From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V5 #11 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Tuesday, February 13 2001 Volume 05 : Number 011 ======================================================================== 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. [scribes]: Calligraphy [scribes]: Divit ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 13:50:00 From: "Elyse Boucher" Subject: [scribes]: Calligraphy Greetings from the humble scribe Merouda Pendray. Bryan Bell wrote: If a script is calligraphed, whether it be an exact period script, or a "modern" interpretation of a period script, then it should follow the mechanics of good calligraphy; that is to say, the script (in whatever language it is penned) should be legible to the gentle reader. Merouda responds: Er, actually, some of us see this issue as more complex than this. Believe it or not, I am not particularly concerned with whether or not recipients can read my calligraphy when doing SCA or personal work. Well-formed letters will be far more pleasing to the eye than poorly formed letters, but this doesn't guarentee legibility to the modern reader. Particularly with gothic hands, writing in the period manner--perfect period letter forms, period spellings and abbreviations, using u/v or i/j as was done in period rather than as is done modernly, et cetera--is difficult for a modern reader to master without practice. Indeed, I find that even when things are written out exactly as is done modernly, gothic hands (and a few early hands that are very, er, "cursive-y") can be quite challenging for the modern reader. I've run into quite a few calligraphy instructional manuals that, in fact, emphasize this fact: it's best not to do an entire piece in Blackletter because it's difficult to read for many people. Well, of course, that's the author's opinion, that it is best not done, but it is true that the modern eye generally has to become accustomed to reading gothic scripts. SO I try to make it as period as possible and provide a sheet with a transcription of the writing for the reading ease of the recipient. In some ways, this serves a secondary purpose; it begins to educate the recipient about actually reading period-like writing. Your Servant, Merouda _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at 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. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 13:56:16 From: "Elyse Boucher" Subject: [scribes]: Divit I obtained my 19th c. divit from eBay. Search on the keywords "inkwell" "penholder" and other such terms. With patience, one will come up. Take Care, Merouda _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at 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 V5 #11 ****************************