Blacksmith's Chai

 Blacksmith's Chai Concentrate

        Every so often, I make a big batch of chai concentrate to give out for Christmas.  The sweet spiciness is so nostalgic on many levels.  And this super dark version lends a smokiness that really appeals to my palate now!  Feel free to adjust ingredients to your heart's content!

Ingredients:

-About 2" knob of ginger, sliced

-2 nutmeg nuts, crushed

-4 cinnamon sticks, crushed

-16 cardamom pods, crushed

- 1 tsp crushed peppercorns

-8c water

-1/4 c. black tea leaves

-1/2 c sugar (may substitute honey)

In the bottom of a cast iron dutch oven, toast spices for 1 minute, then add water.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 min.  Return to a boil, then remove from heat and add the tea leaves (I wrapped mine in cheesecloth to steep, but this is not necessary). After 5 minutes, stir in sugar until dissolved.  Strain through cheesecloth covered mesh into jars.  Let cool at room temp before storing in the fridge.

To use, heat with equal parts milk and enjoy!

Bone Black

Bone Black Tempera on Bristol

 Although there were various methods of making a charcoal black (grape vines, walnut husks, etc.), I have been fascinated with making bone black lately.  This type of pigment can be made from any type of bone, though the bones of fish or birds are the easiest to use because of their size and increased surface area.  

Charcoalized chicken bones after removal from coals

For this experiment, I took the bones of a roast chicken and, after the meat was consumed, made a bone broth from the remnants.  This makes a healthful soup and also makes the bones soft and easy to clean.  Making bone black requires that the bones be entirely sealed off from air in order for them to charcoalize.  To accomplish this, I sealed them in several layers of aluminum foil before placing them in the coals of a fire.  I just left them there as we cooked dinner over the flames, and after we ate, I removed the foil packet and allowed it to cool.  The blackened bones within can then be powdered and worked up in the same method as any other pigment.

I decided to test mine out in an egg tempura that would seal the pigment in as it dried, avoiding any smudging later on.  It ground up so smooth and the warm black gave a rich, intense color.  I definitely look forward to making more of this in the future!

Elderberry Experiments: 2024

Sap green paint from unripe blue elderberries

In Theopholis' "Divers Arts" he mentions a green pigment from elderberry. The Sambucus nigra species is most common in Europe through the Middle East.  The most common in the United States is a sub-species of this, Sambucus canadensis, that does not grow as large, has a pale yeast that grows over the berries causing them to appear blue, with lower levels of total anthocyanins (provide pigment). 

Ripe and unripe blue elderberries along with a small piece of ochre.

In experiments this past summer I used what was available to me: blue elderberry.  Although the anthocyanin levels were lower, I hoped to get at least a paler version of the green that Theopholis might have used.  Since anthocyanin levels are at their highest when the berry is ripe, I suspected the ripe berries might be shifted with the addition of an acid to a green color like the purple of the iris.  However when I tested this, shifting through the pH range by addition of ammonia, and vinegar or lemon juice, I got shades of pink to a grey blue.  I decided to try the unripe berries.  These little orbs were mostly filled with hard, colorless seeds.  But the small amount of flesh and skin burst with intense, sap green!  

Columns of testing, from left: fresh green berry, fresh ripe berry, air dried berry

I tested with a variety of additives, and the most vibrant green seemed to be from adding a small amount of alum water.  Even after taping a sample in the window for several days, the color maintained surprisingly well!  Perhaps artists of Theopholis' time were using unripe elderberries to make their green paint?  To test further, I would like to repeat this experiment with Sambucus nigra next year to see if there is any difference.  

Freshly ground green elderberry paint

Mulling Stones: Earth Paints

The oldest art form we know of are cave paintings, some dated at more than 50,000 years old.  And the paint used in these paintings is usually ochre!  Ochres are earth pigments, highly silicate colored earth, found worldwide in clay beds.  It’s often perceived as “soft rock” or the pigment of the clay itself, it’s a mixture of ferric oxide (iron) and varying portions of clay and sand.  They will usually naturally be found in browns, yellows and oranges.

Pointing out ochre stones that the gophers have kindly brought to the surface.  It easily crumbles.

Ochres are very stable pigments that do not fade or dull in the presence of UV rays (like anthocyanin) or air (like chlorophyll).  The only instance where they may shift color is in the presence of intense heat.  In the middle ages in Europe, pigment makers would heat the natural gold ochre of the landscape, thus causing the ochre to change from gold to red. The process of turning yellow ochre red can be seen in areas that have just been afflicted with wildfire.  Natural ochres have been heated enough by the fire to turn red where they originate, probably because of copper inclusions that redden with heat.  This is also where we get modern paint terms like “Raw Sienna and Burnt Sienna” or “Raw Umber and Burnt Umber”. The raw refers to the ochre as it comes from the land, while the burnt refers to the color after heat is applied.  Those terms also not where the raw material originated.  “Umber” and “Sienna” are both locations in Italy.  So you can name your color by wherever you harvest it from (ie “Raw Cottage Grove”).  

The ochre stones at top have all been located on our property.  The lids contain the same golden ochre at different lengths of heat application.

There is a similar pigment whose slightly differed chemical composition alters its color greatly.  Often called “Green Earth” gets its color from iron silicates (glauconite and celadonite) rather than iron oxides.  Similar in its green color is copper carbonate, although this stone ends up being quite a bit hard, therefore taking more effort to prepare as a pigment.  Calcium carbonate (chalk), gypsum, and limestone are all soft whites that have been used as opaque whites.  

This sample of copper carbonate is more vivid in person and was found In the Oregon Cascades.

Then theres the famous ultramarine from lapis lazuli.  This was a precious color in the middle ages because it was both difficult to obtain as well as difficult to prepare.  In the middle ages, lapis was only mined in what is presently Afghanistan, so most of Europe had to have it shipped in.  Only the highest quality would make a vibrant blue.  To prepare this ultramarine blue, the very hard stone had to be mulled, but not over-mulled.  Once the particles passed a certain size, the refraction changed, causing the pigment to appear more and more ashy the smaller it got.  In some manuscripts, you can see the texture of the paint as it could not be mulled finer without loosing vibrancy.  And in the European middle ages, vibrancy was equal to beauty.   Malachite performs in a similar way to give a bright green.

While just about any stone can be used to make a paint pigment, there are many that were used, created bright, vibrant colors, but many modern scribes refuse to use due to potentially negative health effects if not handled properly.  Vermillion is the name of the pigment made from naturally occurring cinnabar (Includes sulphur and mercury) or from heating sulphur with mercury.  Vermillion gives a red color that was used in both medieval Europe, Asia,  as well as pre-Columbian Americas. Realgar is more of an orange red, but is very arsenic laden.

Orpiment gave a clear, sparkly yellow and could be found near volcanos, but its main component is lead.  Azurite was often used as a budget ultramarine.  It couldn’t attain quite as vibrant a blue, but it was close and much more ubiquitous.  However, when it was ground into a powder to use as pigment, it off-gassed mercury cyanide.   And then lead white has it’s warning in it’s name.  To create lead white, lead strips were fumigated over vinegar or urine.  

The process of mulling stone pigments is largely the same, just the duration will differ.  Aside from your pigment material, you’ll need a hammer and cloth, mulling board and muller, as well as safety equipment of dust mask and safety glasses.  Concerns include bits of flying rock as well as inhaling the dusts that can cause silicosis.  Mulling boards and mullers can be found by glassworkers, but a smooth, tempered glass cutting board and flat-topped (no embossed numbers) glass electric insulator can work just fine.  

You will also need to add some type of binder during the mulling process.  What you add will determine your end product.  If your goal is simply to grind the pigment powder or make a very basic paint, water will suffice.  Eggs are also a common binder.  In the pre-colonization Pacific Northwest, fish eggs were added with the albumin stabilizing the paint.  In Europe, chicken and quail eggs were used in a couple different ways to create paint.  Eggs were used in glaire and tempura as well.  More binders include hide glue, gum arabic, and seasoned linseed oil.  For more information on the different binders and the paints they create, check out my article here: http://www.growwildmychild.com/2024/06/historic-paints-on-metal.html

For the sake of brevity, this article will discuss the use of water as binder, to create a pigment powder that can be reconstituted with any binder again at any future date.  To begin, chip off the amount of pigment you’d like to use, usually no more than a couple tablespoons worth.  If the original material is hard, I like to wrap it in a stout cloth, don protective equipment, and chip pieces with a hammer over a harder rock.  If available, sometimes it’s helpful to further reduce the particle size by grinding in an iron or hard stone mortar and pestle.  Once your materials particle size has reduced to sand or smaller, place it in a mound in the center of the mulling board.  Indent the top and prepare about half as much binder as you have pigment.  This amount will vary, but it’s easier to add more than have too much.  If you’re concerned, reserve a small amount of ground pigment off the board. 

Mulling the pigment can take anywhere from ten minutes to an hour, depending on the hardness of the stone.  The finer the pigment powder, the smoother and more uniform it will act as a paint.  Traditionally, this mulled pigment was put into small pans or shells for storage.  To reconstitute plain dry pigment, return it to the mulling board and re-mull with your binder of choice.  Once it’s fully blended, it’s ready to be used as paint!  Be aware that some binders (such as gum arabic and egg glaire) can be allowed to dry and reconstitute indefinitely, while others (such as tempera and egg yolk) must be used when they are made.  

***Word of warning: there are paint pigment sellers that claim "earth pigments" who only use a natural ocher base and add modern chemical compounds to give them vibrant colors.  From what I've seen they usually list their processes somewhere on their website.  These are still really fun to play and paint with!  Just know what you have.  

Resources

1. King, H. (2024). “Malachite” from geology.com. Last viewed 5-20-24 from https://geology.com/minerals/malachite.shtml
2. Royal Tennis (2003) “Color Stories” Last visited 5-20-24 from https://www.royaltalens.com/en/inspiration/tips-techniques/colour-stories/
3. Albee, S. (2022) “How Many Artists Were Poisoned by their Paints?” Last visited 5-20-24 from https://medium.com/@sarahjalbee/how-many-artists-were-poisoned-by-their-paints-346a93459b7e
4. Douma, M., curator. (2008). Pigments through the Ages. Retrieved 5-20-24 from https://www.webexhibits.org/pigments
5. Cochran, C. (2024).  “The Deepest Black” Retrieved 5-20-24 from https://christophercochran.me/color-history/bone-black/
6. Webster, S. (2012) "Earth Pigments: Hand-Gathering & Using Natural Colors in Art" Schiffer Publishing.

Fixing Award Mistakes

     When we study the ancient and medieval manuscripts to learn the styles and forms, we are usually seeing the very best.  These are the pieces that were most valuable, most treasured, and handled with the most care over the centuries between.  Sometimes we forget that art and calligraphy was created by artists of a range of abilities, mistakes happened, even to some of the best scribes of the times.  

We will still make mistakes today, but all is not lost.  I have met many people who won't try any form of scribal because they're afraid they won't do it right or will make mistakes. We WILL make mistakes! We're all human! But, how we deal with mistakes can display historical techniques that only add to the character of the scroll. All is not lost! In the very worst case scenarios, lessons are learned!

Parchment and Vellum: historically, the hides of animals were used for books, most often calf or sheep. The process of creating these pages was very long and laborious. When the hide is stretched on a frame to be scraped to its thinnest layers, the tiniest misstep could lead to the development of a hole. Depending on where this whole occurred, it might not be repairable. But the parchment was so valuable, that they were still sometimes used if the hole wasn't too big. We have surviving evidence of the creative ways scribes and bookbinders incorporated these holes into the art of the book. Some were worked around, some painted around, and others were laced together in delicate and colorful patterns.

Uppsala University Library, 14th C.

Paper: Now we most often paint on paper. The thicker the paper we use, the fewer paper issues occur and the easier they are to fix. Warping can occur when too much water is applied to the paper. Aside from tempering water quantity, one preventative measure is to tape all edges of the paper to the table to keep it taught while painting. If your paper does warp, you can press it between two large books for a few days. By sandwiching the paper between two clean towels, you can even iron your paper, though there is a chance the heat may discolor any pigments used.

Extremely warped and crumpled paper.  Ironing with a little spritz of water got it quite flat again, with the only ridges from the places where the paper had creased.  Although this does give a somewhat parchment-like quality if it were slightly discolored!

A difficult situation to address with paper is if there is any tearing. A small tear at an edge might simply be glued or taped from behind. If a tear occurs from abrasion (too much erasing) in the middle of the sheet, you could try a threaded mesh like was done on parchment, or you could try restructuring the paper by wetting, applying paper mash and drying under pressure. This is an extreme attempt and will likely lead to other issues such as warping and inconsistent texture.

Tearing from rough brushstrokes over a wet area.  The paper particles were pressed back into place, allowed to dry, covered with a few coats of white paint, and sanded lightly.  

When it comes to actually painting our pieces, we run into a new set of mistakes, most of which occur from haste on our part. Both inks and most paints' pigments will soak into and stain paper very quickly. When paint strays from where we want it to go, the best thing we can do is to catch it quickly! With a clean, wet brush, gently "lift" the paint by slightly swirling it up into the brush. Clean the brush and repeat until no more will lift. Try not to spread the color out any more than necessary. If your paper is thick enough, you can then gently scrape the stained paper with an exact knife, however, this can cause tearing or a roughening of the papers texture that will appear as a bigger mistake.

Dark purple splatter of paint, lifting with very wet brush, then lightly scraping some of the pigmented paper off.

    Once the area is dry, you can work on covering it up. With fresh white gouache (full opacity and no other colors mixed in) or even white acrylic, layer up thin coats so no texture is evident, and blend out all of the edges of this white into the surrounding paper. Allow each layer to dry completely before starting a new one. If there is some texture from the brushstrokes, sometimes you can gently sand it down when it's all dry.

Dried paint, many coats of white paint with feathered edges.  The texture remaining is from trying to scratch off the top layer.  I usually omit this step to maintain the smooth surface.

But maybe "erasing" the wayward mark isn't the best choice for your piece of art. A very common practice all through history was to make the mark something else! Maybe that is now the place where you paint a bird, flower, leaf, scroll; something that fits with the rest of your design while covering up the mistake. While I haven't found written proof of this, it is generally accepted that this was the cause of a lot of the marginalia we see in manuscripts. A third option of the coverup variety is a solid color. I've seen the entire outer boarder painted a solid

 

Some mistakes don’t detract from the award.  You’re going to be your worst critic, so ask yourself if you would be happy to receive it?  Or ask another scribe?  If it doesn’t pass, you have a couple options. First, let it go and learn and grow. Mourn it (or at least the time investment) and call it a learning experience. In some instances there is precedence for cutting out the pieces you like and reformat on a new page, but this isn't generally recommended.

Some issues are specific to calligraphy, and some aren't our fault! Especially if you're like scribes from centuries past who also had feline friends "assisting" them!

Medieval scribes, like us, sometimes forgot letters or words, or they would repeat themselves. While we do see things simply crossed out, there are cases showing inserted letters and words. Sometimes extra creatively, like the lasso pulling a passage into place, or arrows and pointed hands drawing attention to a specific place.

While these hints may help with the inevitable blooper, the best medicine is prevention. Taking our time with the planning and measuring, and following the manuscript order of operations (measure, sketch, calligraphy, illumination, sign, seal, deliver) can be the most effective and preventing mistakes in our art.

Smeared ink below bird

Resources:

1. Piepenbring, D. (11-11-2014) "Damage Control: How to Repair Parchment". Last viewed 9-18-24 from https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2014/11/11/damage-control/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social 

2. Open Culture (5-14-2024) "Medieval Cats Behaving Badly" Last viewed 9-18-24 from https://www.openculture.com/2024/05/medieval-cats-behaving-badly-kitties-that-left-paw-prints-and-peed-on-15th-century-manuscripts.html

3. O'Daly, I (6-20-2014) "The Beauty of Mistakes" Last viewed 9-18-24 from https://medievalfragments.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/the-beauty-of-mistakes/

4. Asher, J.A. (5-6-2015), "Truth and Fiction: The Text of Medieval Manuscripts." Last viewed 9-18-24 from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1179/aulla.1966.25.1.002

5. Doyle, K. and Lovett, P. "How to Make a Medieval Manuscript" British Library.  Last viewed 9-18-24 from http://res.tigerge.cn/%E8%A1%A5%E5%85%852%20How%20to%20make%20a%20medieval%20manuscript.pdf

11th C. Irish Persona

 In the SCA (Society of Creative Anachronisms) we develop a persona we play as.  Focusing and learning about who we are (or would have been) during a specific time and place really helps the history come alive.  You're looking at real people and how they lived their lives.  I decided to do a little write up of my persona and her life.  While I have been researching this time and place, I am always learning new things and do not consider this complete, just as accurate as I can with the information I've gleaned so far.  Our chosen time has limited records as invaders tried to wipe out the culture and destroy the records. 

11th Century Irish Persona

        I’m Muirenn inghean Uí Cléirigh, born in 990 in Connacht in what is now known as Ireland.  It is a beautiful place, with temperate northern climate, though the Romans count it too cold.  From my home I can see rolling hills covered in grasses for our cattle, craggy cliffs, patches of forests and streams beyond the lake that our crannog is on.  I was born in a neighboring clan to the south, and married Eoghan and we now have two children, Finn (named from the legendary Fionn Mac Cumhaill) and Onóra.  Eoghan inherited this family home and we work to keep it comfortable.  There are no large villages near us, but we have heard of the Viking settlement of  Baile Átha Cliath (“town of the hurdled ford”) from traders where the norse were recently driven out by Brian Boru at his death.  It used to be called Eblana (140 AD), and Dubh Linn (black pool) by the monks at the monastery built there.  But the Norse were not seen as often on our side of the island, at least not near our clan

Our daily routine is very seasonal, but always includes tending to the cattle, some sheep, quail, and dogs, and our little garden.  The calves come in the spring and we get milk from the cows.  Sometimes we will hunt for geese or ptarmigan or fish for the river salmon, and often we visit the hedges for blackberries, elderberries or sloe in season.  This is also where we would find most of our medicine. In the winter we have more time for making and mending clothing as well as music and games.  Finn is teaching us neftafl, a viking game that he learned from the traders.  We wear léine and brats, with shoes from our cattle’s hides.  I wear my hair braided with a headband.  I’ve heard of more prominent women wearing gold balls at the ends of their braids and torcs around their necks.  If I find time, I gather local pigments from ochres, woad, oak galls, buckthorn berries and cudbear lichen to sell to the monks at the monastery for their paints and inks.  While we are incredibly literate (all of our traditions and stories are oral), we value knowledge and I love the intricate, interwoven designs they create.  It reminds me of the way we weave bog reeds into baskets and hats.  

During this time, cattle are our main source of currency, though we see coins and jewelry from other lands from the traders.  Brehon law is in effect, but we mostly rely on our old ways.  My husband and I work together, both free, and women have a good amount of freedom.  We are inspired by the women of our stories, Brighid, the Morrighan, and even Maebh who went in battle against Cu Chulainn.  Our battles are usually smaller cattle raids today.  Our fighters wear flexible clothing and fight with axe and sling.  Our closest leader is Tag in Eich Gil, and we hear that Pope John XIX is leading the Christian Church, though we only hear of him at Cong Abbey where Saint Feichin built the church a few generations ago.  When I was young, Munster raiders burned that place down, but the High King of Ireland, Turlough More O’Connor refounded it. It’s currently being established as an Augustinian settlement.  

My goals in life would be to be able to feed our family well and see our children’s children.  And bask in every celebration such as hand fastings, seasonal festivals, and new births!  

Quick Garden Pickles for War

Last week, our family joined our SCA kingdom in a war against our neighboring kingdom.  Fighters took to the field in their heavy armor beneath the summer sun and fought for their homeland and glory.  And when it was over, we were there with water and pickles! 

Pickles (the vinegar pickle juice in particular) has been found to be very beneficial to athletes and those who work in hot environments.  Not only do they provided needed electrolytes to better utilize the water you drink, they also can reduce muscle cramps!  While cucumber pickles are lovely, it was fun to switch it up with this fun giardiniera, or garden veggie pickles.

Passing out pickled veggies on the battlefield sidelines between scenarios

While you can use whatever veggies you have on hand, I chose carrots, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and cauliflower.  The bell peppers were probably in the highest demand, but they all seemed to disappear rather quickly!

Ingredients for 1 gallon:

~6 large carrots, sliced 1/4” or less

~1 head of cauliflower

~3 bell peppers, sliced in 1/4” strips

~1-2 onions, sliced in 1/8” strips

~5 cloves of garlic sliced thin

Brine:

~2 c. Apple cider vinegar 

~4 -5 c. water

~4 tsp. Salt

~4 tsp. Sugar

~1/4 c. Pickling spices  (the one I use contains coriander, cinnamon bark, mustard seed, ginger, fenugreek, bay leaves, dill seed, red peppers, cloves, fennel seeds, black pepper, and allspice.)

Bring brine ingredients to a boil in pot on stovetop.  Fill four quart jars evenly with veggies.  Once brine has boiled and allowed to cool slightly, pour evenly over veggies, ensuring all are covered with the liquid.  You may add more vinegar or water as needed. Make sure all spices make it into the jars as they like to stick to the pot.  Cover and allow to cool at room temperature overnight, then place lids and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.  

Also good on the feast table

For more reading on the benefits of pickles, see this article from Cleveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-health-benefits-of-drinking-pickle-juice