“A library is a hospital for the mind.” — Anonymous medieval proverb (15th–16th c.) Recently, I was lolling at Barnes & Noble and browsing without purpose. I picked up a book that immediately got my attention. It was The Library: A Fragile History by Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen. And friends, let me tell…
Hey everyone! I recently tackled a writing prompt provided on this blog’s host site. It’s about impactful books, and I couldn’t help but dive into my love for manuscript illumination. The Codex Manesse first sparked my passion—its 14th-century miniatures are just breathtaking! Initially I tried to motivate someone in the Barony of the Lonely Tower…
Hey there, fellow art enthusiasts! I want to share a fantastic find with you all today—the Canson XL Recycled Bristol Paper. I picked it up at Michael’s for my Zentangle art. If you’re looking for a high-quality paper that’s also kind to the environment, you’re in for a treat. First off, let’s talk specs. This…
Hey all. Amazingly this review Is about a book on SCA armored combat I learned about at the demo Lonely Tower did recently. And yes, I read the whole thing and enjoyed it totally! Let me tell you why. I’ve been around SCA armored combatants for decades and heard fighters talk about their armor bites,…
Since I didn’t travel to the Kris Kinder event this weekend to stay busy I binge watched the first two seasons of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel again. I love this show and I want everyone I know to see it. Here’s why.
Yesterday I was going through my books preparing for the coming Book Arts RUSH and found again my current published books on pigment history. They are both books about early art material production. These books interest me because Medieval artists or their staff made their own paints. Knowing that paint production history enhances your color use when recreating illumination art. These two…
I often read James Gurney‘s blog the Gurney Journey. Gurney is the Dinotopia guy. His art is amazing and his posts inspiring. Recently, I found a post of his I think you’ll find interesting. Some gouache tests his associate Cathy Gura ran comparing gouache brands rewetting behaviors. She also compared their consistency and of all things their…
When I had two peerage scrolls on my calendar I surveyed my C & I supplies for missing necessities. I ordered them on John Neal Bookseller’s website. I’m a sucker for books so I also looked for their’s on clearance. I found Enrich Your Calligraphy by Diana Hardy Wilson and decided to take a chance on it….
If you’ve looked at the stunning art in medieval manuscripts and wondered how they were made then the main book you need for learning illumination is The Illuminated Alphabet: An Inspirational Introduction to Creating Decorative Calligraphy by author Patricia Seligman and calligrapher Timothy Noad. As SCA scribes know, illumination is a unique craft with its own techniques. It…
Do you have Patricia Lovett’s book Calligraphy and Illumination…? I often refer to it. When I learned she published another book I went online cyber-Monday and bought myself a Christmas present. Her recent book The Art and History of Calligraphy, published last year by the British Library. Since the author is a British professional calligrapher and illuminator you won’t be surprised…
Yesterday I went to my favorite bookstore, Half Price Books. It’s so close to home, I’ve walked to it. I always check out their $2 sale section. This time I found something unique. BiblioCraft: A Modern Crafter’s Guide to Jumpstart Creative Projects, by Jessica Pigza. I bought it just for giggles, without looking it over….
Have you thought about becoming a C and I artist? I have. Calligraphy and illumination arts aren’t dusty ancient skills Medieval monks used to make religious tomes. They are used by many today to create art. Here are ten people who modernly use calligraphy and illumination to create art and make a living. People who…
New Broecke Translation There’s a new English translation of Cennino d’Andrea Cennini’s “Il libro dell’ Arte, by Lara Broecke, a professional paintings conservator and artist. Amozon’s webpage intriguingly describes it as establishing: more precisely what Cennino actually wrote, by correcting more than 400 errors in Thompson’s text…In addition, the author’s most informative introduction places Cennino in context…
Queen’s Prize in Calontir, September 2016 Checking out the calligraphy and illumination entries at Calontir’s recent Queen’s Prize Tournament I saw a copy of Claire Travers’ book Beginning Illumination. I was intrigued, so I ordered it. While only 80 9″x11″ pages, it is worth the reasonable $19.97 hardcover cost. Travers first introduces the reader to the materials and basic techniques….
Wandering through my local 1/2 Price Books I came across the The Art Of Teaching Craft: A Complete Handbook by Joyce Spencer and Deborah Kneen. Written in 1995 it is just what I’d been searching for to help me prepare for my calligraphy and illumination classes. It is a practical guide to teaching small to medium classes, in…
As I am planning things for the coming scribal classes, I found an excellent handout about starting and maintaining a scribes’ guild. While my intent for our classes was to continue on from the information provided at the recent Barony’s scribal introduction class, not to form a guild, the information in Hillary Rose Greenslade’s article is…