#craft workshop

Full House! 

On 20th January 2018, I held my first mass bookbinding workshop, organised jointly by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and Singapore Press Holdings’ Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报). I was extremely surprised that on the morning of the newspaper article on the 7th of January, the workshop registration was already full. 

At 4pm, we started with the video that was done by Another Beautiful Story, followed by a small slides presentation of what I do: Design Binding (精装书) and Book Restoration (修复). My greatest pride was when I introduced my teachers, Mark Cockram and Yamazaki Yo, and showed a picture of me meeting them both together in Hong Kong in 2015. One was the first bookbinding teacher I had, and the other, basically changed my life, in my skill set, artistic approach and my crazy, whimsical and quirky character.

After a short Question and Answer session, we proceed to the workshop proper, teaching participants how to use Chinese new year red packets as the covers for a simplified traditional Chinese Thread binding (红包线装书). The main quote to aid one in attempting this binding is 先上后下，缝横必转, which translated literally means; When you sew, go up first, then down. When you sew the horizontal, you need to turn.

Other than a small mishap of a participant pricking himself, the workshop ended very nicely, on time and everyone brought home their own hand sewn book. 

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How would you connecting Critical Thinking to your other modules?

There are a number of ways where I can connect Critical Thinking to my other modules. Critical Thinking Skills A (CTS A) has acted as a framework that supports me and through CTS A, there are a number of ways where I can connect Critical Thinking to my other modules.

For Craft Workshop, I use Critical Thinking for experimenting and problem solving. When constructing or manipulating materials, For example, I applied structured thinking to test ideas, assess outcomes, and refine my exercises. Being able to reflect on my mistakes or why specific methods work helps me become more aware of risks and less reliant on them.

For Studio, where I focus on my CPJ, Visual Thinking and Typography, Critical thinking helps me move beyond simply creating visuals to understanding the choices I make. Using Critical Thinking along with topics like Material Theming makes it easy to customize Material Design to match the look and feel of your brand. When exploring ideas, I use critical thinking to stay open minded. This makes my visual thinking more intentional and my typographic decisions more grounded, whether I am analysing themes and meanings.

For Digital Skills, whether it’s Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, critical thinking appears in the form of process planning and evaluating design choices. Before editing or illustrating, I break down tasks, question my goals, and consider the most efficient tools. CTS A encourages me to justify effects, colours, and compositions rather than applying them randomly.

For Photography, when taking pictures of movement or developing exploring themes, I use critical thinking to form thoughts on what I see and translate it into visual narratives. Skills like observation, evidence gathering, and evaluating angles or framing help me justify my creative decisions. Critical thinking also encourages me to reflect on different perspectives and how they show different meanings of an image.

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References:

Throughout this semester, I realised that the skills I learned in CTS A are essential for my growth as a designer. Critical thinking helps me reflect, analyze, and make decisions more mindfully. As Nicole Dessain explains, design thinking is essentially critical thinking, where analysing and problem-solving are key to creative work (Dessain). This mindset guides me in craft, photography, and digital skills, helping me plan and improve my work.

In Studio, collaborative skills were crucial during research frameworks and Data Space exercises. Gathering information, creating mind maps, and discussing layouts taught me how teamwork strengthens ideas. In Craft Workshop, I learned to approach exercises like mark making with intention, experimenting with textures, lines, and patterns while reflecting on what worked and what could be improved. This process showed how critical thinking helps me make deliberate design choices and solve visual problems effectively.

Assertion and conflict resolution were often needed in CTS group projects. Sharing opinions respectfully and listening to others helped us combine ideas into better outcomes. As Schmitz explains, assertive communication involves clearly stating your needs while respecting others, which is essential in group problem-solving (Schmitz). This skill was useful in group digital projects, helping us share ideas clearly and collaborate more effectively.

CTS A also strengthened my approach to facts, reliable sources, and digital documentation. Writing MLA citations and verifying sources trained me to use information ethically, which is vital in artist research for Studio and when gathering digital references for posters. Similarly, the LASALLE Fundamentals of Graphic Design course emphasises the importance of proper sourcing and methodical research in design projects (“LaSalle College of the Arts”).

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The Biscuit Factory

The venue is great – a nice sized workshop on the second floor of the gallery and a great opportunity for a bit of a mooch around before it started.  The session was good, quite basic but a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

We started by creating marbled paper designs

Playing with inks

and then moved on to binding

work in progress

and left with a good selection of papers and little notebooks.

Book Binding