Light up the page: create original texts with brilliant illuminations

There were no printing presses in the medieval days; books were produced and copied by hand. Since few could read, manuscripts were illuminated or "lit up" with pictures to tell the story. Coins were hammered into thin sheets of gold leaf and adhered to the page. Natural ingredients were ground and mixed up as pigments or paint.

Medieval Books

Show your class the center poster in this issue: October, from Tres Riches Heures. Encourage them to notice the different parts of the calendar page. Ask them to describe the work of the scribe and the work of the illuminators. Then share the following steps.

Become a Scribe

Divide the parchment paper (see recipe, below right) in half. Reserve one half for the illumination. On the other half, measure and mark down pencil lines as guides for the story. Create a rectangular shape for a large, decorative initial capital letter. Copy your story first in pencil and then in permanent marker.

Illuminate Your Text

Collect foil candy wrappers, aluminum foil, or metallic origami paper to simulate the gold leaf. Cut out letters, backgrounds, and borders from the foil; adhere them to the paper with glue. Next, draw small pictures in pencil, plus capital letters with designs. Trace over with a permanent marker. Apply watercolors over the drawing. The illumination is complete!

RELATED ARTICLE: Parchment paper recipe

Materials needed: A shallow tray, 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper, tea bags, and hot water.

Directions:

1. Soak 4 tea bags in 2 cups of warm water.

2. Completely saturate a sheet of paper in the stained water. Let sit for at least 20 minutes. Loose tea and coffee grounds also add interesting effects.

3. Remove the paper from the mixture when the desired color is achieved. Let the paper dry on a flat surface.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Scholastic, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group