Individual Tuition

Opportunities for individual tuition and support for intermediate level binders

Intermediate level binders who are looking to improve their skills in particular areas, or who are looking to create design bindings for the first time, can have intensive one-to-one tuition with Glenn Malkin based on their individual needs. Programmes can be tailored to suit your existing experience and can be just a single day of tuition or a more extensive development programme over a longer period. Individual tuition normally costs £190 per day including basic materials. Please contact Glenn to discuss your interest and requirements in detail.

‘Aspects of Design Binding’

An intensive one-to-one programme for intermediate level binders in three separate modules. Based on the design approaches and techniques of award-winning Fellow of Designer Bookbinders, Glenn Malkin.

Who is the Programme Aimed at?

Participants should already have a broad understanding and experience of general bookbinding techniques. This should include some experience of working with leather. For example, it is anticipated that participants are likely to be confident in the following aspects of the craft: sewing a text block onto tapes; basic rounding and backing; making a case bound book; making a quarter leather book; edge-paring leather; sewing a simple headband, etc. If you are unsure about whether your level of experience is appropriate for this programme, please do get in touch for a chat.

Elements of the programme:

Up to three 5-day one-to-one intensive modules
Based at Glenn’s own bindery in East Yorkshire
Additional online and/or telephone mentoring available
Participants supply their own choice of text block
Aimed at creating a full leather design binding
Tailored to suit individual experience and skills
Flexible days and dates to suit mutual availability
One-to-two option available
Certificate of Completion awarded

Module One – Forwarding

5 days

This module covers the preliminary stages of preparing the text block and, although tailored to each student, would usually include the following elements:
Choice of text Block
Overall structure and design concepts
Sewing Endpaper and joint options
Rounding and backing
Ploughing
Edge preparation and decoration
Hand-sewn silk endbands
Board attachment

Module Two – Leather, Design and Covering

5 days

This module covers the core elements of design and decorative techniques for a full leather binding and, although tailored to the needs of each student, would usually include the following elements:
Design concepts and cover material selection
Leather paring & preparation
Leather dying and decoration
Onlay techniques
Basic tooling and design
Airbrushing
Covering in leather
Corners and caps

Module Three – Doublures, Joints and Boxes

5 days

This module covers the final elements of binding, doublures, leather joints and drop-back box making and, although tailored to each student, would usually include the following elements:
Laying down cloth or leather joints
Filling in and smoothing boards
Edge-to-edge doublures
Decorative endpaper options
Final tooling, finishing and decoration
Drop-back box making
Box lining and decoration
Review, critique and learning

Programme Pricing for ‘Aspects of Design Binding’

One-to-one tuition
Modules can be booked individually for £950 each.
Booking multiple modules at the same time attracts the following discounted pricing:
2 Modules: Total price £1,750 (saving £150) 3 Modules: Total price £2,500 (saving £350)
Discounted pricing will not be applied retrospectively. Tuition takes place at Glenn’s bindery in Hornsea, East Yorkshire on dates to be mutually agreed. Five day modules may be split into two smaller sessions for added flexibility if required. Weekdays are preferred, though a very limited number of weekends may be available. Those booking multiple modules will additionally have up to two hours of free on-line support and mentoring available per module. 
Please Note: It would normally be expected that participants would complete the first module before attending modules two and three. If a participant wishes to book module 2 without attending module 1 it will be necessary to demonstrate that the participant’s forwarding is at an equivalent level before bookings will be accepted for subsequent modules. This would normally be done through a half or full day one-on-one ‘Assessing and Reviewing Fundamentals’ session. This would normally take place at Glenn’s bindery in Hornsea and is chargeable at £85/£150 respectively. Please contact Glenn for further information.
One-to-two tuition
Where two people wish to be taught together, sharing their learning and jointly exploring their design binding approaches this can be accommodated on the same basis as above. It is the responsibility of both of the participants to decide upon, and commit to, attending mutually agreed dates. Tuition will still be based on individual requirements and needs. Should one participant withdraw from the module, pricing will revert to the higher individual tuition rate above for the remaining participant.  
Price per person for 1 module: £800 Price per person for 2 modules: £1,400 Price per person for 3 modules: £1,900

Payment Terms

50% deposit is payable on booking, the remainder due two weeks before the first agreed tuition date. Where multiple modules have been booked a deposit of 50% of the total amount is payable on booking. The remainder is then split between the number of modules booked, each payable two weeks before the first agreed tuition date for each module. The participant(s) will also be responsible for the cost of their accommodation, travel and subsistence/meals (not provided). Hornsea has a wide range of reasonably priced AirBnB properties to choose from.
Materials such as leather and decorative materials will be charged extra where required (at cost). This will be discussed individually with each participant in advance. Basic materials such as board, plain papers, glues and sundries are included in the price.
Proposed programme dates will be discussed at the time of booking but some flexibility is offered and expected where agreed dates need to be unavoidably changed (for example due to ill health), providing sufficient notice is given. Payment is accepted by cash, cheque or direct bank transfer. Sorry, no card payments.
Please note there are a maximum of only two or three places available per year for each module. For further information please contact Glenn directly on glenn@glennmalkin.com