[Scriptoris] Calligraphy question

[Elaine Crittenden]

Celestria, greetings from Lete Bithespring.

You didn't mention the era. If it was post-Gutenberg,the printers used red to liven up the page, unless they didn't want to make a second run, which required "registration" to keep things aligned, and in which case, someone hand-colored the red into blank areas left specifically for color to be added.

There were even clients who brought a publication back to their printer because the red stripes between between the lines of text were not there, not being needed to help a scribe keep his handwritten lettering straight. Astute printers put the lines back in or just published them at the first outset until patrons could get used to the idea of not having the red lines on a page.

If it was before Gutenberg, there was a hierarchy of lettered hands with text block changes and a difference in sizes to begin new thought lines, much like a chapter heading. Decorated/colored small uncials could also indicators of punctuation between sentences.

Concerning blues on a manuscript or broadsheet, you could order 2, 4 or 8 florin blue. Things were spelled out in excruciating detail when contracting for hand-scribed/published work.

Is some of this what was being asked?

HL Lete Bithespring

-----Original Message-----
>From: Betsy Marshall <betsy at softwareinnovation.com>
>Sent: Jan 9, 2009 5:31 PM
>To: "'Scribes within Ansteorra - SCA, Inc.'" <scriptoris at lists.ansteorra.org>
>Subject: Re: [Scriptoris] Calligraphy question
>
>Might also want to check out the origin of the phrase "red letter days"
>IIRC, this highlighting technique was used to indicate special/Holy/fast
>days in the church calendar. (just off the top of my head..)
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: scriptoris-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org
>[mailto:scriptoris-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of Celestria
>leDragon
>Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 10:22 AM
>To: Ansteorra Scribes
>Subject: [Scriptoris] Calligraphy question
>
>Can anyone explain why they used red ink on some of the letters and or words
>in a manuscripts?
>
>Thanks
>Celestria
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