Manuscript Illumination

Students engage in the practices of medieval scribes.

medieval Artist

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Students Working

Materials:

  • Vellum
  • Tempera paint (brushes, palettes, water, etc.) in various colors.
  • Calligraphy pens and black ink
  • Gold leaf and glue or gold and silver tempera paint.
  • Rulers
  • Pencils
  • Erasers
  • Scratch paper
  • Various sources with pictures of medieval illumination.
 

 

Basic steps:

  1. Start with a basic history lesson on the early medieval illumination. Show examples when possible.

  2. Demonstrate and allow practice for the proper use of drawing pens and/or quills.

  3. Demonstrate and allow practice for the proper use of calligraphy pens.

  4. On a sheet of vellum, design a calligraphic and/or pictorial illumination. Pencil it, ink it, and paint it.
See examples on this page.