The Surprising History of Banned Books
So, here’s to the rebels of the Renaissance and beyond—those who dared to read what wasn’t allowed. Let’s honor their legacy by keeping the conversation going, one book at a time.
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Top Gift Ideas for Scribes and Calligraphers
“A good scribe can do more than one thing.” – Medieval proverb Hey, friends! Looking for the perfect gift for your favorite scribe or a special prize for an upcoming scribal competition? I’ve got you covered! With the busy season in full swing, we’re all juggling work, SCA projects, and holiday prep. So, I’ve put…
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Reblog: Early Bookcases, Cupboards & Carousels
Scholars, translators, transcribers and writers have always needed to have multiple books and other resources within easy reach. Illustrated manuscripts give us a good look at how medieval scribes stored and arranged their often large and hefty books. In the image above, Saint Jerome, identified by the halo, red galero and the lion with a…
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Lost in the Weave: Adventures in Finding Basketry Resources
Hey, fellow SCAdians and avid crafters! Since I started learning about basket weaving last November I found out that as a craft it is very different than my calligraphy and illumination passion. I have to search more to find what I want or need, at least around Omaha, NE. There are no sections in large…
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My top medieval books of 2023
I am unbelievably shaken to be once again at the end of the year, and babes, for me it’s been a year of books. Firstly because, of course, my book The Once And Future Sex made its debut in the world. As I type this, it is in the process of being translated into several…
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Cherry-picked Scribal Books
What are the most helpful scribal books? The ones that strengthen most your scribal skills and knowledge. I have favorites to share.
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Perplexing Pictures In Manuscripts 7
Two grotesques from the Vaux Psalter, Lambeth Palace Library MS 233 f.15r. Glad you are back for another perplexing manuscript picture. It’s hard to believe these two grotesques are from the lovely Vaux Psalter. Just look at the left grotesque’s fearful dirty look. Dramatically amazing. But what is it? And why? Michael Camille in his book Image On…
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Perplexing Pictures In Manuscripts 6
Jacques de Longuyon’s poem“Vows of the Peacock.”1350s Tooting butt trumpets, really? It’s amazing what you can find exploring Medieval illuminated manuscripts on the Internet. And this isn’t the only one. Medieval scribes worked long hours in cold rooms bent over their work. To entertain themselves bored and cranky Medieval scribes used the page’s margins to kvetch,…
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Two Inticing Paint Color History Books Reviewed
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…
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Why I’m Thrilled With My New Found Interest – Finding Jehanne
Link If you are like me and it’s expensive to get away from your home group you might try upping your activities there. That’s what I’ve done. I’m still doing my usual blogging and helping with kingdom events the Barony of the Lonely Tower hosts. There’s always one or ten handcraft projects to do. But my…
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Enrich Your Calligraphy, Book Review
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….
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The Best "How-to" Decorative Letters Book
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…
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The Art and History of Calligraphy, Book Review
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…
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8 Scribal Books For Cyber-Monday Ordering
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…
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Unique Bibliocraft Book Find
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….
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New English Translation of Cennini
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…
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How to Select a Calligraphy Guide Book
I’ve collected numerous calligraphy manuals over the years, searching for tips and tricks to improve my lettering. As an SCA scribe, my book criteria differ from calligraphy books for modern works. Here are my preferences. Traditional Calligraphy Guides The book should focus on the nib-lettering technique I want to learn. For most of us in…
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6 Scribal Books For Your Cyber-Monday Shopping
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….
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Beginning Illumination, Book Review
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….
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Incredible Wealth Of Free Artist e-Books
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…