[Scriptoris] Actually.....attempt at "dark" hours scroll

[Diane Rudin]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]

 chiara <chiara at io.com> wrote:

>What I need to know is this piece of skin is kinda rolled up and I want to
>flatten it out before I start inking. Do I wet it, and if so how much, and
>nail/staple it to the frame first then ink? How long do I let it dry before
>inking?



DON"T WET IT.  Even if it weren't dyed, it would get all messed up.  Being dyed, you could also end up with a blue mess all over your house, and a splotchy skin.  If it's vellum/parchment that's been properly scraped to thinness, all you need to do is unroll it carefully in an aprx. 50% humidity environment, lay a protective layer of pH-neutral paper beneath it and above it, and put it on a hard flat surface with a bunch of heavy books on top of it (the OED is great for this).  Check every day or so and see if it's been "ironed" by gravity yet.

If it's the usual thick stuff that seems to be the only way I can find vellum/parchment these days (bookbinders' parchment), it'll take longer to flatten out; be patient.

>What nib is best for this type of skin?



I'd need to see it to be sure, but I've used good dip-pen nibs and goose quill pens, and both worked fine.  I wouldn't use a cartridge pen (not usually "sharp" enough) or Speedball nibs (crummy quality).  That's assuming we're talking about vellum/parchment "skin" and not leather....  :^)



I understand your hesitation about entering A&S competitions.  It may be horrifying to realize this, but the criticism you receive at real-world art competitions and academic seminars is usually far harsher than almost anything I've ever seen in the SCA.  However, when people use that as an excuse to be very critical, they're forgetting that this is NOT a professional organization; we're a bunch of hobbyists doing this for fun.  This is not a training ground for "what it's like in the REAL world", it's our ESCAPE from the "real" world.  I try to keep that in mind when I'm judging things.  I'm sure I don't always manage to be as helpful as I could, but I try.  I'm certainly critical enough, but I try to couch my comments in a helpful, positive manner.  (However, I will not be held responsible for what eavesdroppers hear.)



I'm sorry that you've had bad experiences.  Please try to remember that just because someone gave us pretty Laurel jewelry doesn't mean that we stopped being human.  We have good days and bad days just like anybody else.  I wonder about the people who always seem to be having bad days, but I really can police only my own behavior.  I try to remember that, for all I know, the artisan's had a death in the family that week, or lost a job, or is facing a huge bill of some kind.  Remember that the Laurel judging you could be just as disaster-ridden, and forgive.



--Serena



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