From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V4 #88 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Friday, November 24 2000 Volume 04 : Number 088 ======================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with unsubscribe scribes-digets in the body of the message. Leave the subject line blank. Do not include any additional text. RE: [scribes]: vellum preparation RE: [scribes]: Faux Hebrew? [scribes]: Faux Hebrew? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 10:25:34 -0600 From: "Bronwyn Noble" Subject: RE: [scribes]: vellum preparation The oiliness of vellum can be counteracted, as John Cash, recommended, by pouncing with chalk or marble dust. However, you should also use very fine sandpaper on the skin side to "rough-up" the surface just a tad, otherwise the vellum will not accept ink too well. If you are planning on gilding anyplace, however, avoid using the sandpaper -- also remember that the surface was not as extensively prepared (with gesso, etc) in the Byzantine era as later on. The Uncials were used most often early on in Byzantium. I have a copy of _Late Antique and Early Christian Book Illumination_ (Kurt Weitzmann, Braziller, 1977, pp. 60-71) in which there are several plates from the _Vienna Dioscurides_ (which, as you probably know, is an herbal). The main text in it appears to be written in a variation of Drogin's "Artificial Uncial," although the marginalia / annotations were written in a very fine point Greek. It appears to me that most of the marginalia throughout the period is written in this same fine-point, even though the broad-nib pen (reed, I should think) was used for the primary writing. Hope this helps, Bronwyn Noble Known in the SCA as Bronwyn ferch Gwyn ap Rhys - -----Original Message----- From: owner-scribes@castle.org [mailto:owner-scribes@castle.org]On Behalf Of Karin Weaver Sent: 23 November 2000 15:28 To: scribes@castle.org Subject: [scribes]: vellum preparation Hi guys - my first real question for the list serve. I'm working on my first A&S calligraphy entry - an herbal in the style of a 10th Century Byzantine herbal. I have walnut ink and vellum to use that my Laurel bought me at Pennsic. Several questions: 1) How should I prepare the vellum? I know nothing about it except that my Laurel thought it was cool, and the merchant is apparently one that supplies to scribes on a regular basis. 2) Any cautions or comments on walnut ink? Does it give good coverage, bleed badly, etc.? Anyone know about when it would have come into use or some good sources on it? 3) Suggestions for a good period script for 10th C. Byzantium? I have the Drogin book, so I can find what was period time-wise, but i'm not sure what would have been in common use in that location. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks - Julian Lady Julian Marcus Shire of Risingstone, Meridies (TN) ____________________________________________________________________________ _________ Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 11:56:35 -0600 From: "Bronwyn Noble" Subject: RE: [scribes]: Faux Hebrew? I suspect that the book you're thinking of ("in the children's section...") is Margaret Shepherd's _Calligraphy Made Easy_ (New York: Perigee Books/Putnam Publishing Group. 1986 -- ISBN 0-399-51257-8). She managed to come up, sometimes by splitting "fonts" into lower and upper case, 365 various sets, including faux Hebrew (p. 42-43), Runes (p. 26), Greek, Russian, Sanskrit, Chinese, and Thai (p. 90-91). Bronwyn Noble in the SCA know as Bronwyn ferch Gwyn ap Rhys - -----Original Message----- From: owner-scribes@castle.org [mailto:owner-scribes@castle.org]On Behalf Of Russell Husted Sent: 22 November 2000 19:07 To: lilinah@earthlink.net; scribes@castle.org Subject: Re: [scribes]: Faux Hebrew? Anahita al-shazhiyya, Being the guy who writes arabic in such a way that it reads as english, I will answer your question. I know of two books with faux hebrew in them. I do not have one of them with me at this time but I do have the other. Lettering & Calligraphy Workbook, ISBN 0-8069-4273-8 , page 244 and 245. The other books was better. I found it in the childrens section at the library and is written by a reasonably well known calligraphy author for beginners. For layout samples there are many many sources, I just do not own them. Bibles and Bestiaries: A Guide to Illuminated Manuscripts, ISBN 0-374-30685-0, page 18 Please, if your friend wishes faux script, give him what he requests. We serve, and I thank you for taking the time to give him what he desires. your servant, mahee From: lilinah@earthlink.net To: scribes@castle.org Subject: [scribes]: Faux Hebrew? Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 22:28:06 -0800 I realize that faux scripts can be a touchy topic among scribes, BUT... A dear friend has a Jewish persona, and i wondered if anyone has come up with an attractive faux Hebrew calligraphic hand. I recall having a faux Hebrew bitmap font on my computer long ago, if i can find it on a dusty old floppy disk, i might be able to create one, but i don't have much time in the next few months, as i am going to be Kitchen Steward of my first feast, then i'll be out of the country for a month. And truly i was hoping for something more elegant... Any assistance will be appreciated, Thank you, Anahita al-shazhiyya =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ____________________________________________________________________________ _________ Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 18:04:20 -0000 From: "Russell Husted" Subject: [scribes]: Faux Hebrew? Bronwyn, Exactly, thank you very much! your servant, mahee I suspect that the book you're thinking of ("in the children's section...") is Margaret Shepherd's _Calligraphy Made Easy_ (New York: Perigee Books/Putnam Publishing Group. 1986 -- ISBN 0-399-51257-8). She managed to come up, sometimes by splitting "fonts" into lower and upper case, 365 various sets, including faux Hebrew (p. 42-43), Runes (p. 26), Greek, Russian, Sanskrit, Chinese, and Thai (p. 90-91). Bronwyn Noble in the SCA know as Bronwyn ferch Gwyn ap Rhys - -----Original Message----- From: owner-scribes@castle.org [mailto:owner-scribes@castle.org]On Behalf Of Russell Husted Sent: 22 November 2000 19:07 To: lilinah@earthlink.net; scribes@castle.org Subject: Re: [scribes]: Faux Hebrew? Anahita al-shazhiyya, Being the guy who writes arabic in such a way that it reads as english, I will answer your question. I know of two books with faux hebrew in them. I do not have one of them with me at this time but I do have the other. Lettering & Calligraphy Workbook, ISBN 0-8069-4273-8 , page 244 and 245. The other books was better. I found it in the childrens section at the library and is written by a reasonably well known calligraphy author for beginners. For layout samples there are many many sources, I just do not own them. Bibles and Bestiaries: A Guide to Illuminated Manuscripts, ISBN 0-374-30685-0, page 18 Please, if your friend wishes faux script, give him what he requests. We serve, and I thank you for taking the time to give him what he desires. your servant, mahee From: lilinah@earthlink.net To: scribes@castle.org Subject: [scribes]: Faux Hebrew? Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 22:28:06 -0800 I realize that faux scripts can be a touchy topic among scribes, BUT... A dear friend has a Jewish persona, and i wondered if anyone has come up with an attractive faux Hebrew calligraphic hand. I recall having a faux Hebrew bitmap font on my computer long ago, if i can find it on a dusty old floppy disk, i might be able to create one, but i don't have much time in the next few months, as i am going to be Kitchen Steward of my first feast, then i'll be out of the country for a month. And truly i was hoping for something more elegant... Any assistance will be appreciated, Thank you, Anahita al-shazhiyya =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ____________________________________________________________________________ _________ Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V4 #88 ****************************