Finally!  I got another thing checked off my list of backlog projects!  

We had a fundraiser for tents for Heralds’ Point and for arts and sciences for Lilies War, and I offered a heraldic achievement using gold leaf.  Unfortunately, my life got a bit busy, and this got put on the back burner.  I finally got to a point where I could sit down and get this done.  

So, without further ado, the process.

Similar to Anna and Gieffrei’s conjugal achievement, I started by pencilling in the detail.  Calontir’s sumptuary laws for bestowed peers allows for use of any paired supporters (not to include the falcon), helm, torse, crest, mantling, and motto in the achievement.  Thaddeus also wanted something 15th c German, so I used a sallet helm.

Once the pencil was down, I started the work for gilding.  I tried a new technique for raised gilding, using PVA glue, a couple of brushfuls of water, and a bit of gouache so I could see where things were going.  I gilded the nails of the lions, as well as some of the fur and the sword.  After letting the glue dry enough, I did the breathing on it to moisten the glue enough to get tacky, and laid down the gold (which is a pale gold, not a rich gold.  Once this book is done, I’m investing in a much more richer colour), using a straw to save my back.  Note to self: condensation formed on the inside of the straw and caused a couple of wet spots, which while easily cleaned up, did cause some issues.

Once the gilding was done, I started laying in the rest of the shiny bits, using my FineTec palette.  I used both Arabic Gold and the silver pans to really push the two metals used in his device, as well as making the sallet helmet look metallic.  Any shading done to the helm was accomplished by mixing gouache with the silver to keep the appearance consistent.  When working with FineTec, I generally mix the paint a bit on the thick side for fuller coverage, but it’s a decent paint.  (John Neal carries a full complement of FineTec/Coliro paints, if you ever wanted to purchase some for your own use.)  As far as mimicking shell gold, FineTec is a bit more sparkly as mica is used in the formulation, but goodness, it’s a gorgeous paint.

Once I got the shiny bits down, it was time to paint all the things.  And boy, there was a lot of paint.  A.  Lot.  Of.  Paint.  A few days worth of paint.

Did I mention painting?  Yeah.

One of the things I added that Calontir law doesn’t specify (and looks like it’s a post-period item on achievements, alas) is a compartment, which is the thing that the supporters stand on.  The compartment for this particular achievement was green grass.  I added it as I felt it centered the piece and brought the everything together.

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Things still to accomplish.

1. Lined Skjoldehamn hood (Have cut out the wool and am working on getting it lined and assembled.)
2. Cutting out several Byzantine bone box blanks in preparation for turning into Byzantine box icons. 
3. Sewing up Byzantine boy garb (PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS!  I have wool, but I really want something a wee bit lighter for the summer, so . . . waiting to get more linen.  Also just purchased a bit of wool for pants because pants and it was a screaming good deal on wool.)
4. Creating four Byzantine peerage ceremonies (I’m picking through rather slowly.  There’s a lot of information.  De Ceremoniis is a doorstop of a book!)
5. Found a second Skjoldehamn hood in my projects that just needs to be hemmed.  Not sure what will happen to it, but argh, craft stash.

Things I’ve gotten accomplished!

1. Painting Aed’s shield.
2. Secret project scroll #1 (known now as Sir Gawayne’s Augmentation scroll)
3. Nobelese Largesse Secret Project (blogged about here)
4. Mar’s Quilt block (which has been presented and photos can be found on facebook)
   
5. Wrote Pelican scroll text for Jaida de Leon
   
6. New Baronial A&S Champions traveling trophy. (I do want to do some clean-up work on this particular piece so that it’s more comfortable to wear.)
   
7. A whole slew of Facebook frames for at least five kingdoms and one principality.(while not a period art, it is a service and probably something I should post.)
   
8. Baronial preprints.  (I’ve honestly lost track of how many I’ve done for the barony.  It’s also a blast to work with others on this, too.)
   A bunch of preprints for TRM Ashir and Ashland to use.  And the preprint workshop at Valor helped Their Majesties out, too.  I may have to hold more of these in the future.
   
9. Baronial roll of arms project. (this is honestly an ongoing project, but it’s fun to see how far it’s come in the years we’ve worked on it.  We’re up to 86 completed banners.)
   
10. Camp banners for Valor.
    
11. Creating handouts for Valor’s classes.
    
12. Banner for KWHSS.
    
13. Nikolai’s Herald Extraordinary Scroll (formerly known as Secret Project Scroll #2)
    
14. Imperial Roman clothes and jewellery (I just need actual full-length photos of it)
    
15. A bunch of preprints for TRM Xerxis and BelAnna (OMG, SO SHINY.)
    
16. A YouTube video (which was from a FB live session) on shading.
    
17. Painted Dirik von Rosswald’s shield for his upcoming knighting.
    
18. Making more casual Byzantine clothing (Finished with the Imperial Roman garb part of it.  It’s starting life as Imperial Roman, and then will be cannibalized for something 4th c. as a part of Operation Cooler Summers.)  It’s going here because it actually got finished as part of the process.
    
19. Eynon’s Boga Hirth Scroll, formerly known as Secret Project scroll #3 (text, calligraphy, and art)
20. Thaddeus’ Achievement of Arms.