetics consecutively. For Clinique Cosmetics, he managed multi-million-dollar, international, seasonal product and promotional launches as the director of package design worldwide. For Clicquot, Inc. he was a one-person art department for the wine importer/promoter of Veuve Clicquot, Krug, Bouchard, and many other ultra-premium wines. It was in NYC, that he found and frequented The Center for Book Arts learning much about letterpress and the book as an art form.
