This page chronicles the creation of a Laurel Scroll for the
elevation of Bess' apprentice sister Cassandra Elenora di Milano
to the Order of the Laurel.
Inspiration Pieces
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The seals that Conchobar makes
should be similar to this Middle Kingdom Wax Seal. |
Materials & Layout
- 11"hx 14.5"w Goat skin parchment. 10/1/03 - The bottom
of the parchment was cut on a freeform curve and a white
space border was marked out with a #4 pencil leaving a
calligraphy and illumination workspace for the art measuring
7.5"h x 12.5"w.
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| Above you see a quick sketch of the concept for
Cassy's Laurel Scroll combining elements of the
inspiration pieces. |
Text
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Whoo hoo!!!
10/10/03 and after 2 hours of layout and 4 hours
I've finished the calligraphy!! |
To all nobles and gentles these present letters reading,
hearing or seeing Master Rory mac Feidhlimidh as Dragon
Principal Herald and King of Armes of the Middle Kingdom sendith
due and humble commendation and greeting.
Equity willeth and reason ordaneth that men virtuous and of
noble courage be by their merits and good renown rewarded not
alone by their deeds, but to be placed with honor with other
renowed, accepted, and esteemed, taken by certain enseigns and
demonstrations of honor and nobles that is to say peerage of the
realm and blazon of armes by Letters Patent.
And forasmuch as Cassandra Elenora di Milano, gentlewoman, is
recommended for her unstinting devotion to, and teaching of, the
arts in the fields of calligraphy, illumination, and diverse
book arts, and inasmuch as the said Lady has met with much
acclaim from the fellows of our Order of the Laurel, have their
most august majesties Alasdair and Guenievre desired me, the
said Dragon, to ordain and certify her said arms to be borne
henceforth by these letters Patent as is merited by her skilled
works and demeanour and befitting to a Peer of the Society.
And therefore I am at their request and responsible by the
authority and power annexed, attributed, given, and granted to
me and to my office of Dragon Herald by express words under the
great MidRealm seal have ratififed, confirmed and set forth for
her the Armes in the manner as hereafter followeth, that is to
say: Gules, a tree blasted and eradicated and on a chief, Or,
three card piques sable, as more plainly appears depicted in
this margin.
To have and to hold to the said Magistra Cassandra Elenora di
Milano, she being at this present time recognized in her due
station as a peer of our realm and worthy Companion of our Order
of the Laurel and Arms by these Letters and assigns given to
bear forevermore.
In witness whereof I the said Dragon have signed these presents
with my hand and set thereunto the seal of the MidRealm Armes.
Given and granted at Middle Kingdom Fall Heraldic and Scribal
Symposium in Cuil Choluim on the eighth day of November in year
thirty-eight of the Society by soverign Alasdair by the right of
arms King of the Middle and his fair Queen Guenievre.
Illumination
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10/14/03 3 more hours down!!
The beginning of the illumination is shown in the
picture above. To the left of the "T" is a square
with a large "laurel wreath" circle in which rests
an escutcheon with Cassandra's heraldic arms
emblazoned. All the vine work has been drawn in
with gall ink and the acanthus ends on the vines are
penciled. My next step will be to lay the gesso for
the gilding. |
10/15/03 - Liquitex Gesso was laid. 1 hour.
10/16/03 - Gilding began with 23k Austrian gold leaf.
Though the application of the gold went smoothly, I struggled to
keep the mirror shine. Perhaps a function of the gesso being
old? Layers of gold on the Heraldry and Initial total upwards of
4. 3 hours.
10/18/03 - Began painting with Windsor and Newton
Gouache. 2 hours.
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| 10/20/03 - Whoo hoo!! Another 3 hours
down and I'm done with my part of the illumination.
Tomorrow Morning it's off in the Mail to Meisteirn
for all the highlighting and white work. |
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Detail of the heraldic art when
it left me. |
- Total time invested to this point 18 hours.
- Material cost to this point approximately $125.
This scroll is off in the mail to the next scribe who will
be working on it. After she adds the highlights and white work
the seals will be attached.
I think that it's turning out pretty swank, what about you?
