From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V1 #72 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Thursday, February 19 1998 Volume 01 : Number 072 In this issue: Re: [scribes]: New to the List ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 15:52:05 -0500 From: randyaf@provide.net (Randy & Melody Asplund-Faith) Subject: Re: [scribes]: New to the List >Greetings all: > >I have just recently subscribed to the mailing list. My name is >Guillaume Bouvier of Nan Crioch Tuatha in the Kingdom of Trimaris (Jan >Bovier, Jacksonville, FL). I am a 13th century French Crusader with >interests in calligraphy and illumination. I would also like to try my >hand a papermaking someday. > >As I am just getting started, and there are not a whole lot of people >in the immediate area that do calligraphy and illumination, I need >some advice. > >I recently priced the desighers gouches ($6-$14 for a 14 ml tube). I >also found an acrylic gouche ($3 for a 4oz tube). Can anyone give me >any insights on the pros/cons of the acrylic gouches. I want to get >started with a minimal outlay of cash. I thank you in advance for your >comments. > >Yours in service > >Guillaume (Jan Bovier) > If it were up to me, I would steer you away from acrylics completely. But it isn't up to me, and it depends on what you want to get out of your illumination. If you just want to make pictures which look kind of medieval, I dont suppose there is any harm in acrylics. At least they layer well and don't bleed. The reason I would suggest going with at least a gum arabic bound paint like watercolors and/or gouaches is because since the medieval colors were also bound in "gum arabic" or other aqueous media, these paints will handle much like their medieval counterparts. Not only will you learn somewhat of how it was done back then, but the visual effects will come from the same thing. The result will be a much more authentic looking piece. You spread the color differently. You apply layers differently, and you blend totally differently than you would with acrylics. With acrylics, whatever is on the bottom dries and stays there. You can never re-wet it and blend it with the next layers. This blending is a mixing of color on the page. Such as white acanthus being softened into the under field of blue. With acrylic you would have to thin the color to get a close effect since it is waterproof when dry. Ranthulfr Randy Asplund-Faith 2101 S. Circle Dr. Ann Arbor, MI. 48103 http://www.provide.net/~randyaf ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V1 #72 ****************************