Bilbo's Last Song

[dreamflower]

Here's a little calligraphy project I did:




I used 8 ½ x 11 heavy-duty acid-free paper (I am afraid I do not remember the brand.) in a pale grey shade. I used watercolors to make a “sunset” wash across the bottom half of the page. Once it dried, I ironed it flat with a dry iron set on synthetic, and ruled it for the calligraphy. I used a Pelikan cartridge pen--a medium nib for the title, and a fine nib for the words to the song. And I used a rather standard uncial hand.


And here's another:



A friend of mine gave me a reproduction of "Sting", autographed by Elijah Wood, with a scabbard. I decided to do something special for it when it is framed, so I went to:

http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/movie_inscriptions.htm#maeg

where I found the inscription, in Sindarin, in both Tengwar and English letters, and the English translation.




Again, I used a Pelikan to do the calligraphy,and a .005 micron pen to outline the illumination. The illumination is painted in gouache.

The illuminated inscription will be matted and mounted between the sword and the scabbard. It's all at the framers, and should be finished in about a month.

I apologize for it being sideways, but it's a scan, not a photograph.

Thanks, danachan for uploading all this for me!

Comments

[ramblin_rosie]

How *do* you do gouache, and where do you find it? I had a deuce of a time figuring out how to illuminate a sonnet I just did up for some friends who are getting married... ended up using acid-free paint pens and outlined with .45mm Zig pens in the spots where I wanted more of a border.

Beautiful work. :) I like your uncial R better than the one that's in the booklet that came with my pens! And I'm very impressed with your tengwar; it looks good enough to have been computer-printed.

[dreamflower]

Gouache is a type of watercolor, only more opaque than the usual. I purchased a set of Reeves Gouache at Michaels Arts & Crafts; it's inexpensive, a major factor. I have one tube of gold gouache that a friend gave me. But you can buy individual tubes of gouache either at art stores or online--the cost is about the same as for regualar watercolor, depending, of course on both the brand and the color.

The colors are dense and rich; it takes only a very little water. I use very small detail brushes--00 and smaller (I have one that is 18/00). For such things as shading, you can float gouache in much the same way as acrylics, using a flat brush, and white on one corner and your color on the other. While I did use gold gouache on the illumination of this one, I often use composition "gold" leaf to add gold to some illuminations.

Acid free pens are good, but you can't get the richness of color with them, and of course, you can't really use white with them. Still, I've used them myself to good effect on occasions.

I do two or three uncial alphabets. This is my favorite. And thanks for the compliments on the Tengwar--I *love* doing it, it is so gorgeous! If I can ever find my old sampler, I have a couple of other peices I might post. And I am working on a few more.

[ramblin_rosie]

I see. Thanks for the explanation; I'll have to try to find a set next time I'm at Michaels!