Requested assignment: Ducal Rank, Murdoch Bayne, Kingdom Aethelmearc. Choice for inspiration: Tres Riches Heures du Duc du Berry – “hours of the Virgin, The Angel brings food to the Virgin in the Temple”. c 1412 Animal vellum, period pigments, gum arabic binder. Iron gall ink applied with quill.
Goals for assignment:
- Match original representation closely as possible. SUSPEND adherence to size – do not lock in result size to exemplar, instead use sheet available. (11X14) and fill with dyptich
- Work gold leafing technique. Both pages use much options.
- Attempt period-appropriate portrait of recipient – using public images
- Use period materials throughout.
Choices for miniatures come from images captures in book of Faces. Attempts for portraiture challenge due to size and materials chosen. Many open small miniature windows in borders of exemplar. Choice using Kingdom awards, while also repeating Lion-on-Rose for personal notice. Across bottom – Knight, Laurel, Pelican, other grant and armigerous awards up verticals. Ducal and armorial in center along top.
Inspiration has cyclic color around border, various flowers, alternating blues and reds. Decision to work details of flowers allowed for practice using new liner brush: citadel fine detail. Brush allows for application of lines less than 1mm and fine highlight detail on flowers. Each flower approximately 2 – 3 mm in diameter, each one with multiple shades and highlight. Discovered blending technique for letting reactivation of wet pigments. Reactivation cause difficulty in larger area, but wonderful blending opportunity in smaller. First use of ‘lead red.’ Oh, this is absolutely beautiful color!!!
Gold leafing technique still challenge, but achieving. Not much more to say on this subject. Plateau reached in skill, working on practicing to find next eureka moment. Patron patient, of sorts. Still complaining on expending funds, but reminded “this what Patron do” and show picture of Thor. Thinking not amused, but I laugh. Close enough.
Calligraphy battle. Size larger than prefer due to size of original and detail. Calligraphy letters take up approximate space on inspirational piece, thus need for larger nib to have letters approximate inspiration. Many practice attempts for getting flow of ink and strokes for pen. Vellum resist, but fortunately not bleed like some others. Patron wishes find more vellum for stock – merchants challenging for finding with demand so high. Eh, that is Patron problem. Gall ink flowed well and aged dark. Content.
Patron says recipient happy, therefore artist happy. Win conditions.
Text reads:
During a time when the need of the realm was most dire, a great warrior rose above all others, one who is noble of heart, and wise of mind, strong in dedication to justice, honor and Chivalry; one who recognizes a deference to duty and responsibility to the dream as the hallmark of a good Sovereign. On this day of our coronation, do We Andreas King, and Kallista, Queen, call for his service to be appropriately rewarded. Murdoch Bayne, having twice served Aethelmearc with care and Kindness is hereby recognized in Our Court as Duke, with all the rights, dignities and honors pertaning to his justly earned position and rank. We set our hand to this decree on this ninteenthe of September, Anno Societatis the sixtieth.
Nikolai's Artwork 