Journeyman Core Lessons in Illumination

In the journeyman lessons we will begin to learn some history and technique on how to illuminate manuscripts. This is a history of books, and how they came to be. The lessons will be few, but it will require a lot of practice on your part. Here are the requirements for moving on to the Master Level:


General Requirements to Become a Journeyman:


- Must be at least a Squire.

- Must have completed the Apprentice Core Lessons in Calligraphy.



Specific Requirements


- Must complete Journeyman Core Lessons in Illumination

- Must demonstrate sufficient skill in illumination as determined by your mentor, and complete any additional requirements that are asked for.

- Must be approved by mentor to move on to Master Level.



Good luck and if you have any questions, direct them to your mentor,

Follow the links at the bottom of the page. The first is to the Khan Academy with a brief introduction to Illuminated Manuscripts, and the second is to the British Library. At the British Library, read about the history of illuminated manuscripts. Along the top of the page are different years covered (Before 800, 800 -1000, 1000 - 1200, etc) click on each and read through them. Share a little about what you learn in your journal for each year range.


I've also included a short video that details the process someone in the medieval period would have gone through to illuminate a manuscript, from vellum creation to putting on the finishing paint touches. It gives you a good idea of what all actually went in to making one.

edX offers a free course on medieval illuminated manuscripts. The course discusses the history, materials, and process that goes into constructing them. It is a college level course from Harvard University, so it may be a little technical. For each section of the course, share what you have learned in your journal. The final section covers various medieval scripts that were used that should be of interest to the newly minted apprentice. If you have any questions direct them to your mentor.

Like Calligraphy, there are some basic supplies needed to begin creating illuminated manuscripts:


- Work Space
- Parchment/vellum paper
- Push Pin Tools
- Ruler
- Paintbrushes
- Watercolor
- Acrylic if you want
- India ink
- Calligraphy kit with different tips
- Gold leaf
- A sort of primer for the gold leaf
- Pencils
- Eraser


I borrowed this list from a great tutorial on how to illuminate which I'll share at the bottom. Most of these supplies can be found at an online retailer or a local art store. If you have any questions or difficulty acquiring these touch base with your mentor before moving on.

Now we will begin a few detailed lessons on the process of manuscript reproduction. Please note, these are broken down into steps and do not require journal entries. The first lesson is on pricking the parchment to prepare for adding ruler line, a simple yet important step.

This is the simple second step in manuscript reproduction.

The next three short videos cover writing. The rules for writing are the same as they were when you were creating your calligraphy. In the videos, the illuminator illustrates this from a couple of different angles along with how to erase a mistake.

Applying gold leaf is the next step but it's a tricky one. I've linked a couple of videos for you all to check out to understand the technique. In the first video, the gold leaf use begins at about 10:23.

These final videos detail painting illuminated letters. This requires a steady hand and an eye for detail.

We have gone over quite a bit of information and now it's your turn to practice. These lessons are meant to give you a brief introduction to Illumination, but you are expected to get out and do some extra research on your own. I would recommend a few more followup videos on creating illuminated letters and practice there. I will include an example here. Share your practice in your journal, and follow any additional requests from your mentor.