# book illustration (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 3 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover book illustration. Page: Feed: --- ## [A Treatise of Eclipses of the Sun and Moon (1731)](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/08/11/a-treatise-of-eclipses-of-the-sun-and-moon-1731/) _2026-08-11 · Ken Gibb · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ On the evening of 12 August 2026 Europe will experience one of the most dramatic solar eclipses for almost three decades. The Moon will pass between the Sun and the Earth, obscuring our view of the Sun with a partial or total eclipse. Here in Cardiff’s Special Collections and Archives we hold numerous rare astronomical … Continue reading A Treatise of Eclipses of the Sun and Moon (1731) ## [Lighting the way with illuminated initials](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/08/03/lighting-the-way-with-illuminated-initials/) _2026-08-03 · Ken Gibb · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ Printing a book in the 15th century was a risky undertaking, requiring substantial investment with no guarantee of profit. The wealthiest patrons of the day were accustomed to spending their money on beautifully decorated manuscripts, each one a unique handmade work produced to order. Printing, on the other hand, required large quantities of paper or … Continue reading Lighting the way with… ## [The Ball of the Burning Men: how a royal masquerade turned tragic in 1393](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/07/15/the-ball-of-the-burning-men-how-a-royal-masquerade-turned-tragic-in-1393/) _2026-07-15 · Ken Gibb · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ Froissart’s Chronicles is a monumental history of the Hundred Years’ War written in the late 14th century by the court historian, Jean Froissart (c. 1337-1405). The book recounts the battles, sieges, marriages, and political intrigues that took place in England, France, and western Europe from the abdication of Edward II in 1327 to the crowning … Continue reading The Ball of the Burning Men: how a… ## [Ce n’est qu’un au revoir](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/ce-nest-quun-au-revoir) _2026-06-30 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ This is but a ‘see you later’. See also: Auld Lang Syne ## [A Zine - Five Tips for Sketching in a Museum](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/a-zine-five-tips-for-sketching-in) _2026-06-23 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ My five best tips PLUS a bonus tip AND a list of essentials to pack! ## [Infusing Motion, Emotion & Magic in your Illustrations!](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/motion-emotion-and-magic) _2026-06-20 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ Infuse your art with the three ingredients that level-up any illustration—especially in children's books! ## [“Of the beginning”: decorative initials in Cardiff’s rare books](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/06/10/of-the-beginning-decorative-initials-in-cardiffs-rare-books/) _2026-06-10 · Ken Gibb · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ For centuries medieval scribes embellished their manuscripts with elaborate opening letters, often painted in bright colours and illuminated with gold leaf. Many of Cardiff’s early printed books contain similar decorative initials, some printed and some added by hand. These beautiful letters served a practical purpose by helping readers to navigate through a complex text; they … Continue reading… ## [My Art Practice Needs More Friction-maxxing](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/my-art-practice-needs-more-friction) _2026-05-26 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ When I picked up illustration again in 2017, I did it on an iPad. It was easy. Going analogue requires more. More time to set-up, more light, more stuff. ## [Guest Post: Life from the dead: being the history of the entombed colliers in the “Ty-newydd Pit”, Rhondda Valley, from April 11th until the 20th, 1877](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/05/19/guest-post-life-from-the-dead-being-the-history-of-the-entombed-colliers-in-the-ty-newydd-pit-rhondda-valley-from-april-11th-until-the-20th-1877/) _2026-05-19 · Jennifer Wolmarans · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ This guest post comes from Luke Bacigalupo. I first came across the 1877 Tynewydd disaster while researching Lewis Baxter, one of the leaders of the Chartist rising in Llanidloes in 1839. I discovered that his nephew, David Hughes, was trapped underground during the disaster. On 11th April 1877, at about 4 p.m., the Tynewydd Pit of the Troedyrhiw Colliery, near Porth in South Wales became… ## [We’ll Always Have Paris](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/well-always-have-paris) _2026-04-28 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ Our feet shifted the path’s fine, golden-white dust as we walked around the Jardin des Tuileries. ## [Brisk AI News Briefings (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/kg0oGBjFmugH) _2026-04-28 · **Sponsored**_ Read AI summaries and listen to audio briefings for top stories. ## [The English Catholic New Testament in a Protestant England and Wales](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/04/13/the-english-catholic-new-testament-in-a-protestant-england-and-wales/) _2026-04-13 · Jennifer Wolmarans · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ Among the highlights of a recent acquisition of rare books from the Cardiff Catholic Diocesan Library are two later editions of the Douay-Rheims New Testament, the first approved English Catholic translation of the Latin Vulgate (St Jerome’s 4th century Latin Bible). The Douay-Rheims was originally published in 1582 by English Catholic scholars living in exile … Continue reading The English… ## [Guest Post: Bloodless Wars of Montgomeryshire](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/04/02/guest-post-bloodless-wars-of-montgomeryshire/) _2026-04-02 · Jennifer Wolmarans · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ This guest post comes from Luke Bacigalupo. As someone from Mid Wales who no longer lives there, I decided to deal with my hiraeth in the only way a history graduate knows – by diving into local history. I quickly became fascinated with the Chartist Riot of April 1839 in Llanidloes, and the Chartist movement … Continue reading Guest Post: Bloodless Wars of Montgomeryshire ## [From Portrait to Landscape](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/from-portrait-to-landscape) _2026-03-31 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ The low winter sun was streaming through the trees, casting blue shadows on the snow. The brook water could be seen here and there, like black shimmering holes... ## [Cardiff’s Aldines: books