Maîtresse Ysabeau ferch Gwalchaved

Laurel

8 February 2020 at Bright Hills Baronial Birthday in Our Barony of Bright Hills

I feel like this scroll had a whole committee of support, both emotional and otherwise.

  • Master Ruaidhri gifted me the parchment and poetry.

  • I received input from Alias Ela (Lady Elenor de La Rochelle), Master Aeron Harper, Mistress Faye, Baroness Sinn Larensdottir, and Ollam Lanea.

  • Emergency "#&@)%& the paint is peeling off!" help from Maestra Livia and Kennari Bubba Blackhammer.

  • Master Eldred Ælfwald gave me an incredible amount of amazing feedback, constructive critiques, tips, tricks, and guidance.

I am grateful for them all.

Calligraphy & Illumination

K ValravnRoxbury MillAtlantia

Text

What fools would mock the good Plane Tree,That they no fruit upon her see,Whilst in her shade they lie.Her leaves she spins out long and greenAnd weaves a shield from branches clean,Between the earth and sky.Such cunning work, so subtly laid,With seeming effortlessness made,A wonder for the eye.Let us not be like fools who scornThe work of skill and genius bornWhen such we do descry.
Fair greetings we send unto allBoth those afar and in this hallGive heed unto Our wordWe, Cuan, eighth to bear the name,And Signy, second of that fame,A boon would see conferredUpon the wise and noble headOf Ysabeau ferch Gwalchaved.Our will shan’t be deferred,The Laurel Order counsel gaveMost merrily in matter graveAnd so, Our action spurred.
Therefore, Atlantia attend To Laurel Order We commend,This dame of merit sure,This second month, on this eighth day,In Bright Hills, under heavens gray,Upon Our royal tour,At the fete of the baronyTwenty sixth anniversaryIn A.S. LIVFurther by Letters Patent weHer arms do hereby guaranteeAs her right evermore.
Counter-ermine, on a bend sinister wavy argent gouttes de sang palewise.
In testimony whereof, We here affix Our signature.
Ollaimh Ruaidhri An CuRoxbury MillAtlantia

Materials

Egg Tempera (Glair and Windsor & Newton Gouache) on Vellum (calf skin gifted to me by Master Ruadhri An Cu), Noodler's Black Ink

Parchment Size

17"x12”

Assignment Date

19 December 2019

Completion Date

04 February 2020

Script

Textura Quadrata (using source) and Gothic Capitals (using source and supplements)

Source

Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

Progress

Soaking and stretching parchment from Mistress Faye

It's good to know what doesn't work. Stretched on a plywood board next with parchment from Master Ruaidhri.

Sanding and prepping the surface with Gum Sandarac.

Trimming this was so satisfying.

Working on the layout.

I wasn't happy with how the blue gouache at the top was laying, so I made glair and used it for the remainder of the scroll.

Things you can dye with: madder and snails.

Calligraphy and scraping and burnishing and more calligraphy and scraping and burnishing.

T-4 Days: The paint on their majesties cracked and chipped off a lot. After trying several ways to fix it, I ended up scraping it off and starting that area over. Maestra Livia and Bubba Blackhammer both gave me excellent guidance on what went wrong and how to fix it. My biggest fear was that the whole scroll would peel off, but thankfully that did NOT happen.

I also painted Ysabeau's arms on her vigil book.