tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10567238128917169102011-12-21T00:47:43.207ZAn exploration of medieval painting techniques and materialsmedievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.comBlogger161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-15366150310747788242010-10-31T19:57:00.004Z2011-08-24T10:19:45.886Z

Firstly a sorry, a long since my last post. I have been rather distracted with applying for training for a career change, so all the fun stuff has taken a distant second, third and possibly tenth place. But, here is my next offering, pens and penknives, a brief overview of some of the kit I use for writing. Pens No would-be painter should be without his main tool of work, not the brush, but the

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-56188079340068075812010-03-24T17:49:00.014Z2010-04-07T10:17:21.171Z

A significant part of the fun of investigating medieval painting techniques is the tools themselves. From my very first forays into this, circa 1991, I have tried to source the proper tools for the job of a would be medieval painter. It has not been easy, some things do not survive in the archaeological record from which to copy despite being well documented in manuscripts and paintings, a prime

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-60152502481246567792009-10-11T10:38:00.012Z2009-10-12T15:34:26.711Z

In certain reenactment circles, mainly those concerned with reproducing artefacts from long ago using as true to era methods and materials as possible, the subject of dyeing bone comes up. Bone was used for a wide variety of tools; lucet,  knife handles (middle), needles, smoothing tools etc, a whole plethora. There are extant recipes for dyeing bone in a variety of ways, the palette may seem a

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-86239734814712283022009-09-13T13:27:00.002Z2009-09-13T13:57:37.934Z

I recently worked at the Hampton Court Tudor joust on the August Bank Holiday, 29-31, part of the display was to show not just jousting but how some of the more ephemeral items were made. The image below is of a helmet orb. The specification is as follows: Turned hardwood ball Gesso ground Bole and gold leaf Vermillion and lead tin yellow Binding medium egg yolk. This item was produced very

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-33640257152304561612009-08-27T14:03:00.002Z2009-08-27T14:14:29.816Z

As a gift for a client I have decorated an ecranche shield in theory for parading around, however there is the possibility that he may well try to use it, his call I guess.Specification:Plywood shield, client suppliedLinen canvas covering - client suppliedGesso - whiting and gelatine size.Silver leafSynthetic vermillionSynthetic lead tin yellowThe client's emblem is a a crescent argent on a red

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-64729897286391297392009-08-14T17:06:00.004Z2009-08-14T17:13:41.739Z

Above is a quick and dirty work on some red silk, the silk is dyed with brazil and weld, brazil givomg the red and the weld gives a good foundation for the red, even though it is yellow it is not orangey but slightly warmer than the cool red of brazil. Not a period mix as far as I know but an experiment from me.For technical reasons I ended up making quite a few blodges on the work, also my

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-47607197826855752812009-08-14T16:41:00.003Z2009-08-14T17:04:14.458Z

Below is a selection of images of a wrap book for an American client.He wanted a commonplace book, a book of sorts, it may contain prayers, notes, accounts, recipes, basically anything of use or potentially of use to the owner.The soft binding seems common enough, certainly the binding in this case is strongly based on the Greenhaulgh account book, Greenhaulgh was a Bailiff to a local landowner

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-22704236798880719762009-05-05T16:59:00.006Z2009-05-10T18:29:13.539Z

Of things that I have been lucky enough to try out and work on over the last few years, not in order of when or how big, but as I can recall them. Do I have pictures of all of them? of course not.Paper and parchment: Letters and packages, woodcut prints - devotionals, medical drawingsCloth: Borders - painted, fenestrals - cloth windows, wall hangings, table covers, helmet flags, banners, badges.

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-80956283539531411762009-05-04T11:04:00.013Z2009-05-10T12:22:17.922Z

This might be redone due to me getting used to this medium.For more images click on my gallery link on the right hand column>>>>>>>>Zodiac man, late 15thc, early 16thc, from York Barber SurgeonsLetter and package, commission, parchment and conservation paper, oak gall ink, sealing waxCommission, banner, vermillion, lamp black, antique linen, silver leafCommission, badge, antique linen, genuine

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-83982246836605776802009-05-04T09:43:00.007Z2009-05-04T10:10:02.969Z

Brasil and its wonders.The batch of 'rose colour' is now drying in a ceramic dish as is the weld yellow. The rose colour is more like a purple pink.With the excess brasil bath I dyed some silk, I added a little weld to boost the red a bit, let it steep in hot water for a while and overnight in the pot, the result is a vibrant red, it is now drying on the line.As I don't like wasting anything, the

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-85715833705138084222009-05-03T18:55:00.015Z2009-05-10T17:40:58.523Z

Ok, so I wont be winning any blogger of the year awards, seeing as my last post was in late 2007. Above images show a textile sample with gilded device and a paper sketch, with gilding, both sent to client. I will try to get client's permission to post an image of the flag in situ.I was in the shed today and mused about the blog and for some reason thought it was only a few months ago. I was

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-73176890984243805992007-09-30T21:57:00.000Z2007-09-30T22:20:00.214Z

Not being too blog friendly and having a life, although some would dispute that, I have not got round to posting more, however here goes some more juice from the fruit that is medieval painting.This summer saw me collect some weld, to keep my stocks up, although I actually used it for dyeing cloth, not to be a latter day wannabe traditional dyer but more to get some quick coloured cloth to paint

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-22445464696394136532007-02-23T13:50:00.001Z2007-02-23T13:50:49.173Z

First published 9/07/2006A while since I was here, mainly getting on with things, life being more than my meanderings with pigments.The lakes have gone well, in that I am pretty convinced I have the handle on brazil and weld. Weld does indeed give a bright yellow pigment, no surprise really since it yields a yellow dye.A few weeks back I picked up a rather small, dried yellow stalk of weld from a

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-85823743249047802902007-02-23T13:49:00.002Z2007-02-23T13:50:08.002Z

first posted 2/24/06Good washing of the lakes is important lest residues of alum or the lye remain, this shows up as a bloom when drying in the dish, you knwo when the lake is clean when no bloom rises when left standing for a few days.I attempted to liberate the brazil red colour in oil, some plants liberate colour in oil, brazil did not, at least not in cold oil, I suspect it wont in hot either

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-85826727307911067702007-02-23T13:49:00.001Z2007-02-23T13:49:39.655Z

first posted 2/22/06I had success with the lye after reducing the concentration, nice transparent lakes so far. Adequate preparation of the lake is needed prior to use.Colour tests underway with opaque variants too, showing some promise. Caution: lye is very corrosive in high concentrations.The lye is also useful for cleaning oil based paint spills on the slab as it effectively combines with the

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1056723812891716910.post-41887118112548564002007-02-23T13:47:00.000Z2007-02-23T13:49:08.567Z

recovered from my corrupted 'Experiments with colour'For the last few months I have been experimenting with producing a variety of lakes from brazil wood using known recipes going as far back as the 14th century.Mostly the results have been quite predictable, in that an alum based with wood has yielded a cherry red lake. Chalk precipitates of this have given a range of opaque colours going from

medievalpainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05352725938081505327noreply@blogger.com0