The Sinister Scribe

Since Barb has got me thinking of Tuesday’s as sketch/art days, I decided to work on a scroll blank during quiet time today. The color copy is the inspiration for this one. I like this style because it is so much like doodling. Granted my versions are usually not as airy as the original piece. Which is okay, I like that chock-full-a-doodles look but I’d like to work on the light-and-airy look too. Maybe the next one.

But alas, QT is over and I must jump back into the thick of things. But do go over to Barb’s blog and check out this week’s Sketch Tuesday, Sam and I are in it. (we’re the first two listed)

Well, I can’t tell ya ‘coz it would ruin the surprise for somebody. I’ve finally made myself take the time to spend a little time here and there to work on scribey stuff. This took me 2 30-minute sessions.

Inside the letter will be guilded. The letter itself will be blue with white work inside. Kind of similar to this. The design is a conglomeration of different styles. I’m not trying to reproduce something specific to a particular period of time. I hope the recipient likes it.

I’m not really sure if I’m done or not. LOL! I think it needs something but I dunno what. I debated about some whitework in the outer red boarder but again… I just can’t decide.
There are parts I really, really like: the monoceros itself, the alternating red and blue. There are parts I’m not too crazy about: the whitework in the big blue boarder, the line filler whitework… ok, I’m just not crazy about the whitework on this one in general. It just is not “popping” enough. *sigh* I really, really, thought I was gonna be happy with this one. Maybe I’ll feel better about it in the morning.

It is amazing how much better this effort at guilding is! With the addition of a little honey, I am able to use much thinner coats of the gum size. Which means it is really flat and much, much smoother. I am a bit embarrassed at how bad the guilding was on the silver hammer scroll.
This guilding is sooo flat!!! Woot! It could still be more even, but maybe that will come in time. Another big helper here… for my birthday, my sis sent me one of those hands-free magnifiers that fits on your head like a visor. MagEyes is the brand. It was so nice to be able to do this with two hands.

The second picture, on the right, shows it with some color. I’ve been trying to apply layers of transparent color rather than glopping on one thick opaque one. On the monoceros body, I applied a thin layer of raw sienna yellow ochre to the areas that would be red and where the shadows are.

OK. Gotta run. The laptop is effectively dead so blogging will be sporadic and short… or moreso than usual.

“The monoceros has the head of a stag, the tail of a boar, elephant’s feet and a horse’s body. A horn four feet long projects from his head. This creature was derived from the Indian rhinoceros.”

Here’s my version all inked and callig’d, based on the one in the Aberdeen Bestiary. I’d originally planned on a horizontal layout with the text to the right of the illustration. Changed my mind on the layout but kept the new beastie orientation. The thickest border band in my version will also have a different whitework design on it. Didn’t care for the dots in the original. It came together very, very quickly. I think I’ve only spend 2 hours on it so far.

The calligraphy is not very good. I REALLY need practice there. And I’m not crazy about how the lines ragged. The last line will have a filler bar but not the others. Just not quite enough space, plus it would look silly if each line had a filler bar.

I am happy with the monoceros though. The legs might be a bit stumpy but not too much. Although I freehanded it, I did use a grid to help with proportions and alignment.

Before I hop into bed tonight, I’m going to get another batch of gum arabic started and add some heated honey to it tomorrow! The inner square, middle band and “m” will be guilded. Oh, and the horn too.