Guidelines for Those Just Starting

For example, one scribe I know uses a light board to trace the basic outlines of his work and then inks and paints them in. Another commonly used technique for people who aren't comfortable drawing, is to draw or trace the basic design of a repeating pattern on tracing paper and then, using graphite transfer paper, lay the design down on your good paper. Yet another scribe drew several examples of French leaves on heavy paper and then cut the best one with an x-acto knife to make a stencil so all her leaves now look alike.

These and many other little tricks can get around problems with drawing skills. There are also many kinds of design equipment on the market today that can help, ranging from sets of French curves for French vine work to circle templates for Celtic spirals to Ames lettering guides for drawing in the backgrounds for miniatures. Some types of illumination are almost draftsman-like, such as Celtic knotwork.

Calligraphy is almost entirely a matter of practicing letter forms and working slowly and consistently. Illumination and calligraphy are not easy, but nothing worth doing is. Just don't let your preconceptions regarding "talent" stop you from even trying a fun and fulfilling art form.

Please read these pages with this in mind: All scribes were beginners once. Some of us were lucky enough to start our scribal careers under the tutelage of experienced illuminators and calligraphers. Some had to learn the basics on our own. Some of us live in Kingdoms where there is a good support system set up and where scribes are prized and plentiful, some in areas where there are almost no scrolls given, even for major awards and there is no information available to those who are interested in this art.

We are attempting to provide a source of ongoing information for all those interested in the scribal arts. As well as a basic listing and explanation of a scribe's tool kit, and a guideline on layout and working tips, we have included an overview of scroll requirements. For more specific information regarding your Kingdoms scroll requirements, and the methods of operation that your Kingdom signet uses, please see the section for your Kingdom at the end of the Webpage.

Basic Information on Scribal Practices
There is no good reason to break your piggy bank when you are starting out as a scribe and just want to get to know whether you really want to do this or not. Many of the materials we have listed below can be found in your house and don't be afraid to improvise. If an experiment doesn't work, nothings been wasted, you just look at it a learning experience and start again.

As you get more involved in the scribal arts, you will find yourself wanting more and better material to work with. You may want to work with more authentic materials such as vellum, gold leaf, or ground pigments. These can be added slowly to your kit as your budget allows. There is no need to lay out a large amount to try the art.

Materials List--Getting started for under $25.00
Drawing Materials

1. Pencils-Any kind of soft lead pencil will do, as long as you keep it sharp and draw lightly. You may find you have the best luck with typical click or mechanical pencils as you don't have to keep stopping to sharpen them. $0.50 or less. You can get specialty mechanical pencils with very fine leads and cushions on the holder to prevent stress from writing for $3.00 and up. They're nice but the plain ones work fine

2. Erasers-A good eraser is a god-send. A bad one can ruin your work completely. Get yourself a white plastic eraser, either a block for about $1.00 or a clicker for about the same. Be sure they are white so that you don't leave color on your paper. You can take the red erasers that come on the ends of pencils and throw them away, as they not only turn your paper pink but they also wear holes in most papers.
   I also find a white typewriter stick eraser ($1.50) to be valuable for removing mistakes in ink and paint. These are a bit grainy and will remove a little paper so it is better if you are using a heavier grade of paper. An alternative is laying a razor blade or X-acto knife on it's side and gently scraping away your mistake. This works well on vellum and good paper but don't use it on cheap papers or you end up with a very thin spot or a hole.

3. Rulers, t-squares, and other templates- I find a good ruler indispensable. One with a steel edge is best for cutting your paper to size, while the clear ones used for quilting and architectural layout are great for drawing lines and setting up borders on your page. These start at about $3.50 for a small plastic one and can go as high as $35.00 for a professional steel ruler with a t-square attached. You can, if you are careful, do any of these things with the plain $0.50 wooden ruler that you used in grade school. If you do invest in a clear plastic ruler, NEVER use it for a straight edge for cutting. Your X-acto knife will go right through the plastic and ruin your ruler.
   A cheap plastic T-square is also helpful. They run about $0.50 each. Other layout aids, such as circle templates and Ames lettering guides can be useful but they aren't a necessity. If you find that they will be useful, you can always pick them up later.

