Baby's First Illumination! (Sort Of ...)

[dawn_felagund]

Did you hear that loud whooshing wind last night around, oh, 9 p.m. EST? That was me sighing with relief as I finally, finally finished an illumination project that I think I've been working on forever. Well, that's an exaggeration, but it has been about a year. School interfered so that the only time I had to work was at Friday night SCA meetings, and if Master Tristan was there, it meant I spent the whole time running my mouth and not working. (Yes, I am totally putting the blame for my own indolence on him!) But, with school over, I jumped right back into it, determined to actually finish the darned thing ... and I did!

This is not my first illumination project. It's actually my fourth. But it's the first sorta-scroll-type thing. Yes, I am being wishy-washy because I'm still not sure that that's what it's going to be. It's also why it looks unfinished ... because it really is. If it is to be a scroll, then it will need calligraphy and the person's heraldry and such will be added. If I'm going to use it for myself, then I will probably fill in the border at the top and the other side and write a poem or something on it. But I don't know what I'm doing with it yet, so I've done the replication of the original until I decide or get some advice on it.

So, yes, this is my unfinished sorta-scroll-type thing or maybe-for-a-poem-type thing.

Here is the original. Click to view it full-sized.



Yes, there is a huge white rectangle in the middle of it and, no, that was not in the original. The story behind that is kind of funny. You see, Master Tristan picked this piece for me to work on. We were looking at it in the book one night and I wasn't really paying much mind to the miniature that belongs where the white rectangle is because I was looking at the acanthus in the border and the colors and the gilding, that is until Master Tristan said, "No, he's not putting on red socks and gloves."

Then I looked at the miniature and realized that it was a very graphic depiction of a man being flayed. Yes, that. You gotta love medieval illuminated manuscripts, where beautiful and lovingly crafted borders gently cradle scenes of gory and graphic torture.

I'm a blood/injury phobic. Most medieval art I can handle. I can handle the boiling and the burning ... even the drawing and quartering. But, for whatever reason, this particular painting really bothered me. I became light-headed and, throughout the rest of the night, I'd think on it occasionally and become faint again. I told Master Tristan that I would work on the piece, but I would not do the flaying scene and would Photoshop it out of the copy I was working from. And, being a kind teacher, when he sent me a scan of the illumination, it came sans flaying scene.

And I have left it that way (I don't even own an intact copy but I'm sure he'd send me one if I asked) because I don't want to subject Teh Flist to the icky flaying scene either. However, this miniature seems determined to weasel its way into my thoughts, no matter my efforts to avoid it. The Met museum recently did an exhibit of illuminated manuscripts and, while perusing a guide book, I happened on a page that looked really familiar, and when I looked closer ... flaying scene! Ack! The world got black and sparkly around the edges again.

So, now that you've heard the woes of an aspiring scribe who is also a blood/injury phobic, I give you my own work as it stands at this point. As before, click the image to view a full-sized version.



I do welcome comments, including critique, of my work, but this is not expected, of course.

As for self-critique, what I'd like to do better next time:

• I need to be more aware of what is on my hands when I'm getting ready to paint. The margins of this piece look awful. I frequently dip or drag the heel of my hand into the paint on my pallet, and then I end up with drops on my work when my hand rests on the page. I erased the worst from the margins in Photoshop. (Luckily, they were confined to the margins.)



• I need to be more aware of how the lines and shadows are working to make the acanthus appear three-dimensional. I would do rote imitation of the colors and shading and, only when I was finished, realize that those elements worked to create a three-dimensional effect of a twisted leaf. There are a few places where it is terribly obvious that I am faking it. If I was more aware of this, my work would look more realistic, I think.



• My gilding is ragged and uneven, but I am much-improved now. I think this was the first piece I did after learning to gild so, all in all, not bad! :)

(Cross-posted to Hundrede Artes.)

Comments

[frenchpony.livejournal.com]

Nice work, especially on all the frilly bits. But I have to admit, my attention was distracted by that big honking wodge of chant right smack in the center. I can just hear it in my head, I think. Been a while since I learned to read that kind of notation, but I think I remember enough of it to get at least the general gist.

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

my attention was distracted by that big honking wodge of chant right smack in the center

OMG! Me too! It took me right back to choir practice in a Catholic grade school, when we actually used some books that had that notation. (I can't pretend I ever learned to read it very well--mostly relied on learning things by ear, and the better singers on both sides of me. They always put people me between two really gifted types!)

