We look for those that act
We look for those that learn
We look for those that teach
For architects of change
For explorers of the realm
For emissaries of assemblage
Students of the arts of rattan and steel
We Brennan Augustus and Caoilfhionn Augusta
Heads of the Mighty East
Give Ban of Wintermoor Arms
We do on this Market Day at Birka
Barony of Stonemarche
January 30, A.S. L
Word Count 77
This was my first officially assigned scroll from the Tyger Signet. It took a bit before I was ready to attempt it, but once I started it all came together. The recipient didn’t have any persona or registered arms, but the gentle who wrote him in provided a sketch of his ideas. The sketch included a barren tree and visible root systems surrounded by a bright green.
I searched through a variety of images of trees and found inspiration in The tree of vices, in "Liber Floridus", creation: 1120, author: Lambert of Saint Omer, edition: 1460, folio 185v, Koninklijke Bibliotheek”
What caught my eye about this image was that the tree appears to be going one way with roots vertically on the page, and the calligraphy going horizontally across the page. This dichotomy of the illumination to the calligraphy appealed to me.
I chose not to include the axes embedded in the tree trunk. I didn’t think they particularly fit in with any symbolism that I was representing in the award. Instead the spot they would have taken became the spot I left for Their Majesties to sign the scroll.
Color wise I kept the green that was used in the original image, as the recipient seemed to favor the color. I did change the color of the border to a deeper, more magenta color.
My hands are not completely recovered from my time in the hospital. They tend to shake when under such stresses as drawing and painting. That was another reason the inspiration image appealed to me. I felt that any shakiness in my hands would fit the style of the inkwork that I saw in the original. I did request some aid in finishing this piece. Lord Brochmail, my husband, assisted me in the creation of the circles that sat in the tree for the calligraphy to go in.
As for the calligraphy I tried, I really did try to do it myself. I played around with formatting and the spacing of the words on the computer:
Even before the stroke I had difficulty in drawing calligraphy. I could enlarge individual letters and make them poster-sized, in any style, but writing the words with a quill was beyond me. Alas, I came to the conclusion that this calligraphy was beyond my skills. I had to ask for help.
I then called upon Faolán to see if he had any time to calligraph the piece for me. He had just enough time to do so, finishing it the night before it was due. Faolán believes he used a Leonardt #6 Roundhand nib or a .5mm Tape Nib. Which is very small indeed. He made me promise on a stack of bibles that I would never leave him such small spaces for calligraphy again! I really made the spaces incredibly small. I will try my hardest not to put such a torture on the calligraphers again!
Faolán wrote about it in his blog.
I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. I learned a lot of where my levels of time management are and what I can do and who I can count on for help. I am still adjusting to what I can do now as opposed to what I could do before my health issues. It is an ongoing process and I am glad I could provide something like this to someone while I am going through it.
