Almost There

Another Hour of Work and Number 300 Will Be Done.

I had thought that I had made a big mistake when I started putting down the red-orange gouache but, now that I've put three layers of it on, it looks nice. The first coat was far too bright for what I wanted. Because of the way the paint was sitting on top of the pergamenta, the water in the red-orange was pulling some of the black gouache. Not enough to ruin the lighter color, but enough to darken it slightly around the edges.

I need to touch up some of the edges and corners, and then I have to re-ink the lines, and then number 300 will be done. I do not have a scroll assignment for this one, but I did contact Baroness Alex and called dibs on the next martial award for someone with a Greek or Roman personae. I might have to farm out the calligraphy to someone who can wield a pen better than myself: I have had issues with writing on pergamenta. I think that I will cut one of my remaining sheets in half and just practice with a variety of nibs and inks. With all of the work I spent on making this guy, I really, really, really really do not want to screw up the calligraphy

Now that I'm looking at the picture of the scroll-to-be, it kind of looks like a CD or a DVD.

Number 300 is half way done.

It's the mile markers that you look forward to.

"To the shades of the dead. Insus son of Vodullus, citizen of the Treveri, cavalryman of the Ala Augusta, troop of Victor, curator. Domitia his heir had this set up." These are the words inscribed on a Roman tombstone found in 2005 in Lancaster. This was quoted in the latest edition of Ancient Warfare (Vol X, Issue 2). I never thought about looking through Roman tombstones and steele for scroll wording: if I'm ever assigned a scroll for a Roman, I will definitely have to do some research.

Perhaps, I could use the above scroll, which would be my 300th since I started the A&S 50 challenge in 2011. It needs another couple of coats of red/orange and black, at least to make it look even. I don't plan on any other colors. I'm planning on keeping the shield empty so that I have some flexibility of use: a Golden Alce; a Gage, a Chiv. writ or even an assignment for another Kingdom. The image is from a 5th Century serving plate depicting a Spartan fighting a Persian. 

Some thoughts about scroll work

Approaching 300

While approaching my 300th scroll, I've been thinking about scribal work, in general, and in how to teach it. I think that I will put together a class for beginner scribes; very beginner scribes. A class on not only what materials are required, (hot press paper and gouache or water color) but why we want them (what is hot press and what is the difference between gouache and water color). I am by no means the best illuminator in the Kingdom; I'm not even the best in my Barony. But I think that I can claim to be one of the most prolific scribes. 293 illuminated scrolls and 108 calligraphed scrolls since 2011.

While I cannot claim to have mastered scroll making, I have learned enough to know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. John Cleese once said that one has to be competent enough at something to know that one is bad at it. Until one gets to that point, one has no idea what one is doing wrong. I am happy to admit that I have reached the tipping point of knowing that I am no good.

Or, I should say, know what my deficiencies are and what I need to do to improve.

I do have some advice for any new scribes that might read this; advice that I'm thinking about putting into a class format for some upcoming event.

1) The only way to get better is to do more scrolls. Lots of scrolls. Or, at the very least, a lot of practice on paper. Unless you are one of those people who have lots of innate talent, you have to practice. Buy cheap paper and practice. Paint lines and figures. Experiment with shading and mixing colors. Find out what works for you and what doesn't. Do a lot of scroll blanks. Don't worry about getting assignments, every group can use extra blanks. There are more illuminators than calligraphers and there will always be a need for a scroll at the last minute. Practice on borders and initials (like the one above). Generic images that can be used for any purpose.

2) You don't need to start off with the best and the most expensive paints and brushes. Start off cheap and play. You can pick up a basic gouache set from Michaels or Hyatts for $10 to $15 bucks. I saw a 5 color set, with a brush, online for $8. Pick up a cheap, hot-press tablet of Bristol watercolor paper and waste paper and paint. There will be a time, in your future, where you want to spend good money on expensive paint, but when starting out, cheap is just as good as top-shelf. Until you learn what you are doing, you really won't know the difference. Once you start learning what to do, then start switching over to better paper and better paint. I always keep a tablet of cheap Bristol paper so that I can experiment with shading and pigment. I have no problem with wasting cheap paper so that I can make the best use of my better paper.

3) Ask for advice, praise and criticism. You will learn a lot faster if other, more experienced, scribes tell you what you are doing right and wrong and can steer you to better work.

3a) This is advice for experienced scribes: if a brand new, shiny scribe comes to you asking for advice, don't be a dick. A single dickish comment can kill someone's desire to ever do scribal work again. Never tell a new scribe anything that sounds like, "Wow! This sucks!" Compliment their work and offer polite suggestions on how they can improve. "Give yourself a wider margin." "Looks like you used too much water here." "This looks like cold-press paper, try it with hot-pressed. It will look better and the calligraphers will have a better time writing on it." Don't trample on someone's dreams.

