Testing out the new slope

I finally got around to building a period looking writing desk or slope.  A few years back I made a bunch of slopes with folding sides to make them easier to travel with, but I always wanted a nice big slope simular to what you see in the illustrations of monks at work in various manuscripts.

I'm happy with the outcome.  I'm very much a beginner at work working, but I'm really enjoying it.  The slope is made from furniture grade plywood and modern tools were used in it's construction. 

The finished slope, just about ready to use.

I let the stain and finish set for a week or two, to be sure everything was dry and even now, the slope is a little smelly. 

The list of awards I received for our Yule event included one that I haven't finished making a master charter of, so I thought, perfect time to test the new slope, I'll cut a new quill, use the ink I just got from Ian the Green.  The Iron ink started as very gray on the pergamenta paper.  After talking to Ian about this, I'm guessing it's the size on the perg.  The photo below was taken shortly after finishing the calligraphy. The ink did darken to a nice black in the two weeks between the calligraphy and giving it out.

Special Project for Special Thank Yous

The past four years our local group has been using a church to host our Yule event at, and I was asked to create a special piece of illumination and calligraphy to help thank one of the churches individuals for all of their work on our behalf. It's not in the pictures below, but I eventually added our groups leaders first initials on the last line of the second page for them.

Materials include:
Parchment from Pergamena
Iron Gall ink made by Ian the Green
Cut quill pen, lead tin stylus, various medieval pigments

Rough draft of design and calligraphy on modern papers

Ruling out my lines, using a lead tin stylus

I forgot to get a picture of just the calligraphy, at this point, I had started adding other details

Gesso has been applied to the areas I want to add gold leaf to.

Started the leafing, one of the "two pages" finished.

Started laying the base colors

Adding layers to being out details.

Finished

Close up of "page 1"

Close up of "page 2"

Yule 2015 Invitation

For the 2015 yule event for my local group, I tried out a different style.  It's modeled after a few different later period manuscripts.  I combined the split inside and outside views along with a feasting and dancing scene. I worked on this piece off and on over a few days.

Tourney Letters

A couple of letters of intent to various Queen's Champion Tourneys for a wonderful friend.

Catching Up: Black Hours

The certificates' winners name as well as the signatures at the bottom were filled in using gold.

Catching up: Black Hours

Catching up: Black Hours

Big 25th anverssary of the local group so I was asked if I could do the invitation and champion certificates in a black hour style.

After trying several inks and different paints, I settled on using watered down talons gouche paint. I used black art board as my support. Calligraphy and illumination was done with a dip pen, a 1mm Brause nib and a pointed nib for all the lines.

Playing Catch up

It's been several busy months. I've managed to get several new pieces done  since I last posted.

A good fried ask me if I could do a really nice letter of intent to fight in a Queen's champion tourney, he would provide the text... The image above is the third different attempt to execute this project. The first two designs had room for painted decorations and just didn't work. This third attempt came about from just playing with a calligraphy pen and the text.