![]() ![]() #The vellum location skinIf the skin is to be matted, 2" felt lined Bulldog clips may be positioned around the edges of the dampened vellum while pinning it with stainless steel pins to a stretching board (as is used with needlework). So to reflatten vellum, it must be dampened and dried under tension or pressure (photo 2). Since vellums are originally dried on frames much like stretcher bars, when dampened they will cockle and warp, and attempt to revert to the original shape of the animal as they dry (if left to dry under no restraints). Another version is transferring moisture into the skin by moistening a blotter and then placing it in contact with the back of the skin. A 50/50 solution of alcohol and distilled water should be used during this process, and dampening is generally done from the back of the document with a cotton ball or squeezed sponge. With a dampened Q-tip, touch each individual color lightly to check for bleeding or lifting of color. Tests must be done on the document prior to dampening to determine the permanence of the inks and pigments used. Skins may be redampened to relax them in an attempt to reflatten prior to framing. Visually, vellums are often naturally creamy in color and often illustrate the veining of the animal, while parchment is much whiter and has a smoother surface texture. Then they are shaved, whitened and dried unstretched in a hot drying room to remove further fat, then washed and cleaned for final use. Parchment-sheepskins only-must be split, limed and scraped 2-3 times to remove the additional fat from the skins prior to degreasing. Vellum skins are soaked in lime to remove the hair, scraped, washed, stretched and room dried. It is important to note that most often you will be dealing with sheepskin parchment, for vellum is most dominantly used in book leaves and royal declarations. In order for today's framer to be able to deal with the assorted documents, maps, certificates and ledger sheets that may cross his framing table, a basic understanding of skins really helps. The distinct difference between "vellum" and "parchment" preparation directly effects the basic characteristics and reactions of each type of skin. The quality of Forel compares to parchment as goat vellum compares to calf vellum. There are also degrees of quality available when it comes to sheep or lambskins, including "Roman vellum" (a shinier, absorbent version made as an imitation of vellum, named for its use in the Vatican) parchment (hard, smooth surfaced, white and oily, the finish resembles that of an eggshell) and Forel (inferior quality skin produced in white and tints). In layman's terminology, all writing skins are generally referred to as "parchment" though the only true parchment comes from sheep. Note the variation in texture, grain, color, veining and shading. ![]() From L to R: Manuscript calf (medium weight) Manuscript slunk calf (book weight) Ĭlassic writing calf Manuscript calf (#3 medium weight) White goat and Parchment (sheepskin). ![]()
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