Temporary Note on Calligraphy

Feet Trees:

Here's a quickee sampling of what can be done with calligraphy: 1/4 of the graduation requirements for art was an art project in area of expertise (I was pen and ink, others can be painting, photography, sculpture, etc.). My thesis project was making an 8th century (about 700 AD) Book of Ecclesiates in the style unique to the Irish/Scottish area using materials used at that time. (I'm doing a much fuller write up on this for an AAG blog I should finish this week).

  The first photo (#1) shows side A of the 16 folded 15 1/2" wide by 10 1/4 sheets of handmade sheepskin parchment which when finished end up being sewn in groups of 4. Each sheet gives 4 pages of writing/drawing area, so the project had a total of 64 pages, some which are left blank for full page illustrations. Here, only the basic text in permanent black ink has been lettered in, leaving spaces for large chapter letters, full page illustrations and other drawings. Note the lower right page with large bold "ento" lettering.

  The Second photo (#2) shows a single page of lettering, the left side containing the last half of 11:9 and all of verse 11:10. If you look closely at the top of the right side you can see penciled in Mem, then the inked in bold large "ento". Before the "invention" of numbering chapter and verses in the Bible, major sections were designated this way, called an "Initium" (beginning) letter or word. Chapter 12, verse 1 reads: "memento creatoris tui in diebus iuventutis tuae antequam veniat tempus adflictionis et adpropinquent anni de quibus dicas non miki placent" in the Latin used at this period. ("Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, and the years draw nigh of which thou shalt say: They please me not"). The last 2 words "antequam tene" ("before the") begin verse 2. It is custom and easier in the long run on a large project (even small ones) to do all the permanent black lettering and basic pencil designs before moving on to the next phase.

  The Third photo (#3) shows "Memento" completely designed and inked in with permanent black ink. Today we figure out the designs out on scrap paper, in antiquity a wax tablet was used, then the design was added to the actual art. After giving the ink a full day to soak in to the parchment and dry, the next stage begins.

  Photo (#4) shows the addition of colors to the design and lettering.

  Photo (#5) shows added color detail and the rubricating ("adding the red") of tiny red dots to further emphasize the letters and to symbolize the sacrifice (blood) of Christ for our sins. Rubrics are also added to the Verse initial letters.
  Unfortunately, many of the photos of finished pages were destroyed or water damaged while in storage for 10 years so I don't have a photo of a completed page of text to show you (eventually I'll get back to Paris and copy the copy the University has, besides the original that was purchased, that's the only copy that exists). Fortunately the full page illustration and many photos of the construction did survive and I will include many in the full blog.

  Anyway, I wanted to show you what can be done with calligraphy, one of my AAG photo albums has smaller examples.  All and all it is a very cheap art to start in and relates well to your Christian studies since "The art of the book" is largely also "The art of the Bible".