The beauty of illumination has been treasured from the Middle Ages to the present day. Now, in this compendium, all the skills and ideas you will ever need are brought together under one cover.
It shows you how to create exquisite designs in watercolour and gouache to enhance calligraphy, texts, and a host of other decorative items from bookplates to boxes. Seven complete alphabets are also given, to enable you to paint stunning illuminated capital letters; and there are many glorious borders in a number of different styles, from classic to modern and from simple to more intricate. The techniques offered include gilding, stippling, shadowing, stylising, mirroring, and reproduction, plus the essential skill of laying out a page.
History and the world of nature are the main sources of inspiration for this book, which will inspire artists and calligraphers alike to illuminate their work with colourful, creative designs.