[dawn_felagund]

I have no idea how to read that! I can read modern music notation but have no clue where to begin with the medieval stuff. And a lot of illuminated manuscripts involve music, so I see it a lot ... I'm hoping for my 50 arts and sciences to maybe get to research that a bit!

[frenchpony.livejournal.com]

I think that the clef is supposed to outline where C is, except that that example appears to have two different clefs, which is confusing. I think the pitches work the same as on a modern five-line staff, but there are notations having to do with rhythm that I can't quite remember.

[nienna-weeper.livejournal.com]

Me too! *chants*

Don't mind me. It's the week before Holy Week and I'm over immersed.

[independence1776]

That's gorgeous! I am in awe that you can do that.

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :D Just don't ask me to draw people, and I'll be just fine. ;)

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

I am absolutely impressed, Dawn. Quite an accomplishment. I tried to see the ragged gilding on the blown up version, but gave up. You could have fooled me. I believe the original of that is at the Cloisters of the Met. (Are we ever going to make that trip?)

I think I have told you that I have a similar reaction to horror fics? Your reaction sounds more intense than mine, however.

[dawn_felagund]

Yes, blood/injury phobia is a weird animal because it's the only one of the specific phobias believed to perhaps have a hereditary component. My dad is phobic as well, and I went through most of my life denying my own (being a bio/pre-vet major for a while), crediting my faintness during labs involving blood to the fact that my blood sugar was low ... Nope. Eventually, of course, I realized that it wasn't going away, and hence I studied psychology instead and can write long rambly bits on blood/injury phobia. :)

Anyhoo. Thank you! Gilding shows up terribly on scans or photographs; the raggedy edges would be much easier to see in person. They're there, trust me. ;) But I'm still pleased with how it turned out for a first piece.

The Cloisters trip might have to be pushed back till autumn. My sister and s-i-l arrive in about a week, and we'll likely be going to NYC, but I don't think I'll be able to arrange the museum visit that I had in mind considering that I wanted to bring Tristan again and rally together a few other Tolkien people. And Bobby and I are going to Ireland in June (and walking around NYC in the middle of summer is unpleasant; it didn't bother me, since I should have been born on the Equator, but I know others were miserable). So autumn? I'm definitely still hoping to do it!

I know that manuscript was on display at the recent illumination exhibit that they had going at the Met, so it really wouldn't surprise me if it was at the Cloisters. If you see me looking at something with my hand in front of my face, that's the one! ;)

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

Terrific that your sister and sis-in-law are visiting and Ireland, wow! Fall sounds fine to me. I'm one of those wimps who wouldn't be excited about the idea of trekking Uptown in the heat of summer. (Have to do it often enough to see the Avari and the baby, et al. in the Bronx.) Also, one can't hide out in air-conditioning at the Cloisters, because one spends a lot of time outside.

That is very interesting about heredity and your phobia.

[tarion-anarore.livejournal.com]

Pretty!

School over? I'm jealous.

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you!

Yep, till August or so. It's one of the only advantages of not have a mid-semester break! :)

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

I really love the lush colours in this piece. I find it hard to see if stuff is uneven, but perhaps I should see if there's a difference with my glasses on (my monitor is further away on my desktop). But I believe you when you say you have to pay attention to what's on your hands. Back then those monks must have had the most clean hands (and also steady hands) ever to make such gorgeous works.

Oh and I read above that you and Bobby will go to Ireland... *want* It will probably take us years before we're off on vacation again.

[dawn_felagund]

They had a lot more time than us too! :D I remember on a scribal mailing list once reading that they used lots of tiny brushstrokes rather than longer ones ... because they had the time to do it. So I guess they had time to pay more mind to that too, whereas I'm usually hollering at the Goldens and talking to Bobby and answering emails while working. :)

Anyway, the boo-boos in the gilding is hard to see on the scan. Gilding shows up terribly on photographs and scans, which is usually frustrating, since it's definitely the wow-factor of illuminated manuscripts, but here, it works to my advantage!

Yep, we're going to Ireland ... airfare is crazy-reasonable, so we're taking advantage!

And thanks for the smiles this morning! *loves*

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

I think the colors are just gorgeous - it's absolutely lovely!

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :D The color mixing was something I was worried about, but I think it turned out pretty well!

[fegie.livejournal.com]

It looks crazy professional, i think.

I did not know you were a blood & injury phobic... I'm kind of the opposite, which i guess sounds really sadistic. (eheh)

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you! :D

Yep, I'm a wimp. :) There are certainly professions where it is advantageous not to mind the look of insides of bodies. For example, I don't think anyone would appreciate surgicalsteel fainting into her patients! :D

[fegie.livejournal.com]

You're welcome!

