The History of the Kingdom of The West
Scrolls

Never Buy a Tool That Doesn't Know What It Does.

Photo and Contribution
by Tatiana Nikolaevna Tumanova

Never Buy a Tool That Doesn't Know What It Does.
Here's everything I used to do the calligraphy for this scroll. From left to right, there's:

• Marc Drogin's "Medieval Calligraphy." If you can only own one book on calligraphy, this is the one.
• a ruler. A cork backed steel ruler is even better than a wooden model, but I'm attached to this one.
• Brause pen nibs. It took me a while to get used to the notion of slanted nibs, but now I really like them.
• Calli india ink. This brand is the best for light fast, permanent ink according to our tests.
• a pen holder for the nibs.
• a T-square. Essential for making sure your lines and margins are truly parallel or at right angles.
• Paul Shaw's Black Letter Primer. Has a nice selection of black letter hands; an alternative to some in Drogin.
• an Ames Lettering Guide. Best little tool ever made for making many, many parallel lines.

Tools not shown but used for the rest of the scroll

• the paper. I do not use paper from pads, I buy paper by the half sheet from a real art store (traveling 45 minutes into downtown Berkeley) and cut it to size, then smooth down the edges with an emery board.
• the roll of tracing paper. An indispensable adjunct; I use tracing paper constantly.
• pencils. A selection of pencils in various hardnesses; my all-round favorite being the one exactly in-between HB.
• colored pencils. I have a large selection of prismacolors and sometimes grab one for just a little bit of detailing or touch-up.
• erasers. Two different kinds kneaded, and the white magic rub. Avoid artgum and pink pearl erasers!
• brushes. Windsor-Newton, which is the best if you can afford it. For painting with gouache or watercolor, the bristles should be natural (squirrel or sable); artificial fibers don't hold water well. Beware of artificial fiber brushes where the bristles have been dyed to make them look natural. I have a selection of brights (flat brushes) and rounds (round, pointy brushes).
• gouache. In all of the heraldic colors and then some.
• mixing palettes. I use two -- a large round one, and a smaller rectangular one for doing little bits of odd colors.
• water container. I use a ceramic holder made for me by a friend -- it has a broad, heavy base, which makes it impossible to knock over. It is always emptied between uses and any time I leave the room. Why? Because a) I don't want the cats drinking out of it, and b) G-d is always jealous of creative people and might send an earthquake to knock the water container over on the artwork (and also let the cats into the locked room). For the same reasons, I always cover up the artwork when I'm not working on it.
• an ancient, hand-held hair dryer. Great for drying paint between color changes.
• "Lava" brand soap. Doesn't do much for your skin but it takes india ink right off your hands and gets that palette really clean.
• scratch paper. Pieces for testing the pen, trying out the paint consistency, and for putting between your greasy sweaty hand and the document while working. Make a note if you wear a watch or bracelet on your working hand, take it off before you start -- it'll mar the surface of any painted areas (are you wondering where those scuff marks on the field of the arms came from?).

-- Tatiana Nikolaevna Tumanova

The West Kingdom History Website was created by and is maintained by Hirsch von Henford (mka Ken Mayer).