Did You Know? For centuries, prior to the invention of the printing press, monastic artists had been hand lettering, illuminating and painting books and scrolls on parchment. The most significant illuminated manuscript in the world, The Book of Kells, was produced by Irish monks.
About the Artist. In the tradition of the Book of Kells, Celtic artist Kevin Dillon has rediscovered the same medieval techniques used by these monks. Using a mortar and pestle, Kevin crushes semiprecious stones—lapis lazuli, cinnabar, azurite, orpiment, and malachite—to make his own paints.
Using a dip pen or goose quill, the letters are meticulously applied by hand to the calfskin vellum. One at a time, the colors are applied—first blue, followed by the reds, then each remaining color in turn. The final illumination is achieved using 24 karat gold leaf.
The artist’s seal, a stylized design of his initials, is imprinted into molten, charred wax at the bottom of each piece making every print a unique piece of artwork to treasure for years to come.
