Transfer gold leaf is very delicate, so be careful when storing it. Transfer leaf should not be stored near a source of heat (direct sunlight, radiator etc.) as the thin wax on the transfer paper can melt and affect the gold leaf. Also, transfer leaf should not be stored flat under any weight (books etc.) as this may cause the leaf to be further pressed onto the wax paper, possibly resulting in difficulties when gilding.

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The Encyclopedia of Calligraphy and Illumination is written by Janet Mehigan and Mary Noble, two very experienced calligraphers.The book is split in to 5 parts;Part 1 covers all the materials and equipment you will need for both calligraphy and illumination. There is also a nice section explaining good preparation, like how to prepare a new nib and avoiding ink spillages!Part 2 deals with basic penmanship; describing the characteristics of a range of lettering styles, tips on accurate ruling-up, mixing colours and layout principles.Part 3 explains in detail how to produce letters in many different styles including; Foundational Hand, Roman Capitals, Uncials, Carolingian, Gothic, Italics, Flourished Italics and Versals.Part 4 is Illumination. A wide range of topics are covered including designing illuminated letters and using and apply gold leaf. Both flat and raised gilding techniques are covered in depth. Many styles of Illumination are covered including Celtic, Romanesque, Renaissance and Modern.Finally Part 5 is the gallery section where a wide range of calligraphy works (formal, informal and gilding) are displayed. They will inspire you – feast your eyes!Scribblers Calligraphy Books

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Patricia Lovett has been a scribe for almost 20 years and is the author of a number of calligraphy books. She is a Fellow (and former Chair) of the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society (CLAS).Patricia has aimed her Teach Yourself Calligraphy book at people who are new to Calligraphy.The book starts with a chapter dedicated to selecting and using different tools and materials.The chapter on writing calligraphic letters covers in great detail many styles of lettering (Uncials, Foundational Hand, Roman Capitals, Gothic Black Letter and Italics). For each style, there are detailed step by step instructions on how to construct each letter, common mistakes and letter and word spacing.The following chapters cover a wide range of projects; bookmarks, boxes, wraps and greetings cards.A whole chapter is dedicated to producing a small book, with detailed instructions on producing the book covers and binding the pages.The final chapter covers layout and design issues and producing pieces of poetry and prose.Scribblers Calligraphy Books

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