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Average Customer Rating:

Amazing in the scope, beauty, and wonderful instructions!

Customer Rating:

I have wanted to learn how to do beautiful Illuminated Letters for a few decades now....and have managed to buy a couple of 'reproduction' Bibles and such- that had a few illuminated letters in them. But nothing I found had nearly enough information to really feel like I could do more than exactly copy a given letter- and in fact the books I had told me NOTHING about how to get the effects.... Well, this book literally had my jaw on the floor when I first looked through it. I have now had a chance to really examine it. The list of materials and techniques- before you even get to the lettering part is amazing...I will likely never use 'real' calf skin vellum, but it is nice to know HOW to use it (stretching it and handling it) if I ever get really good at this. The book covers a huge number of TYPES of illuminated letters- Gothic, Celtic, Ottonian, Romanesque, Renaissance, Neo-Classical, and more....There are very detailed step by step instructions for doing at least one letter in every style- and much more- including letter and number examples, script examples for the rest of your writing. In short, if you have ANY interest in the subject you will want to own this book...I may just sleep with it under my pillow tonight I love it so much!!

AWESOME ILLUMINATED	Customer Rating:
Beginning to experienced, it does not matter, this book will fit in wonderfully with all your needs and wants. And when you're done with the book, proudly display its beauty. From illuminating capitals to writing script or learning the styles and techniques, this book has just enough of what you're looking for.

The Bible of Illuminated Letters	Customer Rating:
Excellent from the beginning to the end. I used it for a class for Seniors, everyone was impressed with the knowledge, many ordered this book for future reference.

Only Accomplished, Affluent Artists Need Purchase!

Customer Rating:

There's little question that this is a beautifully produced book, and a delight to flip through. Just fine, if this were marketed as a coffee-table book. The product description is quite misleading, however, giving the impression that the book contains step-by-step instructions that anyone could follow. However, completing the projects as described requires not only a sizable investment in various paints, inks, tools and other materials (vellum and gold leaf are two examples) but also the skilled hand of a fairly well-accomplished painter. Moreover, each chapter showcases only one letter from the alphabet covered in a step-by-step, color format; the rest of the alphabet is printed in small, black-and-white renditions, with little or no guidance regarding colorschemes, etc. Overall, this book reads like the pet project of a collection of affluent artists in this genre, concerned primarily with showboating and of the opinion that few buyers of the book will ever use it as anything more than...like I said earlier...a coffee-table book.

BEAUTIFUL book on illuminated letters!

Customer Rating:

I have a couple of books on illuminated letters, but this one is the book I reach for first. It is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! It is produced by the "Barron's" company [which also publishes "The Calligrapher's Bible" by David Harris], and they know how to publish calligraphy books - their books are SPIRAL-BOUND so that they lay flat when you are using them, and every detail has been thought of and included. Just the cover alone is beautiful, but once you open the book it is evident that the author and publisher are truly on the "same page". Illustrations on every page. Gold ink where it belongs. Color everywhere. Gorgeous! But that's not the end of it ... Chapter 1 : Tools & Techniques Chapter 2 : Preparing to Work Chapter 3 : Alphabet Directory (including "Borders & Motifs") Chapter 4 : Contemporary Gallery (examples of actual work by artists!) Glossary Resources Calligraphy Societies Further Reading Index I can't gush on about this book enough. If you are interested in calligraphy (especially illuminated letters) then DEFINITELY add this to your collection!