Teaching Classes

Started a class series about how a medieval manuscript page was made with a friend of mine helping to teach. The first class was a lecture class that went over each step, that went really well, and we'll be doing a different step hands on as the months go by.  Right now we're planning on covering Pricking & Ruling, Quill Cutting & Calligraphy, Gold Leaf, Painting in Layers, and Miniatures & Grotesques.

Isaac

Traveling Writing Slope

Spent most of the day this past Saturday outside working on making traveling writing slopes. I designed these so the legs fold beneath the top, so they are easy to store and easy to travel with. I also made these smaller then originally designed to get more out of one sheet of plywood.

 The goal was to get 13 to 14 finished, but I messed up one of the tops with the table saw, and we just ran out of time to get everything done. We did get one finished and we just have to assemble the others when we have another weekend.

We learned several things that will make the next ones better.  The screws that came with the hinges were too long so we need to get some shorter ones. And we need to add some strapping system to the back to hold the legs in when in traveling mode.

Folding Traveling Writing Slope all set up.

Isometric type view of the Slope

Back view

Folded and ready for travel

Other news, working on getting other projects done.  I'm nearly happy with designs for a friends C&I quote, and I'm almost done with all the calligraphy and design work for the tourney scrolls for April.  I have one left to put together and some painting left to do.  I'll also be doing more calligraphy for the other champion scrolls as they come trickling in.

Isaac

Invitation

Been working on various projects.
An illusioniary Armenian hand to use for the calligraphy for the next round of champion scrolls, an invitation to an event using said hand, a Youth combat award scroll, tricking MS Word into doing the text I need for a folded book to use as a event handout/site token, practicing my calligraphy hands, and researching period techniques for manuscript illumination.

Invitation:

Been awhile

It's been a busy holiday season with lots of time spent with family. I didn't get as much calligraphy done that I wanted to, but I did get a lot of designs done.  I have several new designs waiting on calligraphy as well as the pieces I did last October/November for my local group.  I did finally get some pictures to post of the local group awards.

For the Flint & Steel award, I tried to use the ribbon symbol of the award in the design. And, for the Lanternarious award, I tried to work in the badge as well as lantern bearers. 

Flint & Steel: Hunterian Psalter

Flint & Steel: Hunterian Psalter

Flint & Steel:  Harley 2793

Flint & Steel: Book of Kells

Lanternarious: Book of Kells

Detail of the Book of Kells Lanternarious

Lanternarious: Egerton 745

Lanternarious: Egerton 3088

Lanternarious: Grand Hours of Duke de Berry

Designs

Lately I've been working on designs.

I have three designs based on the Hunterian Psalter, and currently one based on each of the following: Book of Kells, Grand Hours of Duke de Berry, Harley 2793, Egerton 745, Egerton 3088.

I'm also working on drawing another design based on the Book of Kells that will hopefully be finished soon.

After getting all of these designed, I'll have plenty of calligraphy to do to finish them all, but that can wait for a bit.

There are some other manuscripts that have caught my attention to try and work designs from.  We'll see if I get that far.

Isaac