Illuminated Manuscripts

June 22, 2008

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I have found that I do all right at spontaneously copying the visual style of the letters. What I have most trouble with is consistency of size and slant. But I think everyone has trouble with that, so I just need to practice. Also, certain letters seem to be particularly difficult, no matter what alphabet I try to copy. The worst for me is the "s"!

Everything you just said there is entirely consistent with my calligraphy practice. Good luck

June 27, 2008

With a big Thank You to Lozzic, I am pasting these references here, so that people who search for "illumnated manuscripts" will be sure to find it (the original thread, with even more references on lettering, can be found here) :

Writing & illuminating, & lettering (1917) http://www.archive.org/details/writingilluminat00johnuoft & http://www.archive.org/details/writingilluminat00johnrich

Lettering in ornament, an inquiry into the decorative use of lettering, past, present, and possible (1914) http://www.archive.org/details/letteringinornam00dayluoft & http://www.archive.org/details/letteringinornam00daylrich

Student's alphabets (c1907) http://www.archive.org/details/studentsalphabet00keufrich

The book of ornamental alphabets, ancient and mediaeval, from the eighth century... (1914) http://www.archive.org/details/bookofornamental00delarich

The hand book of mediaeval alphabets and devices (1856) http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofmedia00shawuoft & http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofmediae00shawrich

Penmanship of the XVI, XVII & XVIIIth centuries : a series of typical examples from English and foreign writing books http://www.archive.org/details/penmanshipofthe00dayluoft & http://www.archive.org/details/penmanshipofxvix00dayluoft

Alphabets old and new, for the use of craftsmen : with an introductory essay on Art in the alphabet (1898) http://www.archive.org/details/alphabetsoldnewf00dayluoft

Monograms & ciphers (1906) http://www.archive.org/details/monogramsciphers00turbuoft

Illumination specifically (some of these are quite dry and long)

Illumination and its development in the present day (1922?) http://www.archive.org/details/illuminationitsd00farn

A primer of the art of illumination for the use of beginners... (1874) http://www.archive.org/details/primerofartofill00delauoft

A handbook of the art of illumination as practised during the middle ages. With a description of the metals, pigments, and processes employed by the artists at different periods (1866) http://www.archive.org/details/handbookofartofi00shawrich

English illuminated manuscripts (1895) http://www.archive.org/details/englishilluminat00thomuoft

Illuminated manuscripts (1911) http://www.archive.org/details/illuminatedmanus00herbrich

Illuminated manuscripts in classical and mediaeval times, their art and their technique (1892) http://www.archive.org/details/illuminatedmanus00midduoft

Illuminated manuscripts and bindings of manuscripts exhibited in the Grenville Library (1923) http://www.archive.org/details/illuminatedmanus00brituoft

The art of illuminating as practised in Europe from the earliest times ([1866?]) http://www.archive.org/details/artofilluminatin00tymmrich

Catalogue of an exhibition of illuminated and painted manuscripts, together with a few early printed books with illuminations--also some examples of Persian manuscripts--with plates in facsimile and an introductory essay (1892) http://www.archive.org/details/catalogilluminat00grolrich

Facsimiles of choice examples selected from illuminated manuscripts, unpublished drawings and illustrated books of early date (Quaritch) http://www.archive.org/details/facsimilesofchoi00quarrich

Illuminated manuscripts. ... With twenty-one illustrations (1920) http://www.archive.org/details/illuminatedmanus00bradrich

Illustrations of the Book of Genesis; being a complete reproduction in facsimile of the manuscript British Museum, Egerton 1894 (1921) http://www.archive.org/details/illustrationsofb00roxbrich

A practical treatise on the art of illuminating : with examples, chromographed in fac-simile and in outline, of the styles prevailing at different periods, from the sixth century to the present time ([1873]) http://www.archive.org/details/practicaltreatis00wardiala

Reproductions from illuminated manuscripts. Fifty plates from mss. in the R. Medicean Laurentian library with preface and illustrative notes by Dr. Guido Biagi (1914) http://www.archive.org/details/reproductionsfro00biblrich