Heheh, well, if you're a wimp, then mayhap i am a freak. ;) I find them more intriguing than anything else, maybe.

[pandemonium-213.livejournal.com]

Wonderful work, Dawn, and from the detail of the illustration (and based on my limited knowledge of the painstaking methodology behind it), I can see why this took a while. The detailing is incredible. You captured the style beautifully.

And I can see how your mentor might be distracting. :^D That reminds me a lot of my relationship with my piano instructor when I was in high school. Roger -- a brilliant eccentric guy who was taught by Soulima Stravinsky (Igor's son) -- and I would yammer and yammer, eat something he had concocted and an hour would go by with only a few notes played, or I'd bug him into playing Lizst for me. Needless to say, sometimes it would take me months and months to nail down a relatively straightforward piece. So I can totally relate with you yammering away with your master.

[dawn_felagund]

Thank you so much! :D I used to paint gaming miniatures, so detail is a strong point for me. Actually, this piece was much too large for me. In retrospect, I would do everything at about half size. Working in small spaces is much easier. (Having Elven-quality vision does help with that!)

Yes, Tristan is ... loquacious. As you know, you shameful, noisy people in the Met! ;) I do not feel bad in blaming him for my lack of productivity at practice because he acknowledges his talkativeness himself all of the time. I am pretty bad too, so we're a dangerous combination. He's also one of the only people that I know in "real life" who shares my admittedly strange outlook on certain things, which only fuels the fire.

[angelica-ramses.livejournal.com]

Really beautiful. And yes, those monks has all the time and concentration in the world to do things perfectly.

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks so much! :) I envy them their time ... but not their lack of a daylight lamp, modern brushes, and paints that don't have to be mixed from eggs and toxic substances!

[whitewave16.livejournal.com]

The flaws you pointed out are not very evident to me, and I think you've done good work so far as it is very close to the original.

[dawn_felagund]

Thanks, Jenny! I think it's inevitable that an artist always sees her own errors glaring at her, but they're rarely noticeable to other people. :) I'm glad that this seems to be the case here: I know I have room for improvement but I don't feel as though I can't show my work in public!

[a-wayfarer.livejournal.com]

Aha! I knew I heard some sort of wind outside last night. *sage nod*

WOW! That is just gorgeous work, Dawn, I honestly cannot see any raggedness, it's all smooth and silk-like to me. Especially the pink swirls! It's still useful to have a self-crit though, good idea. And, having seen the flaying miniature (eek!), I can totally sympathize with thinking along the lines of red socks and gloves being put on. >_< Not a blood/gore phobic here at all, but I can see why the flaying and the beheading right next to it would disturb you. *huggles* The surprise factor of it too, that the red stocking was actually...urk.



SCHOOOOL'S OOOOOUT! *\o/* -->pompoms being waved~

[dawn_felagund]

Hooray! School's out here too! *dances around with you*

Thank you so much for your kind comments on my kinda-sorta-first scrolly thingy. ;) I'm particularly proud of the pink swirls, so I'm so pleased that you mentioned that too! The raggedness on the gilding doesn't show up very well on the scan. Gilding scans/photographs terribly; usually, that's to my detriment (I like to think I'm pretty good at gilding), but here to my advantage! I'm giving myself a pass, though, on the imperfections. Aside from the piece I did for the gilding class I took, this was my first attempt at using gold leaf. I'm much better with it now. :)

Beheading doesn't bother me too much, believe it or not! (I say this without having seen an actual beheading, of course. Then? Likely Dawn-meet-floor. ;) In medieval artwork, gushing blood generally looks unreal. I recently went with my teacher to see the medieval exhibit at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, and there is a crucifixion painting in which an arrow of blood smites Mary. More funny than gross! ;)

But flaying?! Ewwwwww! *shivershudderrrrrr*

[a-wayfarer.livejournal.com]

Eeee, I meant pompom waving for youuuu~ ♥ (My school's gonna drag on for 3 more months, heheh.)

Yay! I was afraid that I'd sound silly calling them 'pink swirls' because they probably have a name, and I don't know it, but you should definitely be proud of 'em. Beautiful.

Ahhh gushing blood. I am fondly reminded of Kill Bill where the unrealistic blood-spurting really took it to new heights. xD; Maybe they had inspiration from medieval paintings...

*shudders wiiiith* I can't imagine what kind of a mind came up with flaying... T_T