[Ansteorra] Original Scrolls

[Fiona the Needleworker]

As a fairly new Painter myself for Ansteorra, I am grateful for the  
pre-printed scrolls. I have ideas that I'd like to put into play on  
creating one, but am not confident enough in my drawing abilities to  
do that yet. I now own a light box that I can use to help me create  
those beautiful works that I have in my brain and thoughts, but so far  
have not had the chance to work on making any of them. I've played in  
both Atenveldt and Ansteorra myself, but never got to see, really see,  
the Atenveldt scrolls that were done. I had only been to one court at  
an event where scrolls had been given out.

It is hard, even on the pre-printed forms that we use, to make each  
one individual. Yes, we have to think about color schemes, and it's  
those small imprefections that make a scroll truly unique. We have to  
remember that they were not perfect on things back then either, unless  
of course maybe you were a master painter like Michaelangelo, or one  
of the other Masters, but then I think about how long they had to work  
to get to that level of perfection that they were able to paint at.

I am not a dedicated Artist. Painting is not my job, so I know my  
scrolls are far from perfect, but I have pride in each one that I have  
created. They're not easy. I remember within the first couple of  
scrolls I did, I did not like the way my gold work looked on one of  
the Visconti Hours based scrolls looked. Because I don't feel as  
confident with that kind of work, I stick to the Celtic scrolls. Maybe  
after I've finished the Celtic ones I have, I will move on to learning  
more about the Visconti ones.

So even though the scrolls themselves are not original, we have people  
that have created lots of variations of scrolls, and those creations  
were/are original. So each time we paint one, we are painting a copy  
of an original work that was created for that, and I'm honored to just  
be able to do that. It makes me feel like I actually have a place in  
the SCA. It gives me something to do other than just sit around and  
watch. There's no much I can do because of health reasons, so thank  
you C&I for allowing us to partake of making scrolls. Thank you to the  
Crown and the Barons and Baronesses that use the skills of the little  
people who love to paint. We appreciate it.

Just one of the little people...
Fiona the Needleworker

On Nov 8, 2009, at 2:15 PM, Traci wrote:

> Greetings to the list!
>
> I have been following this conversation since the start and am  
> thrilled to
> be able to share my opinion on it now.  ;)
>
> Over the 6 months I have been very blessed to not only be able to  
> view many
> a scroll but to actually sign my name to them and award them to  
> deserving
> individuals.  We gave out well over 100 awards in that time and  
> since I
> signed every single one of them that went out.  I actually LOOKED at  
> every
> single one of them as well.  I was even SO INSPIRED by the work that  
> these
> artists did that I went out and started trying my own hand at painting
> scrolls & actually was able to get a few done.
>
> While I do admit that yes, on occasion I saw a scroll that maybe had  
> a color
> scheme that wasn't to my personal preferences or maybe has a stray  
> drop of
> paint where it wasn't supposed to be (I know the ones I did do!)  
> overall the
> scrolls were absolutely beautiful.  Some of them I would sit and  
> hold and
> just try and absorb all the details before I signed them they were so
> amazing.  I honestly covet some of the works that left our hands  
> this year;
> not the awards but the actual scrolls.
>
> I feel that you are discounting all the time and effort that the  
> artists of
> Ansteorra put into their scrolls just because they aren't 'originals'.
> Sure, they were given a starting point to go from... so what?  They  
> still
> sat and painted each little bit of color by hand.  I have seen many
> 'original' scrolls in my time in the SCA (Not from Ansteorra of
> course!) that couldn't hold a candle to some of the ones 'just  
> painted' that
> are given out in this Kingdom.
> Originals are wonderful things, I agree with you on that.  But I  
> challenge
> the stand you seem to be taking that the scrolls we give here in  
> Ansteorra
> are inferior and not worthy of representing an award from the Crown.
>
> Just a little bit defensive of our artisans;
> Countess Elizabeta di Valore della Rosa
> On Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 6:40 PM, eleanor cleavely <whiteoakbard at gmail.com 
> >wrote:
>
>> Greetings,
>>
>> I feel I have to throw in my two ducats. I started playing and  
>> painting
>> here
>> in Ansteorra. When I was taught to paint scrolls, the charters were  
>> viewed
>> as disposable. You screw up on a color? No problem! Trash it and  
>> start a
>> new
>> one! Some of the charters I saw being given out were atrociously  
>> painted
>> (paint WAY outside the lines, odd color combinations, no attention to
>> detail
>> at all).
>>
>> When I moved to Atenveldt and volunteered to paint, I was handed an
>> original
>> piece of work on parchment vellum paper. I was absolutely  
>> terrified. The
>> scribe (the now-Dame Hrefna Karsefni) taught me how to take my time  
>> and pay
>> attention to detail. I worked harder on one scroll than I ever did  
>> on any
>> charter. Why? Because they weren't disposable. Someone took the  
>> time and
>> put
>> forth the effort to design a gorgeous piece of work that I was  
>> priviliged
>> to
>> paint. Over time, my painting got better and I ventured out into  
>> designing
>> and drawing (well, tracing because stick figures aren't period!) my  
>> own to
>> paint. The scribal guild I worked with had five, maybe six regularly
>> contributing painters and calligraphers and we put out a great  
>> majority of
>> scrolls for the kingdom as well as our Barony, so much so we were  
>> awarded
>> the Scarab of Atenveldt. I am proud of the works I have painted. If  
>> you
>> want
>> to see them, please check out my website (
>> http://eleanorcleavely.weebly.com/index.html , that way you know  
>> I'm not
>> talking out of my bottom half)
>>
>> I think the excuse (and, I'm sorry, it is an excuse) that the  
>> scribes of
>> this kingdom could not possibly keep up with scroll comissions is
>> completely
>> off-base. I think that, if we really wanted to and were seriously  
>> willing
>> to
>> put forth the effort, we could go from charters to originals. Yes,  
>> there
>> would be a small lag at the beginning, but that is something that  
>> is easily
>> overcome by giving a cut-off date for charters and a start date for
>> originals. By having that start date well in advance, we could  
>> build up a
>> library of originals and start off with a surplus.
>>
>> I see no reason that a kingdom as grand as Ansteorra should not be  
>> creating
>> an original piece of work for all who are graced with an award from  
>> Their
>> Majesties. I am most certainly willing and able to do this...are you?
>>
>> Ever in service with a song and a smile,
>> Lady Eleanor Cleavely
>> Descendant of the White Oak
>> Scarab of Atenveldt
>>
>> --
>> http://eleanorcleavely.weebly.com/index.html
>>
>> "Mine honor is my life; both grow in one;
>> take honor from me and my life is done."
>> --William Shakespeare
>>
>> Ego existo obstinantus - I am resolved
>>
>> Reluctor ultum , pareo parum - Resist much, obey little
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