4. Pens and inks-If you are absolutely insistent on having a fountain pen for calligraphy, but you don't know if you're going to stick with it or not, buy a set of Schaeffer calligraphy pens. They run about $5.00 for a pen holder, three nibs (tips), and a few tubes of ink. You would probably be better off buying a "dip" pen set up which would consist of a Speedball pen holder ($1.00), a couple of nibs ($0.50 each), and a bottle of good ink (Calli waterproof black ink-$3.50). It may be slightly more expensive but definitely more satisfactory in the long run as you will be working with a better quality of ink, and the pen will work smoother and give a better line quality.
   For drawing purposes, some folks use fine point technical pens but they can run up to $22.00 each. Even the so-called disposable pens can run as much as $12.00-$15.00. For the beginner, I recommend a steel tipped, dip drawing pen- a "crow quill". The holder is about $1.00 and the nibs are $0.50. It takes a little practice to get the use right but it does stand you in good stead for using more authentic tools. It has the added advantage over rapidographs and other tech pens in that it is easy to clean and has no moving parts to get screwed up. Tech pens clog easily, must be stored carefully, and cleaned regularly. You can't easily switch colors of ink so they are inherently limited. They also don't travel well so if you plan to do any scribal work at events, don't bring your tech pens.

5. Gold paints and inks
   
   • We have used many different types of gold over the 15 years I have been doing Scribal work. When I started, Testors gold model paint was state of the art. This stuff eats through your paper and if you aren't careful, leaves a nice greasy halo around the gold. There are much better alternatives available.
     
   • Windsor Newton, among others, puts out a very nice gum arabic based gold ink for about $4.00. Their gold gouache (a specific type of watercolor paint) also works well and runs about $6.50.
     
   • There are also some interesting options available with composite gold leaf (a very thinly beaten or rolled composition of metals that has a number of metals and a minute amount of gold) . One company, Renaissance, markets a gold leaf glue ($6.00) and a composite gold leaf ($7.50 for30-4" X 4" sheets) that behave similarly to gum ammoniac (a glue made of plant sap used to hold down very thinly beaten or rolled 22-24k kt. sheets of gold-$40.00 for 25-2" X 2" sheets) method of gold leafing.
     
   
6. Paper
   Paper is the one area where I strongly suggest you don't stint on cash. There are many kinds of cheap water color paper and drawing paper available for practicing on, but when it come to actually doing a scroll, buy the best you can. I usually recommend Arches 100% rag, acid-free 140 lb. hot press water color paper. It ranges from $3.00-$6.00 for a 22" X 26" sheet. You can get four 11" X 14" scrolls that will fit in standard picture frames from one sheet of Arches. This is important because if you want people to treasure your work, you have to make it easy for them to take care of it. Scrolls that do not fit standard frames are less likely to get framed and therefor are more susceptible to damage.
   Let me explain some of those terms I used to describe the paper I've recommended.
   • 100% rag-This refers to the material of which the paper is made. Rag-made papers are usually linen or cotton and are of a better quality than those papers made of wood pulp (such as newsprint). The higher the rag content, the better and longer lasting the paper.
     
   • acid-free-This means that the paper is neutral Ph. An acidic paper, such as newsprint will deteriorate much more quickly than an acid-free paper. For an experiment, save some of your old newspapers for a while. Check them after a week, a month, and six months and compare how much more fragile they get as time goes by. Try leaving them in the sunlight and see the process accelerate. Light has as much an effect on the disintegration of paper as acid content does. This is why you should try to keep your scroll on walls that don't have light shining on them.
     
