I finally decided to dip my foot into the calligraphy and illumination disciplines. Previous to my time in the SCA I trained and produced works of illustration and design, so I have relevant technique to draw from. However, I have never really done serious calligraphy or medieval style illumination. For all intents and purposes I consider myself to be an aspiring student of the medieval scribe arts.
For my first scroll work I chose a song from a body of work near and dear to my heart - The Lord of the Rings. The finished scroll would be given as a gift to friends who mentored me into the medieval hobby, who also share my family's love for Tolkien's work.
The song is titled "The Road Goes Ever On," and I would specifically choose the variation featured in The Hobbit novel. Framing the words would be an elven inspired arch with Leaves of Lórien (the leaf design is found throughout Tolkien's original drawings) threaded within.
My Tools
A couple of years ago I used art by another artist to create some greeting cards, but the design stayed on my mind as it featured some beautiful Lórien leaves. I used this original work as inspiration for my arched frame.
I started my draft by drawing the celtic styled arch along with the leaves. This would serve as the frame for my calligraphy.
I then planned out the text layout and spacing. This is where my rolling parallel ruler did most of its work! (I seriously love that thing. It makes doing segments of straight lines so much easier!)
Once my basic layout was complete I traced over the design with the Sakura Micron pens. They are waterproof, so they will not run once I start using my watercolor paint!
Because I am not as confident using watercolor (still new to the medium) I decided to complete my coloring first. This way, if I messed up, I don't have to redo the whole thing! Thankfully, this particular design is forgiving, so I was fairly satisfied with my initial result.
It was now time for the main event! I wrote in the song using my 1.1mm Kaweco pen. It took some hunting around to find a good 1.1mm option. I really like using the Pilot Parallel series, but unfortunately, those only go to 1.5mm, and I needed something smaller. The Kaweco pens are smooth and durable, and the ink flows very nicely. They're an established brand and you can find them at most art stores and boutiques. (Sometimes you can find them on Amazon, but the flat manuscript tips are harder to get.)
I added a small star to the top of the scroll because I felt the space was a little empty, then I retraced the whole design with the Micron Pens. I finished my work by erasing the pencil guidelines. The finished product below!
I'm fairly pleased with my first scroll work. Because I am just a beginner I thought a simple design would be my best bet. I was able to present the finished product to my friends and I even framed it for them in a nice light wood picture frame. Made with love and received with joy!
I'm already planning my next project and hope to share that with you all soon! Until next time!
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