“Design” in which in itself would form a foundation for a splendid
Illumination and complete scheme of Illumination.

SCALE & SCOPE OF DECORATION

Penmanship.—Many of the most beautiful MSS.
were made in pen-work throughout.1 And it is well
that the penman should stick to his pen as much as
is possible. Not only does it train his hand to make
pen ornaments, the forms of which are in keeping
with the writing, but it helps to keep the decoration
proportionate in every way. It is an excellent plan
for the beginner to use the writing-pen for plain
black capitals or flourishes, and to make all other
decoration with similar or slightly finer pens than
the one used for the writing.

Again, the direct use of the pen will prevent much
mischievous “sketching.” Sketching is right in its
proper place, and, where you know exactly what you
wish to do, it is useful to sketch in lightly the main
parts of a complex “design” so that each part may
receive a fair portion of the available space. But do
not spoil your MS. by experimental pencilling in
trying to find out what you want to do. Experiments
are best made roughly with a pen or brush on a piece
of paper laid on the available space in the MS., or
by colouring a piece of paper and cutting it out to
the pattern desired and laying it on. Such means are
also used to settle small doubts which may arise in
the actual illuminating—as to whether—and where

1 A most beautiful twelfth-century MS., known as the
“Golden Psalter,” has many gold (decorated) Initials, Red,
Blue, and Green (plain) Versals and Line-Finishings, every pari
being pen-made throughout the book.

184

—some form or some colour should be placed on
the page.

Filigree, Floral, & other Decoration.—The ac¬
quired skill of the penman leads very naturally to
a pen flourishing and decoration of his work, and
this again to many different types of filigree decora¬
tion more or less resembling floral growths (see figs.
125, 1265 pp. 163-8 ; Plates XI, XVII).

Now all right decoration in a sense arranges itself \
and we may compare the right action of the
“designer’s” mind to that necessary vibration or
“directive” motion which permeates the universe
and, being communicated to the elements, enables
the various particles to fall into their right places:
as when iron filings are shaken near a magnet they
arrange themselves in the natural curves of the mag¬
netic field, or as a cello bow, drawn over the edge
of a sand-sprinkled plate, gathers the sand into
beautiful “musical patterns.”

And to most natural growths, whether of plants
or ornament, this principle of self-arrangement seems
common, that they spread out evenly and occupy to the
greatest extent possible their allotted space. Branches
and leaves most naturally grow away from the stem
and from each other, and oppose elbows and points
in every direction. In this way the growth fits its
place, looking secure and at rest—while in discon¬
nected parallels, or branches following their stem,
there is often insecurity and unrest.1 (See also
Addenda, p. xxiii.)

For example: a circular space is filled more

1 In a spiral the stem, following itself, may be tied by an inter¬
lacing spiral, or the turns of the spiral may be held at rest by
the interlocking of the lèaves (see G, Plate XXII).

185

“Design” in
Illumination