The History of the Kingdom of The West
Scrolls

Gold Leaf

Photo and Contribution
by Tatiana Nikolaevna Tumanova

"Six months after the Scriptorium where Aldith and I publicly flunked Gold Leafing (see commentary on Juan Santiago's Laurel scroll for more humiliating details), we had had a chance to practice a bit more and I had made a very large batch of perfectly poisonous period gesso. So at the following Scriptorium, some period gesso was reconstituted with distilled water and applied to the scroll. The roundels about the Arms and the background behind the large central letter were painted in with gesso which Aldith proceeded to gild. The rest of the gilding was flat gilding -- the gold leaf was applied right onto the vellum with the aid of water-based white glue (Elmer's brand glue) mixed with a dab of Armenian bole to give it a nice red color. Aldith also did all of the beautiful calligraphy, once more using that lovely Rotunda hand as was used in the Visconti Book of Hours." -- Tatiana Nikolaevna Tumanova

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