Re: displaying scrolls etc

["Heather Swann" <swann@Intercon.Com>]

Poster: "Heather Swann" <swann@intercon.com>

> Poster: "Thorpe, John" <thorpj@caepo1.columbiaSC.NCR.COM> 

> Greetings from Eldred! 
>  
> I think I need to address two topics.  First of all, I certainly did 
> not intend to say all fighters do not appreciate scrolls.  
> Someone forcefully told me that most fighters do not.  The veracity 
> of that opinion can be debated at length.  However, my original point 
> was that to be told that is a powerful de-motivator. 
>  
> Now onto happier subjects: 
>  
>  
>  
> Scripsit Miriam: 
> >Scripsit Corun: 
> >> Miriam wrote: 
>snip>
> >> 
> >> Stephen Harroldsson, Storvik's current A&S Officer, had an idea 
> >> for displaying scrolls at demos. He suggested everyone take 
> >> their scrolls to their local Kinko's (or equivalent) and have 
> >> them colour photcopied. These copies could then be displayed in 
> >> a notebook at demos and no scrolls would be risking damage. I know 
> >> this isn't as flashy as seeing the actual scroll, but it 
> >> would certainly avoid damage. 
> >> 
> >What a great idea!  If a copy could be made to keep in a Kingdom 
> >album and 
> a 
> >second copy to put in the local group's demo book, that would save 
> >wear and 
>  
> >tear and let more scrolls be seen.  The name of the scribe and the 
> >date should 
> >be included with the copy as well..... 
>  
>  
> The color photocopying of scrolls is an excellent idea. 
> The scribes in Falcon Cree (myself included) have been copying our 
> scrolls for the past several years.  I keep mine in a notebook to use as 
> a portfolio and to display at demos. 
>  
> However, I see one major flaw to Miriam's idea.  The cost of 
> color photocopies.  To have one done usually costs me about $1.50.  If 
> I do two more for the Kingdom and the local group, that costs me 
> an additional $3.  So now I add $4.50 to the cost of doing a scroll.  
> I'm not sure I'm comfortable asking other scribes to spend an 
> additional $3 to $4.50 to produce a scroll when they are already 
> absorbing the original cost of materials. 
>  
> Now, who will take responsibility for looking after those albums? 
> I can think of plenty of articles that get easily lost, and something 
> the size of a book can get lost VERY easily. 
>  
> I don't mean to be a wet blanket about it, because I do think that it is 
> a very good idea.  I'm just trying to look at the practical side. 
>  
> In service, 
> Eldred 
>  
Actually, I was driving along this weekend and thinking out the cost of 
scrolls.  I don't think folks really know how much is contributed out of 
pocket by scribes- I didn't fully realize it myself.  Here is the breakdown as 
I thought it out, and the costs are nothing out of the ordinary for many 
scribes:

1)  You are assigned the AoA scroll for Lord Ivan.  You don't know Ivan, but 
you figure he's got a Russian, perhaps Cossack persona.  You aren't sure why 
he got this scroll, so you call the Clerk S. to find out.  She is unsure, so 
you call around to find out where Ivan is from, then call the seneschale or 
Baron/ess of his local group to find out what Ivan does that got him the AoA.  
You discover his persona is from Novgorod, in the 12th century, that he washes 
dishes, does scutwork, and does some woodworking to create cool stuff for the 
group, he hates green and yellow, but loves purple, red, blue, black, and 
silver.  After all, you want to make it as personal as you can in case it's 
the only scroll he ever gets.  At this point, let's say you called on the 
weekend rates and got the information quickly, assuming maybe $5 in long 
distance charges.


2)  You have no sources for the correct type of illumination or hand for a 
proper scroll, so you go to the library (you're in a small shire, and no one 
local has a good personal library).  You find some sources, make some notes, 
but the books they have are old, and you can't photocopy them.  The library 
hours are bankers hours effectively, so you note titles and see what you can 
find at Barnes & Noble or any inexpensive but good source.  Let's say you get 
lucky, and find a great book for $15.  It's not too pricey, and it'll add to 
your library, and what if you have another scroll like this in the future...?


That's $20 so far.

3)  Oh, yeah....materials.  Let's say you have a good set of pens, nibs, 
brushes, guaches, and gold and silver powder.  You need a sheet of paper.  
Let's say you don't get some 'board' for this one (the store is out- all they 
have are large sheets of pseudo-parchment, but it's nice stuff).  That's about 
$5.  Oh, and you're an Atlantian scribe, so you use a lot of blue, and you 
need to get more for this scroll (we're assuming you already have all the 
other colours).  Let's say you buy a small tube of Windsor-Newton guache on 
sale- $3.


Up to $28 now.

4)  Now let's add time....not what you've spent so far....just the time to 
parctice and master the proper hand for the calligraphy, the time to design 
the scroll, the time to sketch it out, do the illumination, the calligraphy.  
Let's say you have a lot of free time, so you manage to do it in a month.

Now you have to get that scroll to the Clerk Signet, but you're not going to 
an event soon, and you don't know anyone else who will be going to something 
she'll be attending.  Do you put this scroll in the mail?  Send it FEDEX or 
UPS?  If it gets destroyed, you know you'll go raving mad.....

This is the life of an Atlantian scribe, dramatised for your 
amusement......your mileage may vary.........but I've been in these shoes, and 
I know many people who have been....

This is not meant to be a whine fest, just an explanation of why, when I've 
done all that work, I'll gladly shell out $4 for a good pair of colour copies.

Miriam bat Mordecai

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