4) Pick a design that you will like to work on. I hate, hate, celtic knotwork. I can do it, I just hate doing it, so I will avoid doing any large knotwork images. If you try squashed bug style and decide that you don't like it, don't do it. If you don't like drawing people, pick a design without people. If you stop halfway through a scroll and have no interest in ever finishing it, try a completely different style. If you still have no desire to finish up the hated design, erase it and use the paper for something else. Do the designs that you want to do. Remember, in most kingdoms, no one will force you to make a scroll in a style you hate.

5) Document everything that you do. Scan your scrolls and/or practice work (or take pictures with your phone) and keep track of what paint you used and what you tried. I have a Flikr site with every scroll I've done in chronological order. Not only can I look over what I have done, but 90% of my scrolls have links to the source material. I use this history to improve upon my work. Keeps notes about each piece, particularly if you change your supplies or technique.

6) There are tons of online resources for period manuscripts; everything from Tumblr and Pinerest, to museum and library web pages. Browse them and look for images that you want to try. I suggest that you save copies of the images using the manuscript name as the file name, so that you can also find the original source. I use a light box to trace my images; whenever I print out an image, I save the page in an envelope, after the scroll is completed, just in case I ever want to do it again. You can use the same image of knights dueling over an over; just change the colors on their tabards. {here and here}Same thing with borders and leaves: just change the colors and presto: a completely different scroll. {here and here}

7) You don't need 500 tubes of paint. Not only can you mix your paint to give you different colors (yellow and blue make green), but the varying the amount of water you add to the paint will change the shade of the paint, once it's on the paper. I like early period work which uses mostly gold, red and blue. It is what I prefer; you, my reader, might like a wider pallet of color, or might have more artistic talent than myself. Use the colors you think will look good and will make someone happy.

8) Learn calligraphy. Even if your handwriting will never compare to others, by learning one hand, or by learning to print clearly with a calligraphy pen, you can help out your fellow scribes by taking care of small assignments. If you keep a stock of blanks, and if there is a last minute assignment that pops up, you will be able to play the hero by coming up with some words and calligraphing your scroll. I am under no illusion that my "calligraphy" is any good, but I can print somewhat neatly using a secretary hand (a particular script used for making notes and writing letters). I know one scribe who feels that if one's calligraphy is nice enough, no illumination is required. And, to be honest, her calligraphy is that nice.

9) Practice. Practice. Practice.

I can't think of anything else, at this moment. But I think I can expand on these points and create a full class.

Things you shouldn't put on an SCA Scroll part 6

Things you shouldn't put on an SCA Scroll part 6

Nothing says, "Thank you for your service," quite like castrating beavers. Although, I might remove the animals and just use the dudes, in some upcoming endeavor. The image is from Harley 4751   f. 9v.

Form must follow function, but beauty shouldn't be forgotten

A flint striker in the form of a bird

I was looking for an image for a scroll and I found this gem. from the Freer/Sackler museum. It's a Indian flint striker from the 17th century and it is beautiful. Both sides are cast or carved; the site doesn't mention its construction. I wish that I had metal crafting skills so that I could make one of these.

Titles and meanings

What's in a Name?

A great deal of writing and instruction goes into teaching new members of our Society how to identify and address the various ranks of nobility, but do we ever explain what those titles mean? Where do these titles come from and what do they really mean?

Let us start at the top with the King. The word king comes to us from the old-old-English (Anglo-Saxon, actually) word cyning. Cyning is related to the Dutch koning, Norse konungr, Danish konge, German konig and Finnish kuningas. The word relates to cynn, in Anglo-Saxon, meaning "family". This is were kin comes from. Cyning originally meant head of the family. The meaning mutated to mean leader of the people. Rex is latin for king, which is why you often hear it mentioned by court heralds after the King's name. 

Next we will visit the Queen. The word dates back to the Anglo-Saxon cwen, which means "wife" and is related to the Gothic (the East Germanic language of the Goths) words qino (wife) and qens (female ruler), The title was used, at first, as "the wife of the King". It is interesting to note that Elizabeth I always said that she was the wife of England. As Rex is latin for king, Regina is latin for queen.

Prince and Princess come to us from Old French in the 12th century. Princess is the feminine form of prince. The word comes from the latin princeps meaning "first in order" or "the most important". This makes sense as the first born was the heir to the throne.

A lord who has won Crown two or more times can take the title of Duke. Duke comes to us from 12th century Old French word duc meaning "commander (of soldiers)" and that comes from the late latin dux meaning "governor of a province" and that can be traced back to the old latin ducere meaning "to lead". Duchess is the feminine form of duke and comes to us from Old French duchesse which comes from the late latin ducissa meaning "female dux" or "female governor of a province".

Below the Duke and Duchess we have the Count and Countess. This title also comes from Old French (13th century) conte which comes from the latin comite or comitem, originally meaning "companion" but later meaning "companion of the Emperor" and later a "delegate or speaker for the Emperor".

