Contemporary Illumination for the Calligrapher and Artist

SHOWS easy methods of sticking gold leaf to paper using modern, readily-available gilding sizes
EXPLAINS how to make and use traditional manuscript gesso and shell gold
COVERS the use of sgraffito and tooling to mark your gold leaf, adding texture or removing gold to reveal a design
USES other metal leaf (other than gold) and explains how to prevent tarnishing
FEATURES examples of writing with and on gold

Toni Watts is an internationally-recognised illuminator, and one of the few artists still using traditional manuscript gilding skills. She creates new work using age-old techniques and hand-prepared, natural materials. These include mineral and earth pigments, plant pigments from her garden, traditional handcrafted inks, vellum, 24-carat gold leaf and gemstones such as sapphires and emeralds. She specialises in manuscript illumination, but also draws with metalpoint and paints in egg tempera. Toni has had a diverse career - she worked for over twenty years as a doctor while pursuing a career as an award-winning wildlife artist. She then gained a master's degree in art history, which sparked an interest in medieval manuscripts and the trade in pigments. This led to a year (2015-16) as artist-in-residence at Lincoln Cathedral, where she had the opportunity both to study its collection of manuscripts and create a new body of work. She now runs national and international workshops on manuscript illumination.