   • 140 lb.-This is a reference to how thick the paper is. It means that there was 140 pounds of material used to make 100 sheets of this paper. 90 lb. paper would have used only 90 pounds of material for 100 sheets and therefor it would be much thinner. Typical typewriter bond is about 20 lb. 90 lb watercolor paper is acceptable to use and it is somewhat less expensive, but keep in mind that it is harder to correct mistakes and it is much more prone to dents and wrinkles. You also need to keep in mind that it is better to transport scrolls done on paper flat rather than rolled. Rolled scrolls show a tendency to flake off their paints and to dent and wrinkle.
     
   • Hot Press-Just like your good shirts, hot press means exactly that-pressed hot. This gives a much smoother, more even finish to the paper that, while it doesn't make as much of a difference for illumination, can greatly benefit the calligrapher, especially when one is just starting in the art.

   There are some papers that I strongly recommend NOT using. Obviously newsprint is one. Although remarkably cheap and very good for practicing drawing in soft pencils and charcoal, it is not suitable for much of anything else--not even as cover sheets as it tends to be acidic and the acid will leach into your good paper.
   Another is Bristol Board. Bristol is usually laminated (2 or more thin sheets glued together)and when you try to erase, you can easily put a hole in the top layer, effectively ruining your work. It also tends to run acidic because of the glue used to laminate the layers together. Additionally, Bristol often has a treated surface that is sometimes hard to calligraph on and won't take some kinds of paint.
   You may also be tempted to use some of the brownish or yellowish fake vellum that is sold in pads specifically for calligraphy. Don't. Inks and paints start to fade after about 2 years and the paper lasts about 5 years before it crumbles away. It is very high in acid , in part because of the coloring. Yes, it is made that way to look "antique", but we're re-creating the Middle Ages, not digging stuff up from then. We would want our paper to look NEW, not OLD!
   One last caveat--not all vellum is vellum. Most vellums sold in art stores are architectural vellum, a specific type of paper. It hasn't been near a sheep, much less is it made from one. It is nice to calligraph on but it doesn't take paint well, nor does it hold up well. Avoid it.

   

7. Paints, Palettes, and Brushes
   I recommend water color paints in tubes. These are already somewhat liquid (as opposed to the dry pans that you used in grade school) and are usually of a better quality. Niji makes a beginner's set with a reasonable color choice that markets for about $5.00.
   If you want a better quality paint, and at some point you will, you can always go to the option of designer's gouache. Gouache is like regular water color in that it is a pigment that is carried in a water soluble medium and can be thinned and cleaned up with water after it dries. In gouache, however, the pigment particles are larger and therefor the paint tends to lay on the paper rather than penetrate it quite as much as regular watercolor so the paint ends up being more opaque than regular watercolor. Not as much of the color of the paper shows through. Gouache, usually comes in 14 ml tubes and the cost can vary from $4.50 each to as much as $15.00 each, depending on the color. Gouache is very close to the materials we would have used in period, except that the grind on some of the colors is a little finer than we probably could have gotten it and it comes pre-mixed with its medium.
   I know of some folks who use very good quality dried paints such as Cotmans or Grumbacher. They have had success with them, but you should keep in mind that the texture of paint we are usually trying to emulate is pretty thick, almost like meted ie cream and most dry watercolors need to have water sit on them for a little while before they can be mixed to that thick a consistency.
   For a palette, I like to use the lid of a yogurt container. This way I can clean out my yogurt containers, cup and lid, throw them in my art box, and when I need a palette and a water cup--TA DA, there they are. And then when I am finished, I dump my water, wipe out my cup, and put it over my "palette" and I've saved my colors for the next time I am working on that scroll so I don't have to try to "mix a match". It also has the added advantage of being free. If you prefer, plastic palettes sell for about $1.00 each and so do water cups. You can also get metal ones for $2.00-$3.00, and china ones starting at $6.00.
   Another good idea for water is a plain bottle with and eye dropper for controlling the amount of water you are putting into your paint. You can get a plastic one from most art stores for about $2.00 or just ask a friend or relative who has recently had a baby to save the Tylenol eye dropper bottles. Clean them out and they're as good as the ones you've paid for, except they're free.
   Brushes also come in a variety of grades and you can spend upwards of $30.00 for one professional artists brush. If you are just starting out, don't do this! You can get a couple of perfectly adequate sable or nylon small round brushes for about $2.50 -$3.00 at places like Joann Fabrics and other craft stores. I prefer to stick with very fine (small). You can tell the size by the number listed on the brush. size 1 and 2 can be useful for filling in spaces with fewer brush marks. Double zero and smaller (I use10 X 0, and I've seen 20 X 0) are good for fine detail work. Some folks can use the fine points on the larger brushes for their detail work, but this takes practice and a good amount of eye/hand c-ordination. If I can only afford one brush, I'll buy the smaller one.
   Take good care of your brushes. Rinse them immediately after you have finished a painting session, shake them out vigorously to get them back to their correct pointed shape, and NEVER let them stand brush down in water. In addition to bending the bristles out of shape, this can loosen the adhesive holding the bristles in the ferrule (metal tube holding the bristles), causing the bristles to shed. It can also warp and crack the wood of the handle. Most fine arts and crafts brushes come with little plastic tubs over the bristles. Save this and when you are storing your brush, gently slip the plastic tube back over the bristles to protect them, being careful not to bend the bristles in the process. Store your brushes either bristle up or flat in your case.
   
