a girly scroll

One of the things I really enjoy about doing scrolls is when one gets to actually discuss with the person who will receive it what they want. In discussion with Countess soon to be Duchess Siobhan what she wanted she sent me this image:

King's 322 f.1

This is 15th C Italian, love sonnets with some fun bits and pieces. She told me that she felt the rain on the heart symbolized, for her, the love of the populace she always felt. We had discussed at great length about her Duchy scroll and I knew that she wanted something very colourful with bling, in her words, something girly.So here are some images of the finished scroll with some closeups of the gold and the fun stuff.

The gilding is done with a ground made from Gum Arabic, sugar and distilled water. This recipe never fails me and I get the best shine from it. I also lay the paper on an old mouse pad when I burnish it seems to make it easier.

She was very happy which was great! I didn't think I would enjoy doing this piece because it's not something I'd ever pick for myself but it was what she wanted. In the end it was a fun piece to use and work from.
It's done on pergamenata, with gouache and water-colours, oak-gall ink, 23kt double ducat gold and it took around two seasons of a tv show which is what I tend to have on in the background when I work.