Four more scrolls done

 The following three blanks were all loosely based on a design I saw from a French hunting manual.  I wanted use Kingdom colors (Red and Green) as much as possible.  After seeing these completed blanks I really need to work on my white work.

 

This is one of my favorites so far.  Not all that elaborate of a design, but it will be perfect for an archery award.  It is based on a page from The Hours of Catherine of Cleves.

http://www.themorgan.org/collections/works/cleves/images/097-M917_252-253.jpg

  

Forty Scroll cases

The Midrealm issued a "Midrealm Scroll Case Challenge".

I decided to take up the challenge and make some scroll cases to go along with the scroll blanks I had recently been working on.  As it turns out, making scroll cases goes a heck of a lot faster than making the scrolls.  Shocking I know!

Over a period of three weeks or so I scrounged up all the cardboard I could from work.  When I had a decent sized pile I started going through the bins of scrap material in my basement.  It turned out to be a nice little recycling project.  I was able to purge almost two full bins of material.  I had scraps of material from over 10 years ago.  I never throw any material away.  This gave me a real reason to finally purge.  It was kind of funny when my wife saw the pile.  She recognized some of the material.  I had leftovers from kids baby blankets, pajamas, SCA clothing and a host of Halloween costumes.  It turned out to be a nice little pile when it was done.

Forty scroll cases in all.

Finished scroll blank

Inspiration: Image found in book: call number:745.67 BOLOGNA, G ID:31257010045655
Illuminated manuscripts : the book before Gutenberg / Giulia Bologna.

Here is an image which shows a side by side comparison of the inspiration and my finished scroll blank.  I chose not to fill in the shaded area as was done in the original manuscript.  I think I like the way it looks with just the red and gold.

Paper Stock:  Strathmore Bristol Board - Vellum Surface, 9in X 12in
Gilding: Holbein Gold gouache.
Technique: Free hand sketched with a mechanical pencil.
Inked in with Red India ink applied with a metal-nibbed dip pen.

More scroll blanks completed

The deadline for the Midrealm Scroll Blank Challenge is quickly approaching.  I finished six more scroll blanks.  Sadly, they don't scan in well.  They have gilding done with gold gouache which doesn't look quite as nice in the scans as it does in real life.  Oh well...

Here they are.
All free hand sketched and then inked in with India Ink.
Painted with gouache and gilded with Holbein Gold Gouache.

More completed scroll blanks

Here are some more scroll blanks I have completed.
Frankly, I suck at documentation.  Don't much care for it most of the time.  I had a pile of books from the library which I was using as inspiration.  Was planning on scanning in those images to help do a write up of each of the scrolls.  I just find it to be more fun painting.  Never got around to scanning pics in and all the books came due.  Sorry, but I don't have the period source of inspiration for most of these.

Two Celtic Scroll Blanks

A few more scroll blanks "finished".

I use the term finished loosely as I plan on cleaning up some of the color and some of the inked in lines.  It's late and I'll likely finish a handful of Celtic blanks and then come back and clean them all up at the same time.

 

Paper Stock:  Strathmore Bristol Board - Vellum Surface, 9in X 12in

Paint: Gouache

Gilding: None

Technique: Free hand sketched with a mechanical pencil. 

Inked in with India ink applied with a metal-nibbed dip pen. 

Applied color using brushed on gouache paint.

Inspiration: Border was inspired by a section of a 7th century plaque as represented in the book "101 Celtic Beasts".

Initial word "Pay" inspired by decorations from the Book of the Kells.

Paper Stock:  Strathmore Bristol Board - Vellum Surface, 9in X 12in

Paint: Gouache

Gilding: None

Technique: Free hand sketched with a mechanical pencil. 

Inked in with India ink applied with a metal-nibbed dip pen. 

Applied color using brushed on gouache paint.

Inspiration: Border was inspired by a section of a page from the Durham Gospels as represented in the book "101 Celtic Beasts".

Initial word "Tell" inspired by decorations from the Book of the Kells.

Four scroll blanks finished

I'm just having a bunch of fun with this scribal stuff.  I've gotten 40 designs started, of which 36 have been inked in.  I'm falling behind posting anything anymore.  Here are four completed blanks.  They are all based on the same design.  I came accross the design on a website.  Sorry, but I don't recall where I saw it.  I liked the simple nature of the design and thought it would give me a chance to try my hand at white work.  All in all I'm only really happy with one of them, but this is a learning experience as well.

They are all free hand sketched with a mechanical pencil.  They were inked in with India ink applied with a metal-nibbed dip pen. I applied the color using brushed on gouache paint.  There is some gold accents (which were not picked up well by my scanner) which were done using Holbein Gold gouache.

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.