Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.

To begin with the purely mechanical part of our work, let us enumerate the materials required for drawing the outlines:—

3 Pencils—F, HB, and BB. 2d. each.[1]

A piece of Indian-rubber.

Red sable brushes; the sizes sold at 4d., 6d., and 8d. each: also 2 small sizes of the best Camel's hair, 2d. each, necessary for Bessemer's gold paint.

Large sized London or Bristol board, 6d. per sheet, and upwards. This is a glazed (hot-pressed) cardboard.

"Mounting-board" is rather cheaper, costing 6d. and upwards for a large sheet, but, not having so fine a surface, will not so easily bear rubbing out. It takes colour well.

Pale-tinted cardboard, grey, brown, &c., is sold in large sheets, at about 8d. per sheet.

Vellum-paper, a good imitation of vellum, is sold at 1s. per sheet.

Some sheets of white tissue and transparent tracing-paper; the latter for preserving copies in outline.

2 Rulers (flat); one of wood, about two feet long, another of bone, 6 inches; 6d. each (ivory, 2s..).

A T-ruler is very useful; 1s. and upwards.

A portfolio, 2 feet by 10 inches, to hold the scrolls, would be useful in preserving them from injury; cost, at the drawing-shops, 3s. 6d.

A list of the necessary paints will be given in the directions for colouring, page 9.

The beginner should endeavour to obtain one or two sheets of alphabets (capitals) in black and white, of the full size required, say about two inches high.

An alphabet of "lower-case," or small letters, is subjoined, which will be found to harmonise well with almost any capitals, and is in proportion to those of two or two and a half inches high.

But although the beginner will do well to copy or trace letters of the exact size required, he cannot too soon commence the practice of enlarging or reducing the copy, otherwise many very beautiful initial letters will be lost to him. The great art in copying on a different scale is to observe carefully the proportions of the original: keep every branch of the letter equal in thickness, if the original be so: or if copying, for example, a capital A, and one side of the arch be twice the width of the other, let the copy preserve the same proportion. In the letter B, observe if the two bows be of equal size; the lower is generally the larger of the two. In an equal-sided letter, like M or O, observe what ornamental parts are opposite to each other.

In drawing (or copying) small letters, be careful to make the stems of equal width or thickness, and those which pass above or below the line of equal and proportionate height or length. The tops of t's should always be lower than those of the other long letters, as in writing, and the dots of the i's in a line with the tops of the t's.

There is a small book of mediÆval alphabets, published by Masters, price 2s., suited to beginners. The Book of Ornamental Alphabets, Ancient and MediÆval, collected and engraved by F. Delamotte (published by E. & F. N. Spon, 16 Bucklersbury, London), is valuable to those who can enlarge while copying; it contains upwards of forty alphabets, beginning with those of the 8th century, also several initial letters, and a page of monograms, crosses, &c.—most of the alphabets are one inch in height—price 4s. The best and most recent collection of letters that I have met with is The Handbook of Alphabets, Initials, and Monograms, engraved by William Gibbs, published by Houlston & Wright, 65 Paternoster Row, London, price 5s.

In arranging for the outline of a text, first select the necessary capitals. The initial (or first letter) must be the handsomest of all, as being the introduction and "Dedication." dedication of the work to The Blessed Trinity. Capitals are generally employed throughout the Sacred Names; the first letter may be the largest, the following of the same height as the small letters.

They are also prefixed to such words as we wish especially to emphasize, as in the following examples:—

Be clothed with Humility. My times are in Thy Hand. Watch and Pray.

The emphasis of colour will be given in the proper place (pp. 14, &c.).

It is advisable, if possible, to select the capitals from the same alphabet; but if all that you require for the text do not suit your taste, there is no absolute objection to the introduction of others, subject to certain conditions. On no account mix the letters of different countries; the Italian, for instance, with the Saxon; they would be utterly incongruous. Also, as a writer amusingly observes, "Avoid letting your work appear as though it had been begun in the tenth century, and only completed in the sixteenth, or, as I have once or twice seen, vice versÂ."[2]

But although rules of style, date, and country, are important, they should never, in my opinion, be carried out so rigidly as to make our work either fantastic or illegible—two very serious blemishes. Indeed, if we sacrifice to strict chronological order all possibility of reading the letters without an interpreter, our labour, as far as others are concerned, is worse than useless, tending to bring the whole art into disrepute.

Capitals with simple curves should not be mixed with those in which the curves become pointed, the styles being distinct.

The styles which prevailed from the 11th to the 14th century are considered the best, the later ones in particular. After that date the art of illuminating gradually decayed.

In proceeding to draw the outline of a text, it is a most useful practice to sketch it out roughly on tissue-paper, in order to ascertain what space it will occupy. This plan will prevent much disappointment (and rubbing out, which should be carefully avoided), as, even after long practice, we are often mistaken in the supposed length of a printed sentence: nothing can look worse than one-half of the letters spread widely over the scroll, and the rest crowded together, to make up for the room wasted at the beginning.

Having decided on the size of the initial[3] and capital letters, allow a sufficient space above and below them, and cut out the strip of cardboard by a ruled line, measured accurately at each end, so that the width throughout shall be equal.[4] The spaces left above and below the capitals may be equal (if for one line only), but rather less below than otherwise; 1½ to 2 inches[5] is a fair proportion. In ruling for two lines of letters, be careful to leave sufficient room between them, or the y's and g's of the upper line may interfere with the d's and h's of the lower, as also with the capitals.

