Illumination, the ninth
Going to sewing circle meetings can be very good. This scroll assignment was given to me at one such meeting and I went home to straight away finish the blank I had started (scroll eight, attempt two) only to find that it was for a male recipient while the scroll assignment I had gotten was for a female. There was nothing to it but start a new scroll. Luckily I found an image on my harddrive excellently suitable for a scroll original so I could get to work straight away. The page is folio 14 verso from a manuscript called the Alphonso Psalter produced around the year 1316, kept at the British Library (Additonal MS 24686).
Step the first, as always, ruling out the text and border portions. I copied the AoA text from the old scroll and started on the sketching of border detail. That done step the next involved using my gold leaf for the first time on my own. It turned out decent, but not perfect. Lastly the rest of the border was painted in and highlighted to complete the scroll awaiting the signatures of the Prince and Princess. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture at the very last stage so this is as complete an image as I have.
Technically, this was a fairly simple scroll, and although I found the calligraphy flowing easier I'm not so sure about it looking better still. It is a bit uneven in the size and pitch. It really is just practice and more practice that is needed for me.
