An inspirational introduction to creating decorative calligraphy.

50 great initials of the Middle Ages, all with remarkable, ready-to-color illuminations built into them: Biblical scenes, knights, martyrdoms, grotesque animals, geometrical ornament, scenes of war and play, musicians and much else from the treasury of medieval manuscript.

Patricia Carter has again created a stunning collection of decorative design ideas, this time to illuminate lettering. There are nine complete alphabets offered, including Parchment, Classical Collection and Entwined Roses.

More than 350 decorative designs in this impressive collection, including 256 letters, display the glories of extant medieval manuscripts. Exceptionally rare letters and borders that once enhanced medieval bibles and other rare manuscripts are ornamented with exquisite florals, gem-like geometrics, curvilinear motifs interwoven with religious figures, and superb embellishments. Comprising a practical archive of usable lettering for artists and craftworkers alike, this impressive collection also provides medievalists with a wonderful glimpse of the ancient art of manuscript illumination.

The Bodleian Library is home to some of the finest examples of illuminated letters. Now, with An Illuminated Alphabet, readers young and old can enjoy a wide selection of these extraordinary letters in twenty-six pull-out postcards--one for each letter of the alphabet. Each postcard features one illuminated letter from a book or manuscript in the Bodleian Library's collection. From large gold-leaf initials in medieval and Renaissance manuscripts to hand-painted examples from early printed books, An Illuminated Alphabet offers an intriguing new way to enjoy the many treasures in the collection of the Bodleian Library. Whether you're an art lover, bibliophile, or one of the Library's more than one million visitors each year, this most beautiful of alphabet books is sure to become a favorite.

Learn how to illuminate your writing like the scribes of the past, bringing letters to life with plant and animal motifs, swirling vines and leaves, graceful arabesques and flourishes, fantastical imagery, and more. Draw creatures cavorting across the page as Gothic illuminators did, or create the knotwork seen in famous Celtic manuscripts. Step-by-step tutorials, tips for creating striking effects, and blank letterforms you can illuminate yourself make this the perfect modern-day guide to the medieval art of beautiful writing. 160 pages. 6-1/4" wide x 8-1/4" high (15.9 cm wide x 21 cm high). Rights: World (English)