How To Draw Illuminated Letters

[needleworknut]

I could hug you!!!! The other uploads are so advanced, however, I can follow your instructions with anxiety. Patricia - South Padre Island, Texas

[leothompson]

Just what I was looking for - I have been teaching myself Italic handwriting and have just bought some coloured inks and wanted to illuminate the first letter of the recipient's name. Thank you for the details and the print out

[natalierozean]

Lovely! Thank you, my dear. You have restored my desire to try my hand at illumination once again.
I had just researched a man who does painstakingly authentic illumination. He prepares gesso and paints it into the letters before using handmade plant dyes to color it. He makes the dye from plants he grows in his back yard. He uses the gesso to add dimension & depth. Then he lays real gold leaf onto the slightly dry gesso and burnishes it w ... the curved part dogs canine tooth affixed to a stick! He burnishes it until it shines like glass, but is still slightly raised above the dyed detail.
Its absolutely stunningly brilliant. Fit for a king. In fact could only be afforded by royalty back in the day.
While I actually have the OCD & patience for fine detail.... and perhaps doing it the old school way. I fear painting intricately w diy gesso on the tip of a pin would bring me to tears! I would get out of line once.... and my OCD would force me to start all over. 🤦‍♀️
YOU have given me a more reasonable option! An equally as beautiful, yet requiring no medication to accomplish version. 😉 😂
Perhaps using your ideas and coloring w micron pens, reserving the raised gesso and gold leaf for tiny dots and vines would be equally as beautiful, but less self defeating. I wonder, since you seem to have mastered this, have you ever attempted the old school methods?

[sugarghast]

I've been wanting to do this ever since I heard about it in my art history course on Khan Academy! Now I finally got around to it, and seeing how much you used the ruler really helped me understand the makeup of the letters more- thank you!

[roninelenion]

Thanks for the tutorial. I want to make my friend an illuminated text for Christmas, but didn't know where to even begin.

[gaynorwilliams]

Great video! So many ideas and beautifully describes

[sequinb]

Beautiful lettering! Thanks for sharing. Could you recommend a book for a beginner level which teaches similar things step by step?

[TheTarotGirl]

Excellent video -- many, many thanks for sharing!

[MarcoMartinez-zzkr]

great tutorial! :-) thank you for sharing the printable version too. really helpful in explaining our lesson on illuminated manuscripts

[stitchwishes]

Fascinating and fun! Can you tell me the brand of your mat? Love the soft green and the small grid.

[paintballplays]

Only reason I watch dis VDO is I like drawing 😚😚😚

[shelly]

Love this. Would you please consider though NOT having the music in the background? Please please.

[bradchadwick]

Am i in music or bible class? Oh wait this is artism

[DeeLightfulCo]

You have a talent.   I would mess up stick figures.   I just cannot picture this in my head.  I could trace yours but thats the end of my talent :(   dee

[CoxJoxSox]

They used gold leaf not powder - that looks like the History channel "H"