Now, with the HB, rule two lines for the small letters, as lightly as possible, consistently with clearness, as these are afterwards to be rubbed out. There is no occasion to draw an upper line for the capitals, as they should be traced in: unless the hand be a very practised one, this method is necessary, to avoid much disfigurement of the cardboard from corrections.

To trace the capitals: cut out a piece of tracing-paper, an inch or two larger every way than the letter to be copied; rule a line on which to rest the letter, as it will be wanted afterwards; place this over the pattern (with the ruled line close beneath it), and trace every line steadily with the HB. This done, remove the tracing-paper, turn it over (right side downwards), and blacken all the lines with the BB pencil. Now place the letter, right side upwards, on the space you intend it to occupy on the cardboard, letting the ruled line correspond exactly with the lower line ruled on the scroll: this will ensure the capital being quite upright in its proper position. Hold the tracing-paper down firmly with the left hand, never shifting it until the whole letter be completed, and with the F pencil trace (i.e. go over) every line of the copy, pressing firmly, but not so hard as to cut through the thin paper. It may then be withdrawn, and, if correctly done, the letter will be found legibly traced on the cardboard. It is right to finish the outline firmly (but not too dark) with the HB, as clearness is of great importance when you are colouring.

Some initial letters, such as O, T, &c. admit of the insertion of a small photograph of a sacred subject, several of which can now be procured, even at one penny each. Among others may be selected the "Ecce Homo," "The Saviour bearing the Cross," "Blessing little Children," &c.

So little practice is required to draw the small letters correctly, that it is scarcely worth while to attempt tracing them; indeed the difficulty of keeping a large piece of tissue-paper steady interferes greatly with the chances of success. In drawing these letters (with the HB), be careful to make all the stems of equal thickness, and let them be in due proportion, of height and width, to the accompanying capitals. "Distances between Letters and Words."The letters should be placed as near to each other as is consistent with clearness, and about half an inch may be left between each word: let these distances be kept uniform throughout the work. Study to draw the letters perfectly straight and upright, to ensure which is the use of the ivory ruler, thus:—

Having sketched in all the small letters as well as possible, turn the strip of cardboard with its end towards you, and I fear you will be shocked to see how many of the letters are out of the perpendicular. If, however, they have not been too heavily drawn, they may now be readily corrected by the little ruler, keeping the scroll still in the same position. The advantage of this method is, that a line which, to an unpractised eye, will appear quite perpendicular, when turned into a horizontal position instantly betrays its deviations. It may be objected that the use of a ruler encourages idle and careless habits, but this is only the case when it is employed to draw by, and not, as it should be, only for correction.

The ornamental stop—or perhaps a Greek cross—and any other intended additions, should be traced now. When the hand and eye are a little practised, sprays of trefoil and similar decorations will look more natural and easy, if drawn freshly upon the scroll. Triplets of leaves and berries have a graceful and suitable effect, and these, in illuminations, may be drawn conventionally, rather than naturally. A clever writer[6] says, "Rigidly avoid contrasting natural with conventional foliage. Adopt which you like, for by either beautiful effects may be produced; but mix them, and the charm of both is gone. Natural foliage may be successfully combined with any other varieties of conventional ornament, excepting those based upon natural foliage."

The Vine Passion-flower, Ivy, or any trefoils, have a beautiful effect, if gracefully twined about, or drooping from the initial letter.

The introduction of small photographs (of sacred subjects) either into the initial letter, or placed before it, with a simple border in gold, edged with blue, has often a beautiful significance and effect. Care should, however, be taken in the selection, that the picture and the sacred words subjoined have a real connexion with each other. For example, the Magdalene at the foot of the cross is not suitable in illustration of the text, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." A square picture may have the lines of the border prolonged so as to cross at the corners and finish about half an inch from the principal line. An arch may be surmounted with a cross.

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Borders.

To those who prefer concentrating all possible beauty of decoration on the sacred words of a text the most approved border will be that resembling "a riband of blue," which is most simple in execution. Rule a line rather less than a quarter of an inch from the edge of the cardboard, and fill it in carefully and steadily with colour. The ruled line is indispensable to the preservation of a neat and uniform edge. If blue already predominate in the scroll, red can be substituted in the border; gold, without a coloured outline on each side, always looks indistinct. Lines of colour may be drawn within the edge, using a reed pen (or large soft quill), and the long ruler.

A triple trefoil in each corner, coloured, with gold edge, has a good effect, if the letters are very plain: these should, however, be in addition to a plain coloured edge or border.—Ornamental borders should consist of suitable sprays wound round a thick bar, which gives an appearance of solidity, the grace of curved lines being much enhanced by contrast with the perpendicular or horizontal.

If the scroll is meant to represent a riband curled at the ends, or folded, the reverse side may be ornamented with gold stars, or foliage. Plainly shaded blue, with perhaps a narrow gold edge, will, however, be found most suitable; if prominent colours are gaudily used for the reverse side of the riband, it will appear to come forward, leaving the text in the background.

Specimens of differently shaped scrolls are affixed to each of our chapters.

In conclusion, it cannot be too strictly enforced, that every line, straight or curved, should be firmly drawn, and the edges, in painting, be kept perfectly neat and clear. Whether from unsteadiness in outline, or from a shaking hand when painting (especially in gold), nine-tenths of the amateur illuminations produced have a quivering ruggedness about them which could well be dispensed with. In ornamental finish, also, this unsteadiness is almost universal, so that the points of small leaves, or fleurs-de-lys, instead of being sharply defined, most frequently degenerate into unsightly loops, similar to the following example.