Ink Spatters

Scroll done by Lady Jeanne Grey... aka Lady Cellach MacFaoitigh....aka Lady Kayleigh McWhyte.

There is a story to this piece. Each scroll carries a story, but this one's a little unusual. It's my first Drachenwald scroll, for someone who just happened to be our incoming King, His Majesty Gaufred Kelson von Heidelberg, aka Gottfried Kelson Bladesword, aka Gaufrid Kelson Blacksword (Atlantia, where these Arms were Registered in 1992). The original was misplaced in Drachenwald, and a new one was commissioned - the original turned up over in Europe/Drachenwald two weeks following the presentation of this one in court. Mind you, I didn't have much time to do this in, and thusly overlooked filling in HRM's Arms. It was purely a stroke of luck that I came into this one to begin with - I had leftover sumi ink from the Gulf Wars scroll I'd done, and Ding Li Ying (thank you) had provided more than enough purple cardstock from my purchase through her to NY Central Art Supply (also used in making the Gulf Wars Scroll).

The circumstances behind this are really inconsequential. I owe it to one friend in particular that I received this opportunity, and despite wanting to do it, I still chickened out on writing my name in on the back, instead using the pseudonym for one of my favorite X-Men comic book characters, otherwise known as "Phoenix".

The purple cardstock is made by Canson, and costs a hellofalot less than $150+ for a large goatskin dyed purple (my other short-lived option). The gold ink costs less and moves faster than gilded permacol, and everything else was already in my "studio bag of holding". The combination of the colored paper and gilded letters were in representation of a German piece from the early 800's also on purple vellum with a similar type of ink.... Otherwise known as Ottonian manuscript. As in Coronation Gospels of Otto III type of manuscript. The primary source for this is in the Marc Drogin book "Medieval Calligraphy: History and Technique".

The supporters were self explanatory...  Tyger rampant in representation of the present - the East, and German Dragon coward (pose is with tail between legs as per) Drachenwald heraldry, also rampant / embattled with Tyger -- representing the past, where HRM Kelson began and received his Award of Arms in AS 27.

I think it was particularly cool to see His Majesty pose with the scroll in court, in the AOL "You've Got Mail" tone "I've got Arms!", as it was presented as among the "lost paperwork" He had left behind in Drachenwald. Best of all, nearly nobody knew I had anything to do with it, so the satisfaction of a job well done and witnessing a friend finally have his work presented in court after a long period of time was a private but happy moment for me. I'm glad HRM likes this piece, and am equally honored to have represented Him and His heraldry as accurately as possible, after hours of sweating and poring through bookstacks at 2 different libraries and 3 different bookshops.

PS - I had initially requested this piece to not be considered in the competition for King's Champion of Arts and Sciences. I was still encouraged to do so with a Royal promise of fairness, and fairness is what was received. There was no favoritism in making the decision for His Champion, and I am most happy with that fact above all.

I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

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