“What is written once may be lost; what is written twice endures.” ~Scribal Proverb You Won’t Believe This! Look what I used to do on purpose for fun! I stumbled across the documentation and photo for a Kingdom Arts & Sciences competition entry by accident. This happened when I was cleaning out old digital storage….
At last August’s Lonely Tower Scriptorium, I picked up a preprint award scroll to finish. By the next event, I had it done and turned in. You know, I wrote about it here. And you know what? It felt amazing to be excited about a scroll I painted again. Even though it was just one…
It’s time for another WIP Wednesday! I’ve been working on a preprint that’s brought me so much joy this week. One I planned to turn in at last Saturday’s Mag Mor’s Cattle Raids event. But I wasn’t able to attend it due to a foot injury. I am happy to report that because of that…
Hey everyone! I’ve been working on a few projects like the fibulae for Baroness Kathleen and the basket I bought. But something new jumped to the front of the line at the last Lonely Tower Scriptorium—a preprint. I’ll need it done in time for this Saturday’s Calontir event! I’m heading to the Barony of Mag…
Hey all! Just like the seven deadly sins, art media have their own tricky behaviors that can be challenging to manage. The secret to mastering them is knowing how to avoid or limit their effects. As a scribe, I’ve made every mistake possible. Those mishaps were my gouache learning experiences, helping me spot its “sins.”…
Hello, scribal artisans! Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of diving into the world of decorative medieval manuscript art techniques at our local SCA scribal gathering. This workshop was on one of the most appealing techniques medieval scribes used – diapered illumination. What is Diapered Illumination? For those new to this term, diapered illumination is…
Discover essential safety precautions for illuminators and watercolor artists. Learn how to protect your health while indulging in your creative passion.
I decided to illuminate bookmarks for a few friends. And I made the designs for you to use too. Enjoy.
Blank borders – the illumination only scroll part – are used when Their Majesties give a spontaneous award. But did you know there’s a historical precedent for them?
Other scribes provide you designs to paint.
Heraldic art is valuable for scroll creation and the best way to personalize an award scroll.
Why should you care about color? You can ruin a good drawing by poor color choices or enhance a middling design by its careful use. …
You find emojis, computer icons, road signs, logos, and emblems everywhere. They’re a useful eye-catching shorthand for small spaces. And were used in history the same way. Using these time-tested patterns on a scroll inspires the recipient or any viewer really. Symbols like eyes, hearts, hands, arrows, circles still evoke grand meaning. They add depth…
In Calontir, the SCA area where I live, you sometimes get into painting awards at an event. They are predesigned and painted like a coloring book. We call them “preprints”. Some kingdom’s call them “charters”. I’ve seen people take a few home from the scribe’s table to do later and that’s terrific. Each reign creates…
Last year about this time I gathered together my prior posts I’d written about scroll creation. The post was Easy Does It: SCA Scroll Creation. Though I didn’t plan it, the posted links round-up made a scroll creation how-to table of contents. And it’s been a very popular blog post. Since then I’ve added more, In case…
From the Daily Star in the UK You can enhance your work by nurturing your visual awareness. Whether you research pixels in medieval manuscripts or notice details in modern pictures you increase your observation powers through constant practice. What do you see in the picture to the right? Is it a duck or a rabbit? Whether you…
My first manuscript illumination quiz was so popular, I have another one for you. Like the last one, you match 10 pictures of iconic illuminated manuscripts to their name. These pictures are also Western European manuscripts from various locations and eras. Some served unique purposes. You’ll find the images on the left and their unmatched…
New Year’s Eve I spent time considering what I wanted to do with this blog. One goal is to be more organized and focused on my post topics. That should make the topics easier for you to follow. Scribal Art Collection Display To begin, I ferreted out my prior instructional posts. Previously they related to a project or…
Can you match these 10 pictures of iconic illuminated manuscripts to their name? You don’t have to have an Art History major to match these famous medieval illuminated manuscripts. They are some of the most well-known, especially among SCA scribes. From Kells to Crusades, these works are instantly recognizable. Can you match them all? To…
British Library Border Clipping Acanthus leaf from my handout “Acanthus Leaves: Drawing and Painting” I love Acanthus leaves in art. They are an ornament that resembles leaves from the Mediterranean Acanthus plants. They have deeply cut leaves similar to thistles. I like Acanthus leaves because they are a curvy, variable decoration I can use in most any art medium or era. In…