I’m so excited. While I may be behind the times, I just found out I can now read free articles on JSTOR, Up to six a month. I use to only be able to afford this by driving to my local university library where I paid for an economical annual membership. But it was worth it…
One trick to learn when doing SCA research I call “Resource Mining”. It is more fun than saying you can “get resources from the Bibliography” of the book or article you’re reading. A bibliography is a list of books, articles, speeches, private records, diaries, websites, and other sources an author used when writing a paper. You may find…
 I’m not the Scribal-Answer-Lady, and I don’t care to be. However, discussing things scribal with others is important to build skills, knowledge, connections, and fun. Where do you go for that? As a 35-year SCAdian, it pains me to answer…Facebook. Facebook provides you comfort, hope, purpose, and validation as a member of a community….
Cyber-Monday is tomorrow, so I hope you see this in time. There’s also little for scribal illuminators at local bookstores. And nothing on history, gouache application, or medieval manuscript terminology. So shopping for these items Monday online is perfect timing. These are not new publications. There aren’t many current books in this category. But they are…
Scribe lettering. Recently I was asked to create text for an award scroll. It’s something I like doing and use to do often. The common awards are based on period charters and patents of arms. The period inspirations are not actual awards but often legal documents giving land or other rights. They sound very lawyerly because…
I’ve been hunting down my favorite online medieval sources. Some time since I composed my last text the Internet Medieval Sourcebook received a new look. In fact the whole Internet History Sourcebooks Project (IHSP) has been updated. It’s new and improved. As someone in the SCA, if you haven’t found the IHSP yet you are missing out on…
Cover art from the Bodleian Library’s free online coloring book. Adult coloring became the rage a few years ago. I think the rage continues. I have received books as gifts and given a few myself. Last year the Bodleian Library came out with a free printable coloring book compiled from original period sources. Some pictures…
While waiting to leave for an appointment the other day I decided to see what funny and weird illuminated manuscript stuff I could find with Google. This is a fun time suck that must be used sparingly or it will make me late to my appointment. British Library’s Harley 7026 f. 16 These handmade devotional…
I had no idea there was anything like the Digital Public Library of America until I saw it referenced in the Biblliocraft book I bought several weeks ago. It’s fascinating what I uncover with it. Now I’m hooked. DPLA is a gigantic digital storage locker I can paw through to search, explore and discover enticing items to use or…
Happy Easter Everyone. With Easter and the Holy Week before it I wondered what medieval images I could find about them. I expected there to be an illuminated manuscripts image bonanza and nerdy trivia, but first I needed find how to search for them. As usual, Wikipedia provides a place to start. Holy Week is Lent’s…
I’m a Medieval manuscript search addict. I’ll admit it. This time I found the sexy way to find inspiration and information on digitized manuscripts. It’s Sexy Codicology I’m nuts about its enlightening blog posts and newsletters, which is how I first discovered Sexy. SC is an independent project that dives into digitized manuscript collections to find beautiful or intriguing illuminated manuscripts to share on…
Have you started your SCA portfolio yet? Why do you even need one? If you are new to the SCA I’m sure you aren’t thinking in those terms. But I bet you’re taking pictures. As you take them, be sure to take some of what you make too. Everything you make, awesome or crap. Digital…
I prize the Internet for its ability to teach. If you know what you want to find and how to find it, so much is available. Very different than when I came up as a scribe. It does make your ability to critique your findings more important. To wonder about your resource’s accuracy, authenticity, and…
My rocks for paint collection. Every year this question pops up in the scribes guild, “Is gouache period?” I use it because it is more convenient than making paint from rocks and plants. I get favorable results, too. But, how Medieval is it? I have a tangled answer. Unfortunately, it is a lengthy story. To…
Hope you had a joyful friends and family filled Thanksgiving. I did. Now it’s on to Black Friday shopping, for me at my local Barnes and Noble. B&N is the only national book retailer in Omaha. Even so, it is limited to trending books. I took a look at its scribal related books, hoping for inspiration….
Calontir‘s current Monarchs, Logan and Ylva, are Norse-Viking and the scroll they want me to do is for a person with a 14th century Western European SCA persona. How do I blend those two? I started by asking Google. Trolling for manuscript images with Google is helpful if you know the way it searches. Its search results…
I’ve been searching and collecting information for my Scribal Resources page. Recently I came across this large free book collection by David Myers. Rather than pillage his items individually, please, check The Art is Creation, Free* Artist Reference e-Books page yourself. The web page is a scribe and art history geek’s on-line library in one place. The books contain…
I am so pleased Calontir’s current monarchs are Logan and Ylva. Their enthusiasm and joy are blessings for us all. I want to do more because of their heartening spirit. Their Royal Majesties Logan and Ylva have Norse personas. And their award style features that design. As a scribe I find this tough. The Norse left…
For your viewing pleasure, I give you my 10 most artistically inspiring illuminated manuscripts. Not all are lavish, but all encourage my creativity. I hope they do yours too. Book of Kells created c. 800, is a calligraphy masterwork and pinnacle of Insular illumination. Regarded as Ireland’s finest national treasure, its extravagance and decoration complexity combines traditional Christian motifs with…
I love books, which is why my favorite bookstore closing was such a big deal. I buy books or borrow them from everywhere. Books and research are part of the SCA‘s attraction to me. Bookstore Search When I first joined the SCA, 26 years ago, I spent hours at the library each week. Then took…