Earl is Anglo-Saxon, originally meaning "a noble born warrior (not to be confused with the Anglo-Saxon churl which is the opposite of earl).  Earl comes from the old Germanic erlo and old Norse jarl. The term was later used as an under-king or a viceroy under the Danish rule in England. After the Norman invasion of England, earl was adopted as the equivalent of the French conte (count). There is no feminine version of earl; since an Earl is the equivalent of a count, a female earl would be called countess.

Viscount and Viscountess is the next step down. The name comes from the words vice and conte and no, is does not mean a depraved count. Vice from the late latin vice, meaning "deputy". As a vice president is a deputy to the president, a vice count would be a deputy to a count. The word comes from old French visconte, which dates back to the latin vicecomes meaning "a deputy to a member of the imperial court". The first use of this title in England was recorded in 1440 when Henry VI made John, Baron Beaumont, one.

The Baron and Baroness is next. Baron comes to us from the Frankish baro, meaning "freeman" and the Anglo-Saxon beorn, meaning "nobleman". The title of baron was used to describe landowners who held their lands in return for military service in times of war. In the SCA there are two types of Barons and Baronesses. Landed (or territorial) and Court. Landed Barons and Baronesses hold the land (a Barony and maybe cantons) and govern it in the name of the Crown. Court Barons and Baronesses are awarded by the Crown for service. 

Lords and Ladies are next. Lord comes from the Middle English loverd, which comes from the Anglo-Saxon hlaford meaning "master of a household". It might then come from the Old Anglo hlafweard which means "one who guards the bread" (hlaf "loaf" + weard "guardian"). Lady comes from Anglo-Saxon hlafaeta meaning "household servant" or literally, "loaf eater". 

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Written with for the AEstel, the newsletter of the Kingdom of AEthelmearc and the Ice Dragon, newsletter for the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael. With lots of help from the OED.

The picture is Cwenhild's Baronial Coronet/Scroll.

I think that it held up

New archery target didn't disappoint. 

The dino-face target was brought out to Pax, this past weekend and was parked behind a handful of other pool-noodle targets. The head was worth a bonus 10 point for any hits; only the head, not the body. It was around 25 yards and, in the high winds we had, was swaying back and forth. But, it did catch the arrows that hit it: no blow-throughs. 

The only problem was that the glue that held the head to the body broke after the first couple of hits, so that the head spun when it was hit. I will need to pull out my hot glue gun and fix it. $10 well spent.

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While I call this a dino-face, it is marketed as a tiger shark, by BJ's. But, dino-face is more fun to say. To deploy, you will need a 1x1" wood stake from any nursery or home repair store. The dino-face  came with a little tail glued to the other end of the noodle. Twist it until it breaks free and pull it out of the noodle. Drive the 1x1" stake into the ground and slide the noodle over the stake. Just hot-glue the face in place so that it will not spin around when hit.

The shot of the shot, above, was made with a 29# recurve at around 25 years in high winds and the arrow did penetrate and stick without a problem.

I think I will keep my eyes open for any clearances on these guys and get a pack of them. I think that BJ's also had some green turtle faces. I think that it would make a nice shoot: take out the carnivores but don't hit the herbivores. Or. Or. Shot the tasty, tasty herbivores before they get eaten by the blue Velociraptors.

The English DO have a sense of humor.

The English DO have a sense of humor.

I got me a new archery target

That that you stupid, blue dinosaur.

I found this guy at BJs, today. Looks like I got me a cool, new archery target for Pax. If it holds up, I might go back and pick up a herd of them.

Challenge Accepted!

Challenge Accepted!

Today, Baroness Alex, Challenged me to complete three scroll assignments by Pax, next week. Okay: they are actually for Pennsic and she wanted to know if I could get the scrolls to War and into Their Majesties's hands early in the week. I said that I could give them to Them at Pax. She asked, and I quote, "that's a week away, are you sure??" Sounds like a challenge to me. 

She gave me the assignments at 14:23, this afternoon, and at 23:43, the wording for all three scrolls are done and the illumination for the first is done. And I took the time to have a lovely dinner of cheese manicotti. I might use one of my blanks if I can't find inspiration, but I think that I can get all three done this weekend.  

Here's the problem: The assignments are for Moe, Larry and Curly. Not their real names, of course; you understand. I know Moe and Curly, so finding images that will compliment them was easy. Moe like spears and weird drolleries, and I knew I had this image in my archives, although I appear to have painted a Blue Meanie.... Perhaps I can put a small, yellow submarine somewhere on the page.

Curly will require something that starts with a 'G' to go with the awesome wording I created. I know what I could use, but I might find something better, tomorrow. 

Larry, on the other hand: I don't know. If I can't find inspiration for a person I've never met, I'll use a generic blank and paint in the thing that Larry will be receiving for being a wise-guy.