Back to Projects A page that looks similar to an illuminated manuscript, in portrait layout, and is called a scroll award for the SCA, a medieval society. It is decorated with half-uncial calligraphy, watercolor and inked images inspired by medieval artwork. Artwork includes gold leaves, several shield devices, a green-man inspired face, a broom, and old-english floral border in blue, red, and green, ending in a celtic knot.

Order of the Sable Chevronels
Ink and watercolor, with white and gold acrylic on pergamenata, 7"x11"
by Megan McC of the Barony March of Mons Tonitrus, Nov. 2020

This project was my first scroll, and I documented my progress as a reminder of what it took to get from the beginning to the end of the design!

After researching imagery and choosing what text I was going to use for the award, I continued by creating a design plan and a grid, then moved to penciling, inking, and coloring the design. (no guilding in this example).

In this example, I created a grid with a 1/2" margin, 1/8" ruled lines for calligraphy, and made space for the relevant devices being used, which are approximately 1" square. The left, top, and bottom sections for artwork are 3/4" wide with 1/8" inner margins. The text area is bordered by a 1/8" margin on the sides, and I added a decorated capital letter 'B' that is 3/4" square.

PENCILS

A medieval scroll award in progress: the pencil stage, starting with a lined grid where the caligraphy and artwork will go A medieval scroll award in progress: the pencil stage, shield devices and border floral work drawn A medieval scroll award in progress: the pencil stage, close-up of a rounded shield device A medieval scroll award in progress: the pencil stage, close-up of the previous rounded shield device, with more detail A medieval scroll award in progress: the pencil stage, close-up of another shield device, shaped like an arrowhead A medieval scroll award in progress: the pencil stage, more artwork drawn in the left margin, a broom and green-man face encompassed by a crescent moon A medieval scroll award in progress: the pencil stage, close-up of the green-man's face encompassed in a crescent moon with celtic knot details bordering it A medieval scroll award in progress: the pencil stage, all artwork is penciled in the left margin, top and bottom, with additional coiling vines and leaves

INKS

A medieval scroll award in progress: the inked stage, calligraphy is added in ink, starting with a decorated and framed capital letter 'B', and using an old-english script (half-uncial) A medieval scroll award in progress: the inked stage, the rounded shield device has been inked A medieval scroll award in progress: the inked stage, all artwork and calligraphy have been inked

COLORS

A medieval scroll award in progress: the coloring stage, watercolor has been added to the artwork in the margins, with some capital letters colored green, gold acrylic added to the leaves and borders of shield devices, and silver added to the crescent moon and decorated capital B A medieval scroll award in progress: the coloring stage, inks have been added back onto the colored work, darkening the form and outlines of artwork. The final stage is to add white-work (highlights). A medieval scroll award in progress: the artist and calligrapher's signature has been added to the back side of the parchment, in an area where calligraphy decorates the front so that ink cannot be seen through.

SKETCHES

A design sketch for a medieval scroll award, with calligraphy on ruled lines, measurement notes, and sketches of shield devices in the corners A design sketch for a medieval scroll award, with lettering practices for sizing, spaces left for shield devices in the corners, and turned landscape as an experimental idea A design sketch for a medieval scroll award, with calligraphy on ruled lines, measurement notes, sketches of shield devices in the corners, and artwork ideas in the left margin A design sketch with inks added for a medieval scroll award, with calligraphy on ruled lines, measurement notes, sketches of shield devices in the corners, and artwork ideas in the left margin