Estrella War Gift Scroll - a.s. xlix

Project:	Estrella War Gift Scroll; from the East to the Outlands
Words:	Theodora Bryennissa called Treannah
Scroll:	Lord Alexandre Saint Pierre
Paper:	8" x 10" 230 gsm cream colored Pergamenata
Script:	Fraktur
Pens:	Hand cut goose quill with 1mm tip, pointed metal nibs.
Inks:	Ian the Green's Iron Gall, Winsor & Newton's Scarlett, Minatum Ink
Inspiration:	Drei Register Arithmetischer ahnfeng zur Practic by Andreas Reinhard, 1599

Aildreda de Tamworth - Laurel Writ - a.s. xlix

Project:	Writ for the Order of the Laurel for Aildreda de Tamworth
Words:	Master Lucien de Pontivy
Latin Translation:	Master Steffan ap Kennydd
Scroll:	Lord Alexandre Saint Pierre
Paper:	8" x 10" Parchment made by David de Rosier-Blanc (his Etsy store)
Script:	Proto Gothic
Pens:	Hand cut goose quills. Tips are 1.0mm, ~0.7mm and ~0.5mm wide.
Inks:	Ian the Green's Iron Gall, Winsor & Newton's Scarlett
Inspiration:	Codex Buranus

Foundations of Calligraphy by Sheila Waters

Foundations of Calligraphy		by Sheila Waters
Alexandre's Rating:
ISBN-13: 978-0966530513 - John Neal Bookseller
Images of Period Examples
Historic & Paleographic Knowledge
Ductus/Instructions on Historic Scripts
Accessibility to Novice Calligraphers
Techniques for Left-Handed Calligraphers		N/A
This book would be an excellent addition to the library of any serious student of calligraphy who wants to improve their skills. Waters does a superb job of teaching how to be an analytical calligrapher: both in how to examine a hand to learn how to reproduce it, as well as common mistakes in the formation of different scripts and how to prevent them. This is a skills focused book that is written with the beginner/intermediate calligrapher in mind. The chapters are ordered such that they help guide a novice calligrapher, generally starting with easier scripts and progressing to more difficult. It is dense, and will probably provide more benefit to someone who is comfortable with the pen and a couple alphabets already. While she includes some decent notes on the history of the scripts, you'll have to look elsewhere for detailed history and high quality extant examples of medieval calligraphy. The focus of this book is on the skills, knowledge, and techniques needed to become a better calligrapher.

Sabine de Kerbriant - Laurel Writ - a.s. xlix

Project:	Writ for the Order of the Laurel for Sabine de Kerbriant
Words:	Dame Brunissende Dragonnette
Paper:	Natural 230 GSM Pergamenata
Script:	Early Gothic
Pen:	Hiro Rond #4 & #5
Ink:	Sumi Bokuju, Windsor & Newton Crimson and Blue
Inspiration:	Recycled Vellum Book Cover from the Folger Shakespeare Library

Calligraphy: A Course in Hand Lettering by Maryanne Grebenstein

Calligraphy: A Course in Hand Lettering		by Maryanne Grebenstein
Alexandre's Rating:
ISBN-13: 978-0823005536 - Amazon
Images of Period Examples
Historic & Paleographic Knowledge
Ductus/Instructions on Historic Scripts
Accessibility to Novice Calligraphers
Techniques for Left-Handed Calligraphers		N/A
If you want a detailed history of calligraphy, look elsewhere. If you want a beginner-friendly book that uses a different technique (tracing!) to get you started quickly putting pen to paper, this is a great choice. While it only covers 4 period hands and one modern teaching hand, it does so in a very accessible way. It also includes a great deal of information on tools and techniques a new calligrapher will need, and transparent guideline sheets to match each of the 5 hands it teaches. Please note: you will need a 2mm wide calligraphy pen and translucent tracing vellum to use the book as intended. I would have preferred to see the scripts presented in a different order: Foundational (a modern teaching hand), followed by Carolingian, Italic, Uncial then finally Gothic. But this is a minor thing, especially considering the instructional method. There's also nothing stopping you from practicing the scripts in that order instead. The real strength of this book is that it allows students to jump very quickly into making letters. By comparing your letters to the example you are tracing you can immediately see what you did right, and what you didn't. If you are new to calligraphy, and frustrated or intimidated by creating letters freehand, this book offers a great alternative way to get started.

Building a Calligrapher's Writing Slope

Image of a scribe at work.
Estoire del Saint Graal, La Queste del Saint Graal, Morte Artu.
British Library, Royal 14 E III   f. 6v
Image originally found at http://www.larsdatter.com/scribaltools.htm

I've mentioned on occasion that I prefer to work on inclined writing slope. It has a number of benefits such as improving my comfort, allowing for more consistent pen control, and keeping my work piece where I can see what I'm doing more easily. Working on a slope also for better control of the ink flow from some types of pens, allowing for cleaner, crisper lines.

Medieval manuscripts contain many images of scribes at work like the one above. In almost every one, the scribe is working on an angled writing desk. Given the effort and materials to build such a specific piece of furniture, they must have been necessary for the scribe's work. I believe there are two main reasons that a slope was important to medieval calligraphers, both of which are also relevant to modern calligraphers.

1. Body Mechanics - Calligraphy is written best with whole-arm movements. It's much easier to get the correct movement and control it with your elbow hanging straight down in front of your shoulder. Working flat usually brings your elbow up against your body, forcing you to create letters by moving your wrist, resulting in a loss of control.
2. Ink flow control - Feather quills and reed pens hold their ink through the physics of surface tension. If you try to use them on a flat surface, gravity overcomes much of that tension resulting in a lot of ink flowing onto the page. This makes crisp lines, especially hairlines, difficult or impossible to achieve. By working on an angled writing surface, gravity pulls less ink from the pen, resulting in crisper lines. This is also true of metal dip nibs, especially when used without a reservoir. It's less true of dip nibs used with a reservoir, cartridge pens, or felt pens.

As not everyone has the money or space for a large adjustable drafting table or a period style writing desk, here are some tips on how to create a writing slope for minimal cost. 

Leon d'Saint Aubin - Tyger's Cub - a.s. xlix

Project:	Tyger's Cub for Leon d'Saint Aubin
Words:	Lady Adrienne d'Evreus
Illumination:	Lady Adrienne d'Evreus
Paper:	Strathmore 300 Bristol Board
Script:	Proto Gothic
Pen:	Mitchell Round Hand #4
Ink:	Walnut Crystal
Guidelines:	AMES 2:3 @ 7
Size:	Margin Guidelines are 5.5" wide by 9.5" tall.
Inspiration:	13th Century Bestiary, British Library Royal 12 C XIX f.40