Scroll blanks

I seem to be taking to illumination.  I originally bought two pads of bristol board.  I have used them both up.  I have drawn out 40 blanks, and inked 36 of them in.  Sketched four new ones last night, but haven't inked them or scanned them in yet.  Now I really need to start the painting.  After attending a scroll blank workshop I realized that I had been making mostly later period scrolls.  I decided to shift a bit and try my hand at early period Celtic style scrolls and I really LOVE it.  The last 10~12 I have done are all Celtic styles and many are based on illumination from the Book of Kells.

Scroll Blanks started

Been on sort of a kick now with the scroll blanks.  I have 14 more here which have been started.  I've inked in the outlines and they are all ready for paint.  Not sure if most people ink the outlines before or after they paint, but I wanted them outlined before paint so that I could more easily erase the pencil lines and not have them show through the paint.  All but a few are based on various period examples.  When I get more time I plan on better documenting each one.  When the illumination is done I'll post the original pic next to the finished item.  For now, here are the inked in blanks.

Another scroll blank started

Here is another scroll blank I have started while up at 3:00 in the morning waiting for the "Black Friday" sales to start.  Man, I should just go to bed.

Original document which served as my inspiration

Some more scrolls inked

Scroll three has been inked in.  Used a metal tip quill pen and India ink.  Wasn't really watching the time too closely, but I think this took about 1.5~ 2 hours to detail.

Here are a couple more I just finished the preliminary outlining.  That makes five blanks outlined and ready for paint.

Scroll updates

Never having done this before, I wasn't exactly sure how to go about this... so I just did it.  I got a quill pen and some India ink and traced around the sketch.  I imagine I'll paint it in and have some touch up to do, but I really couldn't wait to get started.  I really like the way the Celtic Willow is coming along.

Well, I seem to have found at least some of the motivation that I’ve been needing.  Haven’t really been sure what I wanted to start working on next and then an email came out declaring the Midrealm Scroll Blank Challenge.  I decided to finally give illumination a real try.  I plan on attending some of the upcoming scribal workshops.  In the mean time I’ve simply taken some books out of the library and tried my hand at sketching some ideas.  Here are some Scroll blank sketches I’ve started along with an image of the original inspiration.

The following is from a manuscript called Visconti Officium  published in a book called "Illuminated Manuscripts, The book before Gutenberg".
 

The following is from a 14th century manuscript called The City of God published in a book called "Illuminated Manuscripts, The book before Gutenberg"

The following is from a manuscript called Martyrdom of St Thomas Becket published in a book called "Painted Prayers, The Book of Hours in Medieval and Renaissance Art"

The following is from a 14th century manuscript published in a book called "The history of illuminated Manuscripts"
 

The following is a sketch (which is my favorite of the five I've made) which I intend to be used as a scroll for a Celtic version of the Order of the Willow.

More brass pins

Well, I’ve been in sort of a slump lately.  Lots of projects on the list, but little in the way of motivation to move any of them along.  The other day I picked up on a project I had started a while back.  Was watching football and needed something to keep my idle hands busy.  Probably the only Bears fan who was watching the football game while making pins.  This new set of pins is mostly done.  Still need to sharpen them up a bit more on sharpening stone, but for now they work well enough and look pretty good.

 

Halloween is over

Well, I have not been nearly as active as I had been.  I really got swallowed up by Halloween projects and am now burnt out from sewing.  I shall review my list again in the next few days to see what might spark my interest.  Had to make nine Halloween costumes, which all came out great, but are in no way related to anything I do in the SCA.  I need some motivation...

Barony of Ayerton Calligraphy Scroll Blank

Date: 2011-07: Calligraphy - Scroll (Breadth)


I'd wanted to try calligraphy and make a scroll for someone. I attended an event where somebody was giving instruction on how to make a scroll blank. They were asking for volunteers to create scroll blanks which were to be given to the crown as gifts. I chose to do a free hand style Celtic knot work type scroll. I’m not really happy with the way it came out, but it was only my first attempt. As the scroll was to be gifted from the Barony of Ayerton I chose to embed 5 six pointed stars as is found on the Barony’s heraldry. I also chose to do the Celtic snakes in blue and green as those are they barony’s colors.

Here are some photos of the process.
 
I chose to use snakes in the scroll as earlier in the day a snake was found in the port-a-john at the event.  It seemed appropriate.  I flipped through some books which had sample celtic animals.  I chose to make one snake with long curly "ears" and one without.  This was to basically symbolize that one was perhaps male and one female.  The design was OK in concept, but I'm still not very happy with the result.
 

Here are the preliminary sketches.

Here is the first pass with color.  You can see some preliminary shading around the knotwork.  After this layer dried I put one more layer of color to blend better and then a final layer of highlights.  As I took all these pics with my phone, in the shade, they didn't come out very clear.

Here is the finished blank.