I've been doing calligraphy since 1985 which is when I originally took some coursework at a local community college. I had always loved things medieval and the old manuscripts were of particular interest to me. I wanted to learn how to create letter forms like those. Although many folks think the styles I like and do are old-fashioned (or not easy to read, which I have to agree with - they aren't), I still get pleasure from forming them and seeing the visual texture they create.

Since most everything I like is from 1300 - 1500, the styles are usually what is known as "Blackletter." I do other hands of calligraphy as well, but you won't see many samples of those here yet. I have to scan in more artwork as I have time.

Also below are scans of my "treasures" - two medieval Book of Hours pages. Books of Hours were used by people as devotionals and were prized possessions. My two leaves were purchased from dealers who do *not* disassemble entire books to sell page by page.

Sample of a "practice" leaf (using the Gottingen Model Book as a guide).

Click to see the image at a larger size.
An unfinished holiday card and my first attempt at Latin.

Click to see the image at a larger size.
I had to tile and paste this together since it wouldn't fit on my scanner, but you get the idea. This is a paste-paper exercise that I did with the local calligraphy group. The background looked like fire to me and the words seemed to fit.

Click to see the image at a larger size.
This is a "play sheet" from a workshop. We learned to use water to create letters on a background of paint. The funky looking symbols in the back are "runes." And yes, I'm obviously a LOTR fan. ;-)

Click to see the image at a larger size.
Another holiday card - mostly in the concept stage. The gold is actually gold paint but the sparkle of it doesn't show up in the scan. The "blob" down at the bottom right is a wax seal impressed with a fleur de lis.

Click to see the image at a larger size.
I did this as a gift for my cyber-sister, Tammy. The flowers are supposed to be sweet peas. The capital T is done with a raised surface of gesso which is then covered with gold paint.

Click to see the images at a larger size.
Book of Hours leaves from my collection of two ;-)

Left: Single leaf from a French Book of Hours, ca. 1430-50. I had this translated by the local Diocese and it is Psalm 7, verses 2-7.

Right: A leaf from a Book of Hours, S. France, ca. 1465. Text is from the Hours of the Virgin.