RE: VMs: How translucent is vellum?

["GC" <glenclaston@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ken wrote:


1. I'm not versed in 15th century drafting and writing implements. I'm
simply working from experience.


My lay understanding of the circinus, the standard compass of this period,
was that it was widely used as a scribe tool, and I don't know of any
examples that were "inkable".  Metal nibs were not in use then, and a
writing stilus could have been attached to a circinus, but it's unlikely one
was made to hold a quill.  There is some indication that lead plummet was
used in some of these devices, but whether lead plummet or scribe, each
would require that the ink be applied by hand over the scribed circle.
Depending on the steadiness of the hand, the circle would appear traced
instead of mechanically drawn.  This means that the circle was indeed hand
traced, no matter the initial method of drawing the circle as a guide for
the ink.

FWIW

GC

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