printed by Aldus Manutius and the Aldine Press, 1494-1598](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/03/16/cardiffs-aldines-books-printed-by-aldus-manutius-and-the-aldine-press-1494-1598/) _2026-03-16 · Ken Gibb · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ Aldus Manutius (c.1450-1515) was a highly influential Italian humanist scholar and one of the most innovative of the early printers. As founder of the Aldine Press in Venice, his many legacies include the introduction of the italic type to printing and the standardisation of punctuation such as the comma and semicolon. Perhaps Aldus’s most important … Continue reading Cardiff’s Aldines: books… ## [The other St David: Father of the Poor, St David Lewis](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/03/02/the-other-st-david-father-of-the-poor-st-david-lewis/) _2026-03-02 · Jennifer Wolmarans · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ On the 1st of March Wales celebrates its patron saint, Saint David. St David was a monk and bishop who lived in the 6th century and is known for establishing many monasteries throughout Wales, the most famous at St Davids in Pembrokeshire. He is remembered for his message of simplicity: “Do the little things well.” For St David, faith was not about … Continue reading The other St David: Father of… ## [A Collage Breakthrough](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/a-collage-breakthrough) _2026-02-24 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ I’ve always been intimidated by collages. What do you mean just leaf through a magazine or two, cut out a few things and create something out of them? ## [A New Series](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/a-new-series) _2026-01-27 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ I started the year by finishing a book cover illustration. ## [There was a young man who swallowed a knife: a miraculous medical tale from the 17th century](https://scolarcardiff.wordpress.com/2026/01/14/there-was-a-young-man-who-swallowed-a-knife-a-miraculous-medical-tale-from-the-17th-century/) _2026-01-14 · Ken Gibb · Special Collections and Archives / Casgliadau Arbennig ac Archifau_ One morning in May 1635, Andrew Grünbeide, a Prussian peasant, woke up feeling the worse for wear after a long night drinking at the local tavern. Still a little tipsy, the “rusticke” young man made the inadvisable decision to make himself vomit by irritating his throat with the handle of his knife. What followed was … Continue reading There was a young man who swallowed a knife: a miraculous… ## [Focus on Setting & Characters: How To Choose Colors for Your Children's Book](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/how-to-choose-colors-for-your-childrens-662) _2025-12-28 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ Emphasize the setting or characters in your kid's book by choosing colors with personality! ## [Focus on Emotion, Theme & Subject: How To Choose Colors for Your Children's Book](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/how-to-choose-colors-for-your-childrens) _2025-12-09 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ How to create the right emotion or mood using colors in your illustrations. PLUS: communicating the theme & subject of your book with color choices! ## [Retro Grid Dungeon Crawler (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/0OpAeJlN1WRH) _2025-12-09 · **Sponsored**_ Retro grid movement with first-person combat, loot and skill-tree progression. ## [Rockin' Around...](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/rockin-around) _2025-11-25 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ the Christmas tree ## [Dolores, A Short Story](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/dolores-a-short-story) _2025-10-28 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ Dolores—or Dolo, as she liked to be called because she hated her name—was absent-mindedly paddling around in the swimming pool. ## [150+ Free Paint Textures to Download!](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/5-free-paint-texture-sets-to-download) _2025-09-22 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ Over 150 free texture files to use in your illustrations! Get creative with these expressive paint textures, scanned at high resolution. ## [3 Craft Activities for Your Kid's Book Launch & Events](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/3-craft-activities-for-your-kids) _2025-09-16 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ Whether it's a book launch, school visit, or other publishing event—here are three fun customizable activities you can create for the kids to enjoy! ## [Customize A Bookmark Activity for Your Kid's Book Launch Event!](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/customize-a-bookmark-activity-for) _2025-09-06 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ Let the kids relive the book with craft bookmarks at your book launch, school visit, or publishing event! They can bring home their own souvenir—and a story to remember. ## [3 Tools to Help You Choose Colors for Your Children's Book](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/3-tools-to-help-you-choose-colors) _2025-09-03 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ How do you pick the right colors for your children's book illustrations? Keep it simple with these three tools and you might find the perfect colors. ## [Can You Know Someone From A Photo?](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/can-you-know-someone-from-a-photo) _2025-08-26 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ I never knew my maternal grandmother, she died years before I was born. ## [How Dare You – Part 3](https://judithpraynault.substack.com/p/how-dare-you-part-3) _2025-07-29 · Judith P.Raynault · Inspired_ In which I'm concluding the creative process behind the illustration I submitted to the Folio Book Illustration Award 2025 ## [How to Use Texture Files in Your Illustrations!](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/free-paint-texture-sheets-to-use) _2025-05-28 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ Create unique art by adding paint texture layers to your pictures! Grab my free paint sheet downloads and try it out. ## [Home of the Agentic Pull Request (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/xBMqosoXSQBy) _2025-05-28 · **Sponsored**_ CLI-first, TUI-ready toolkits and a moshscript installer — join the waitlist ## [Customize Your Own 'Story Cube' Craft for Your Kids Book!](https://heycrystalillustrates.substack.com/p/printable-story-cube-for-your-kids) _2025-01-22 · Hey Crystal Illustrates · Neon Notes - Illustration & Inspiration_ Get my free Canva template so you can customize and print out these story cubes for kids, as you promote and share your childrens' books! Fun for book launch activities or school visit crafts.