[Scriptoris] RE: award scrolls and introduction

[Elaine Crittenden]

I rely heavily on many books for letter styles and documentation of them. 
(Most scribes have huge libraries or know someone who will let newbies study
book from theirs.

My two very favs follow:

The first I would recommend would be "A Book of Formal Scripts" by John
Woodcock, published by David R. Godine, Publisher, Inc., Boston. 1993
ISBN 0-87923-961-1  ($10.98 at 1/2 Price Books outlet)
It has several developments of the Roman alphabet, Humanist styles,
Carolingian styles, Italic minuscules, various Uncials, Versals, several
Gothics, Rustica, 2 styles of Half-Uncials, and some modern interpretations.
Documentation is professional, left page has a blow-up of the doc and a
snippet of a line from it in the actual size. The right side has notes and
an exemplar of a 26-letter extrapolation of the doc's hand. Right page's
upper corner tells you the category of hand under study.

The second I would recommend is a later book-"Historical Scripts from
Classical Times to the Renaissance" by Stan Knight, published by Oak Knoll
Press, New Castle, Delaware, copyrighted in 1998. ISBN 1-884718-56-6
(Pd full price, but worth it!!)
Again, documentation is professional (Stan knows Woodcock,above.) Has 46
historical alphabets in photos, the blowup thingy and the snippet at actual
size, with a repro of the whole page on your left page so you can see the
page layout and capital usage. Lots of notation of the document under study
on your open pages with lots of minute commentary on the characteristic
formation of the letters in that particular hand. Top right tells exactly
what hand is depicted on the pages. No scribal exemplar alphabets. Ya gotta
dig 'em out yourself.

Marc Drogin's books (from Dover) may help you with early styles. Some of the
letters are not quite kosher for the Accuracy Police, but the letters do
right well.

Info on local classes and guidance should be available from your local SCA
group and your local mundane group, who import teachers when local teachers
want a boost themselves. King's college, Artisan, and the Known World A&S
offer classes, as well as smaller events that offer things to do for scribes
while others are at the list fields. You can learn about these classes from
published activities in your newsletter and Ansteorra's Black Star. Local
community college art faculties could help you locate the mundane
calligraphy society in your area.

You are correct in asking guidance in designing scrolls. A lot goes into
designing and executing scrolls. Find an SCA scroll that you admire and ask
the scribe if (s)he is teaching any time soon and where. If not, ask the
scribe to recommend someone or some place for instruction. Many of the
better scribes seem to not be taking apprentice-level disciples much
anymore, but are quite content to take students. (Many scribes have too many
time constraints to take on apprentices; it's not because they don't want
to.)

Good luck, Raghnailt, in your search for teachers and in your goals.

Lete Bithespring, a scribe in the Barony of the Steppes (Dallas TX)





----------
>From: "Horn, Trisha D." <tdhorn at saintfrancis.com>
>To: "'Scribes within Ansteorra - SCA, Inc.'" <scriptoris at ansteorra.org>
>Subject: [Scriptoris] RE: award scrolls and introduction
>Date: Fri Sep 12,2003,9:22 AM
>

> Being new to scribe work, all I have done is the preprinted scrolls and
> dabbling in calligraphy.  What are some good sources for learning the
> different types of calligraphy (showing examples of styles, etc.)? And will
> there be any classes/guidance in the area on creating an original? And can
> someone teach me to do the prize scrolls?
>
> Raghnailt
> Barony of Northkeep