The Design and Process for the original Manuscript

Based on a series of renaissance era seals of a squirrel holding a nut stating I crack nuts. I decided it would be fun manuscript marginalia as well, added a snail for good measure and here we are.

The designs are each drawn, inked with handmade iron gall ink, then gesso is laid down before gilding with 23+ karat gold and painted with egg tempera paint that is handmade with historic pigments, including vermillion, white lead, azurite, various earths and ochers, lampblack, lead/tin yellow, and minium. All of this is on goatskin parchment.

The Prints

Each print is a digital reproduction of the original artwork and is 4x4 inches and is matted to fit in an 8x8 inch frame. Our prints are produced using Epson Claria inks.