The Art of Illumination
Text and the Visual Arts: Communicating with Images
Key Concepts:
• Illuminated Manuscripts reveal an ancient connection between image and
text
• Imagery on a page of text can aid non-literate people as they try to
understand the text.
• Illuminated Manuscript imagery can serve several purposes: it can depict a
specific scene from a story or show reverence for the person or persons
being honored by the text.
• The tradition of Illuminated Manuscript has significantly influenced picture
books, comic books and web pages, among other modern developments in
art.
Essential Questions
Questions to think about while working on this assignment:
- What do Illuminated Manuscripts tell us about
human beings and the idea of communication?
- How can imagery enhance the communicative
value of a text?
- What should we take into consideration when
designing imagery for a text?
- How are Illuminated Manuscripts , picture books,
comic books, webpages, magazines, etc. related?
- View MORE illuminated letters from Ancient Greece, Byzantine Empire,
Medieval Ireland, the Carolingian Empire, Islamic Iberia and Persia, India and
China. Save samples of your favorite into H:/ drive – you will need later. Sketch
some decorations in your sketchbook you find interesting.
- THINK…Who is the letter for?
- Gather MORE images/references. The more details you provide the better the
illuminated letter or letters will be.
- Interests /hobbies
- List favorite colors, activities, places, and foods, pets, hobbies, etc.
- Future aspirations
- Save to H drive and save to refer to in your sketchbook along with…
- Medieval illuminated letters
In your sketchbook:
- Practice Medieval Illuminated letter references
- Practice STYLIZING and perhaps simplifying the photographs
- Create at least 3 thumbnails of your own Illuminated letter creation
- Unify the composition with foliage, zen patterns, cultural motifs
Remember: You are ILLUSTRATING A STORY!
Project Requirements
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Decorated Lettering style
Flourish
Gold Gilding
Detailed Border/Ruled Lines
A miniature –object/symbolism/etc.
A ‘nod’ to medieval illuminations
Think OUTSIDE the box
• Does the letter have to be straight on compositionally?
• Does the border have to contain the letter/background?\
• Think of contrast…..
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–
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Size- big/small
Shapes – organic/geometric
Texture/pattern
-Colors – color theory
-Value
-Unity
Think OUTSIDE the box
• Does the letter have to be straight on compositionally?
• Does the border have to contain the
letter/background?\
• Think of contrast…..
–
–
–
–
–
–
Size- big/small
Colors – color theory
Shapes – organic/geometric
Value
Texture/pattern
Unity
Illuminated Letter
poor
average
Good (but some requirements are missing)
better
G
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D
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N
G
References
Microsoft Typography - Download different font styles not found on
MS
http://mrshollyhatfield.blogspot.com/2013/02/illuminated-letters.html
Minneapolis Museum of Art - Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts