Illuminated Manuscripts

This program begins Sunday, June 16, and ends Saturday, June 22.  The fees listed at right include lodging and all meals (except “Commuter”, which includes a Commuter Meal Plan).  An additional sliding scale Course Fee is required.  For more information on our pricing, see our Pricing page.

In this class we will learn about the history of illuminated manuscripts and the ways this medium influenced the world.

We will use traditional techniques and modern materials to make our own 5″x7″ illuminated manuscript pages, culminating in making a small 4″x5″ illuminated booklet.

You can expect to create: Two miniature paintings and one small illuminated booklet

Illuminated manuscripts are a surprisingly user-friendly medium. The main objective of this course is to introduce people to a new medium that has been forgotten for hundreds of years, but still has a lot of potential. Many people have described these workshops as relaxing and meditative, and the new medium gives people who don’t consider themselves “good at painting” a style that sidesteps classical painting practices. It’s an affirming and beautiful art form. Colors, gold, pattern, and detail are entirely up to the student. We follow the general historical process of ink, then gold, then color. As they gain confidence, students can design their own templates as they put together their booklets. At the end, they will have tiny, beautiful works of art, and confidence to continue creating after the course is complete.

Each day will begin with a short lecture on history and techniques, followed by demonstrations. There are many tricks and shortcuts to make the process easier, but the emphasis is on each person’s project and style.