Manuscript Illumination

Students engage in the practices of medieval scribes.

Materials:

• Vellum
• Tempera paint (brushes, palettes, water, etc.) in various colors.
• Calligraphy pens and black ink
• Gold leaf and glue or gold and silver tempera paint.
• Rulers
• Pencils
• Erasers
• Scratch paper
• Various sources with pictures of medieval illumination.

Basic steps:

1. Start with a basic history lesson on the early medieval illumination. Show examples when possible.
   
   
2. Demonstrate and allow practice for the proper use of drawing pens and/or quills.
   
   
3. Demonstrate and allow practice for the proper use of calligraphy pens.
   
   
4. On a sheet of vellum, design a calligraphic and/or pictorial illumination. Pencil it, ink it, and paint it.