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.