Another Scribal Retrospective

 What a difference five years makes.

Back in 2016 I made this following scroll:

Scroll # 272

I was, and still am, happy with it. It's inspired by Royal 6 E. vi, f. 396i. This past weekend, I made a new scroll based on the same image. 

Scroll # 470

Five years and just under 200 scrolls later and it is clear that my skills have improved. 

Scroll #272 was done on Arches 140# hot press, 100% cotton paper, while #470 was done on Fluid paper, also 140# hot press, 100% cotton paper. #272 was done with Reeves gouache for the colors and Holbein gouache for the gold. For Scroll #470, I used Winsor & Newton for the gold, and the dark red and blue. I used Reeves for the rest of the colors. 

For #272 I used some white blueprint ink that I've had since High School. No clue of the brand; the label was long gone. I liked it, it was thin enough to flow through a dip pen. I believe I used a glass dip pen for the white lines. Unfortunately, I had run out of this blueprint ink and guess what isn't used anymore? Actual blueprints. And the white ink used to draw on the blue blueprint paper. So, I tried a few different inks and, for #470, I used Winsor & Newton #974 white ink and, with advice from fellow scribes, different nibs. The W&N ink was too thick to flow from my glass dip pen and it clogged all of my calligraphy nibs and fountain pens. I had purchased a dip pen set from McCree marketed towards manga artists. The nib did lay down a nice white line, however, I will have to be careful to not scrape up the paint as I move the pen, particularly since the nib I used only wants to work in one direction. 

In the last five years I have also started to "dry brush" white ink onto the highlights. I say "dry brush" because that's the technique used for highlighting miniatures. Here, I draw a line of white ink and use a slightly damp brush to smear the ink where I want it. I do this in addition to my normal shading style, rather than just leave a white line. I think smearing the white ink from the lightest section of the object into the darker shades gives a better color contour. 

I do notice, with both images next to each other, that my hand was either shaky when drawing the white lines in the red 'C' or I was having trouble keeping the nib pointed the same way as my hand moves. 

I will try again, in five years, and see where my scribal journey will take me.

 Possums and Opossums

Before Wednesday's Barony meeting, I was wondering why we have Opossums and not Possums. It was a strange conversation about winter and ticks. Possums and Opossums are different animals but who gave them similar names. Short version: English colonizers of Jamestown recorded the name Opossum in 1610. It was most likely their attempt to pronounce the Native American name for the critter. Then, in the late 18th Century, English naturalist Sir Joseph Banks saw a critter in Australia, also a nocturnal marsupial, and decided that it looks like the American Opossum, and he will name this "new" critter Possum, dropping the 'O' because that will help to "avoid" confusion. 

Here's the thing: They look nothing alike. Opossums look like giant rats and Possums look like what you would get if you cross a fox and a chipmunk. They live on opposite sides of the planet, and they have completely different diets. Trust an English naturalist to fuck things up for centuries. Of course, he couldn't have asked any of the natives what they called the tiny critters (Mundarda, in case you were wondering).

 Not my best work, but it's done.

I'm not terribly happy with this, but at least it is done. I don't know if I will use it for someone, or let it sit in my big book of scroll blanks. This is based on Yates Thompson 12  f. 204. I've been working on this off and on for the last six months. It never really clicked for me. The soldiers look goofy. The original background was blue and I didn't like how it turned out; so, I painted it gold. The white work didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. I had to paint over the corners several times and start over. 

But it is done. 

I am happy that I completed it, even though I can only see the flaws and failed potential. 

The last two years has not been good for my scribal work. With the pandemic, and the lack of events, there hasn't been an overwhelming need for dozens of scrolls. I've done my share of scrolls for the few events we've had, and some back-logs as well, but the scroll factory was definitely put on hiatus. Looking back, I've only completed eight scrolls this year and put calligraphy of two that I had finished last year. Instead of working on four or five scrolls at a time, I've only worked on one at a time. And I think that my quality has slipped. 

With hope, now that events are gearing up, again, more opportunities for scrolls will become available and I will get myself back into scribal shape. 

I have a few that need to be inked and painted and one, that's starring at me right now, that needs just a little bit more paint before I can call it complete.

Better

 The gold does make it look better.

A couple of coats of gold gouache and it does look better than with a blue background. I feel inspired and might finish it, this weekend. 

I hate it

 A WIP. I'm at the point where I hate it and don't want to work on it anymore.

Gouache on cotton paper. 

I'm sure that it will look nice when completed, but I can't work up the enthusiasm to do so. I'm not happy with how the blue turned out. I might cover up the blue in the background with gold. Perhaps that will make it pop. I don't know. 

Scroll Text - Margareta le Sayre - Keystone 2021

 

Scroll Text - Margareta le Sayre - Keystone 2021

Kingdom of AEthelmearc - Service Award

Attend Us, Noble Order of the Keystone, right trusty and right welbeloved Order. We will and command you, Our Order, to deliver, or cause to be delivered, unto Our welbeloved Margareta le Sayre, Lady, in consideration of such service as she hath done unto Us in the Barony of Endless Hills and other areas of Our Domain, a medallion bearing the emblazon of the aforesaid Noble Order, to wit, Or, on a keystone gules an escarbuncle argent, that she may proudly wear as We mean to add her name to the rolls of members of the Order, and besides such other benefits as We mean towards her for her service as cook and Royal Retainer. And these Our letters shall be your sufficient warrant in this behalf. Given by the hands of Gareth and Juliana, King and Queen of Sylvan AEthelmearc, at Our castle in the Barony of Thescorre, the 9th day of October, AS Six and Fifty, at Our Crown Tourney.

based on a privy seal letter to the Treasurer and Chamberlains of the Exchequer for payment of a certain sum to William Brymingham, 27 September, 1570

Scroll Text - Eadaoin Gaelach Rua - Keystone 2021

Scroll Text - Eadaoin Gaelach Rua - Keystone 2021

Kingdom of AEthelmearc - Service Award

O Eadaoin Gaelach Rua. You stand before Gareth and Juliana, Rightful King and Queen of Sylvan AEthelmearc. Many are the quote-unquote crimes of which you have been accused. And for so much as we have been informed by nobles and gentles beyond reproach that you have been willfully seen: lifting, carrying, cleaning, loading, unloading, singing, storytelling, punning, bardic-ing, and playing an unlicensed bodhran within Our domains. Acts that have not gone un-noticed by Our eyes. To take no action against you might stir and conspire means of commotion and insurrection showing against Our honor and estate, the common word of Our Land and Our Laws. We therefore would and desire that immediately after light of this, We condemn you to wear a badge showing our quote-unquote displeasure, described as such: "Or, on a keystone gules an escarbuncle argent" and We order you to wear this Keystone so that others will know of your service to Our Kingdom and all who dwell within. And these Our letters shall be unto you in this behalf sufficient warrant. Given by Our hands in the year of The Society fifty and six, at Our Crown Tournament, in the Barony of Thescorre.

inspired by Sign Manual Warrant (English) for the Issue of the Great Seal) (2 December, 3 Edward IV)