Alzbeta's Pelican

I was truly and deeply honored to be asked to do the Pelican scroll for my friend Alzbeta, I've been assigned peerage scrolls before but never have I been asked.

The response to this scroll however was truly a defining moment for me.  I have never before had such an extreme positive response for any piece of my work than I did for this one piece at Feast of Saint Ethyl.  I felt Very Special and I am still overwhelmed by it all.   Maybe one day I'll be able to put it into words.

So I started out researching Polish pieces, to find one that was appropriate for the Persona of Alzbeta Michalik, I found one in the Catalogue of the Archbishops of Gniezno.   St. Stanislaus adored by Sigismund the Old and Bishop Peter Tomicki, 1535.  National Library, Warsaw.

I saw an immense amount of possibilities with this one, since in my mind I could see the assembled people being the pelicans kneeling around the King to admit a new member to the order.

The scroll reads:  Upon the 24th day of August at the Feast of Saint Ethyl the Imperial Order of the Pelican does accept Alzbeta Michalik into it's ranks upon the order of Dread King Lucien and Queen Catarina of the Middle Kingdom.

I took MANY pictures of the Process, as requested by my lovely Laurel.  <3

Sketchy:

Gold:

Red:

Colors: 

 
Final:

DETAIL:

A dragon's heart for Elianora

So, I had the privlege of doing another scroll for a friend of mine.  It was set to be given at The Feast of St. Ethyl, called Baroness Wars. The plotting to get the recipient (who would not have attended otherwise) to the event started actually before the assignment was given out, but once I expressed interest in it then it was mine by Royal Request. 

A large group of us headed up by Alexander Adelbrecht von Markelingen proceeded to sneakily get Elianora to the Event, so that she could receive her surprise.   I happily drove her to and from the event for she is as always delightful company to have.  I had to consult the OSCAR to find her submission so that I knew what time period and location I was looking for for this scroll. 

The scroll is based upon a page of the Holkham Bible Picture Book which is a prayer book from South East England, 1327-1335. Taken from the British Library site for Additional 47682.  "The first image is of a friar saying to the artist 'Ore feres bien e nettement car mustre serra a riche gent' (Now do it well and thoroughly, for it will be shown to important people); to which the scribe replys 'Si frai voyre, e Deux me doynt vivre, Unkes ne veyses un autretel livre' (So I will, and if God grant me life, you will never see a better book than mine)" 

 I did think about penning in the demon critter and the monkey, but I thought they would take away from the piece once I got the cat drawn in and all the penwork done in the background. 

Guache and Ink on Pergamenata, in a gothic hand.
  
The scroll reads as follows: 
Know all to whom these presents shall come that we Lucien by grace of God, King of the Middle Kingdom and, our inspiration and by her grace our Queen, Catarina do send greetings.  We are minded to advance and commend the faithful service our friend Elianora Saunfayle hath giv'n unto us.  For her courtesy, gentle nature and using her scribal art to make our reign a more beautiful place we are minded to make her a Companion of the Order of the Dragon's Heart.  With this comes all rights and responsibilities conveyed by her elevation to this rank as well as the badge of the Order: Argent, a heart very scaly argent to be borne by her throughout the knowne worlde.  This do we set into the record this the twenty-fourth day of August Anno Societatis Fourty-eight. 

Pennsic Award Scrolls

So I made two scrolls in an exchange of skills group called Medieval Barter Town.  I like it, it's lots of fun.  I've done some trading of my skill with a brush for some fun things both SCA and non SCA related. Since this blog is SCA related I will only post the scrollwork/art work that I've exchanged for other SCA related things.   Anyway in exchange for a new cloak for me (so my old one can be passed to my husband who is also in desperate need of a cloak...) I made 2 award scrolls for the Fight Back Tourney in honor of Baroness E'leri at Pennsic.

This is the Llanbeblig Book of Hours, f 35r Wales 1390-1400.  It was bloody hard to track down because of the website of the Library that this was found being in Welsh.  Great surprise eh?

The second scroll was for the best Death in their tournament and I decided that some slightly morbid but still humorous imagery would be in order.  

Mirandola hours, Italy,  ~1475.  I found the illumination to be refreshingly challenging, but it was the hand to which I was completely un-familliar that gave me the most problems.  I'd like to say I managed alright but I can see where the letters are unevenly sized or unevenly spaced, or worse yet...tilted the wrong way.