Beginning Illumination by Claire Travers - 5 stars

[Megalion]

I picked this up not sure exactly what illumination was. How was it different than painting?

I learned it's a VERY INTENSIVE artform of providing illustrated elements to manuscripts. For various purposes like setting off passages in ways that we now use punctuation for.

At the beginning is a short but university level introduction to the history of illumination and how it evolved over the centuries.

Then begins the tutorial. A word that is grossly inadequate for the level of detail Claire takes us. She begins with how to make the parchment if you want to go hardcore and do it like the monks did many many years ago.

I'd always wondered anyways about the process of gold leafing. That's an essential element. Covered in remarkable detail. There's multiple ways to do it even.

For your colors, she teaches you how to get and mix your pigments. If that's beyond the level you wish to go, she also says how to use modern materials and tools.

It was always easy to picture the amount of work that the monks put into copying manuscripts and illustrating them. I really had no idea just how much.

On a personal note, in the projects section, I was struck by the similarity between illumination and a Ukrainian folk art called pysanky. It also requires forethought on how the layers of colors will come together without benefit of being able to blend.

If you want to learn how to illuminate, this is your book for it. If you are simply curious about what is involved, this book will help you out with that too.

Easy 5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Karin]

This book would be a great read for anyone who likes to read books set in the time when this was done, too, as well as for art lovers, etc.

Ha, I was just going to see how long it was to say I couldn't possibly add a book that long to my tbr, and it's only 80 pages! The joke's on me, because now it's on there.

[Megalion]

Yes, plus it's more of a picture book then a solid read. I skimmed a couple parts like preparing the pigments.