8. Scroll Cases or portfolios for transporting your work
    It is imperative that you have something to protect your work while you are storing and transporting it. It need not be anything fancy, two pieces of heavy corrugated cardboard, taped together, works fine. I have a number of these in addition to my commercial portfolios. This way, I can send the scrolls home with their new owners in a protected fashion. You can pick up appropriate card board from stores that sell large appliances for free. I use duct tape and then line it with another paper so as not to get duct tape glue on my work. Carry it around in a large garbage bag to prevent any weather related problems.
   Other types of portfolios are available. Most art stores and some office supply stores carry a selection of fake and real leather, nylon, and canvas, zippered portfolios that start at about $30.00 and go up. They range in size from 11" X 14" up to 20" X 40" and come with a variety of amenities, from inside pockets to mylar sheets for displaying work to shoulder straps to detachable drawing boards.
   There are 3 qualities you need to look at in particular. While inside pockets and shoulder straps are all nice, if it isn't big enough to hold your work, waterproof enough to protect your work at a camping event, and stiff and sturdy enough to get packed under the armor without bending and breaking, then it isn't good enough for the SCA.
   
9. Case for storing equipment
   Again, there are many different kinds of art bins available with all kinds of different amenities such as removable trays, built in palettes, separate closing compartments, and wire bush holders. Some of these can be very nice, but I guarantee that if it is labeled as an ART bin, it will cost 3 to 4 times as much as the same exact item in the sporting goods department that is labeled as a fishing tackle box. Then when you add those special art amenities, the cost just soars.
   If you must buy a commercial bin, go for the fishing tackle boxes, they are usually also sturdier, (kind of like the difference between men's jeans and women's jeans). Any of the special amenities that you decide you want can be added later at much lower cost than having them built in.
   My first impulse, however, would be to use a box I already have. Look for something with a handle so it is easy to transport, that is sturdy yet light enough to carry, that won't be too hard to keep clean and that you can perhaps decorate with your arms so it will fit in at an event and be easily identifiable as yours, and, most important, that will hold all your stuff in a somewhat organized manner. I have a case that was sold as a three pack of bottled wine in a gift box made of wood, about 4" deep and about 12" wide by 14" long. In a pinch, I can even carry a scroll in it in a folder. It has good brass clasps that hold it shut and I have put in cardboard dividers to keep my stuff organized. This and other cases like it are always around to be found, often for free or a nominal amount in garage sales and such. Just keep your eyes open.
   

Comments, questions, ideas- please contact Lady Cori at pts21@aol.com

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