[Scriptoris] Dealing with the backlog

[Hillary Greenslade]

Hillary here, read comments between. 
--- Diane Rudin <serena1570 at yahoo.com> wrote:
Serena said: 
> HOWEVER, I believe that there's a good idea in here.  Why can't we get teams of
> people together to create originals using a design template?  I think that
> design is something that intimidates a lot of newer people, and if there were a
> template to trace, which can then be filled in with text, some additional
> artwork, and painting--well, perhaps that would help?

Hey, templates, our historic scribes didn't do everything from full creativity either, they used
model books and had pages with pricked holes to transfer standard designs.  They did it, we can do
it.  

> In my experience, few clients know enough about calligraphy and illumination to
> have much of an opinion beyond "I want something Celtic" or "I don't want that
> grey-painted stuff" or "no entymology exhibits".  Most people are quite
> ecstatic with whatever you create within those broad parameters.
>  
> > Since I have been learning this art,
> > the emphasis from everyone I have spoken with is on the quality of the
> > work and not the quantity.  It is my hope that as I become more
> > proficient, my speed will increase (from slower to slow!).
> 
> Practice makes perfect.

Exactly, hey if you are really good at celtic knotwork, then stick with it for a while, and crank
out some really nice works.  No one will turn down good quality work, even if they are
Elizabethan, and its Celtic.  And I think that hits on a reason for delays perhaps, maybe we are
trying to please folks with their style, that we spend too much time learning a new one, instead
of using a style we are comfortable with and proficient.  

I'm not saying don't learn new styles, but I do think we jump around too much from one to the
other, and don't really 'master' any of them. (I know I do.)

> But I wasn't principally talking about the little pre-printed prize thingys.  I
> was referring to the large-scale original prize commemoratives that are fancier
> than many a peerage document.  *That's* the talent drain that, frankly, angers
> me.  I understand people wanting to "get their feet wet" doing something
> small-scale, but these prize things are not remotely small-scale.  They are as
> large and grand and elaborate as peerage documents.  That's not "getting your
> feet wet".
> 
> What I want to know is *why* people are putting all of their effort into those
> instead of the backlog.  

I agree that some times the prize scrolls are too elaborate for what they are for. But I think
some original prize scroll work and invitations should be done, so as to learn the craft that will
not be learned painting charters (if you want to learn to design and callig.).  But, I have seen
some elaborate prizes that you are right, maybe was a bit too much. 

> The only conclusion I can reach, uncharitable though it may be, is that it's
> because prize commemoratives are held up in court for ooh-aah, and
> peerage/nobility patents/achievements are currently usually delivered
> after-the-fact in private.  Perhaps we could address that by making SHORT
> presentations in court of finished documents.  That would also serve the
> purpose of advertising to the populace that we're getting the darn things done.

In other kingdoms, where backlogs are standard, the scroll comes some 1-3 years later, its
traditional to present the 'belated' scroll in court so everyone can oh-ah, the scribe is on hand
with the recipient.  And after court the scrolls are displayed on a side table, so everyone can
swing by and get a close up look at them.  In these cases, definately want to temporary frame
these works with an inexpensive frame (you can ask it back from the recipient when work
professionally framed, or send home in a protective hardcover envelope, removed from temp.frame).

Hillary 

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