[Scriptoris] Wordfame - Scribal entries at Kingdom A&S

[Hillary Greenslade]

Greetings Scribes, 
There were several wonderful entries at the recent Kingdom A&S this last weekend, that were
wonders to behold indeed. What also amazed and thrilled me personally, was the artisans stretching
to include more period materials and tools in their creations of scrolls. 

Oriana della Francesca - Illuminated Manuscript Folio
Oriana created a vellum page with two illuminated boxes, heavily gold leafed on a gesso base,
which had been embossed so the detailing showed through the gold leaf.  The images in the boxes
were period style medieval people, with faces and fabric garb painted in a period style, using the
colors of the vellum to assist in the colors on their faces.  

Rhiannon Redwulf - Paleographic Analysis and Music Reconstruction of an Antiphony Page
Rhiannon's display took our breath away, as she has borrowed an actual Antiphony page from the
university she's affiliated with - can't believe they let it out.  The page had been previously
uncatalogued, so Rhiannon researched the calligraphy style, the music and it's notations and, as I
understand it, was able to identify where the page originated from, as well as finding the name of
the scribe who created it.  Also, she played the music of the page.   

Lyonette an Leyden - Artist's Proof of a Relief Printed Block Book
Lyonette created multiple blocks for text and image, printed onto a number of individual pages
that will eventually form a book.  The images were very time consuming as each page is done in
reverse texts in order to print in forward, regular text; there were about 20 individual pages. 
Well done. 

Clariandra Delemere - Beowulf Calligraphy
Clariandra prepared the vellum skin for calligraphy. She took beeswax candles and burned them to
make carbon ash, used to make her own lamp black ink, which turn out quite nice I thought.  I
don't recall if she used a quill or dip pen; and I believe during the wordfame in court, it was
stated that she did a translation of a Beowulf passage as the text.  This was Clariandra's second
arts entry.  While a simple artwork piece, I believe it was the extra period process steps that
Clariandra took with the surface of vellum to prepare, the handmade ink and the period text in
translation really made the total presentation score well. 

Druinne de Salesberie - Letters Patent to the Laurelate for Master Oxlade Lachlan MacKinnon
Didn't realize our Star Principal Herald could write - will wonders never cease!  And a really
nice piece of work it was.  Druinne spent many hours curing and cutting feather quills to find the
one that she was happy with for this project.  She then told me that it took an hour to do the
calligraphy - it was a very nice script with flourish and an even hand.  I think this gal has a
future as a calligrapher.  

Suzanne Gabrielle Marie Beraud - Kingdom Artisan prize scroll
Suzanne presented a lovely bar border and ivy vine scroll that was designed to the Kingdom Artisan
prize, with skilled whitework over blues and reds, and a lot of gold.  Suzanne created this work
on a faux vellum, she called 'elephant hide vellum' that acts more like vellum than pergamenta or
opaline; originally found while in Germany, Suzanne says she has a US source to share.  The scroll
was very elegant and the new Kingdom Artisan was thrilled to receive it.  

Carletta da Nicolosi - display of prize scrolls for Rosenfeld 
Carletta treated us to several scroll copies that she has created over the last year for the Shire
of Rosenfeld, in the display area in the outer hall.  The designs included Celtic knotwork, bar
borders and ivys and a Romanesque styles and were a delight to view. 

There were a few other graphically inspired presentations from the diamond engraved glass objects
to the brass effigy rubbings.  It was a good day to view scribal arts at Ansteorra Kingdom Arts
and Sciences. 

All of these entries were great fun to review and learn from. And all the artisans who submitted
scribal works definitely have something that can be shared about their processes with the rest of
Ansteorra.  So, I highly encourage the scribal artisans to consider presenting their processes
with us at the next King's College or Ansteorran Heraldic and Scribal Symposium so we can all
learn.

Keep up the scribally beautiful work, Vivat!
Hillary Greenslade, Star Signet