Update

We're having a computer night, no artwork going on, just digital fiddling around (we made a backup of this blog for instance...).

In previous weeks we did play around with the sugar gesso. We made it with storebought dissolved gum arabic, and it works very well! It gives a very nice domed surface with just one layer, and it sticks much better than the cold recipe, and is easier to apply than the warm recipe. So, we may end up sticking with this one for future projects!

Mistress Bridget warned us about it getting moldy, so we stored it in wet form and dried out in a mussel shell. In both forms it has kept fine, no moldiness, smellines or other funny stuff... Ok, the wet version does smell a little different after a month at room temperature in a jar, but not disgustingly so, and the pigment has settled to the bottom a little. On the jar of gum arabic there is no mention of preservatives used, but there may be some in there.

Order of work

• gilding
• writing
• gild capitals
• painting colors
• whitework/penwork

Since gilding and writing are the bottlenecks, we won't be able to follow this ideal order of work for many pages, but this is what we aim for.

In preparation for the shire workshop, this means I'll try to do writing on the first pages of each year where there is a large illumination. Also, we'll do as much gilding as possible. And then start on the pages where these things are done, and if/when those are finished, we'll work in a less than ideal order...

Next time: do lots of guilding and writing. Take pictures of foliage pages in different stages (sketch, gesso, gold, paint, paint and whitework).

Also in preparation for the Shire workshop:

• check page numbering > geloven we wel.
• gather shells of paint
• writing page 1 van 1993, 1991, 1992
• gilding
• find pictures that were used for drafting illuminations

Testing testing

We're ready to test batch two of the gesso. We made it last week and let it dry out and harden.

To use the gesso we put it in a mussel shell with tap water and let it sit for about 20 minutes until we could dissolve it, stirring with a wooden stick.

We made several tests: one thick layer, dots, one thin layer and two thin layers.

Succes number one: this batch sticks! Whohoo!
Bertrik tried to polish the first dot, which was disappointing, because the gold disappeared... Maybe we need to wait longer between putting the gold on and polishing. After waiting a bit longer the polishing went ok but not great. Most likely, the layer of gold is too thin. Wait and see in next weeks installment of the gesso quest...