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I’m not sure if I’ve ever told you about my obsession with illumination, but it’s been deeply rooted in me for several years. For a long time, I dreamed of learning this art, but the opportunities never came at the right moment. It was only this year that I was finally able to be in Paris at the perfect time to sign up for an illumination workshop with Florence Aseult, who has 18 years of experience in illumination. She graduated from the renowned illumination school in Angers. She lives in Venice but comes back to Paris once a month to organize workshops.
This two-day workshop takes place in a truly unique setting: a peaceful monastery located not far from the subway line 12 at Vanves. This quiet, historically rich place is perfectly “on theme” for this ancestral practice. All the necessary tools are provided on site (parchment, brushes, colors, etc.), and you only need to bring a large enough porcelain plate to work on, a battery-powered lamp (I used my iPhone’s flashlight), and something to eat for lunch. There is a fridge available to store meals. I personally chose to go out for lunch on Saturday, while on Sunday I preferred to stay and have lunch with the other participants, which was a great opportunity to share convivial moments.
On the first day, we went around the table to introduce ourselves. Unsurprisingly, beginners discovered or deepened their passion for illumination thanks to the Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry exhibition currently held at the Château de Chantilly. Most participants have been attending this workshop regularly for several months, and many have been practicing illumination at home for years. Out of about twenty people, only four of us were beginners. No prior experience is needed to take this workshop; it’s truly accessible to anyone who wants to give it a try.
This month, exceptionally, we were given a choice of subject: a dragon or a lady. Not feeling capable of drawing a face at this scale and especially liking gilding, I chose the dragon.
When Florence showed us the original illuminations, it was a real shock for me. I had never seen drawings so luminous and captivating. The illuminated books I had previously consulted were 400 or 500 years old, and their brightness had inevitably faded over time. Seeing fresh illuminations is an experience that cannot be fully conveyed by digital reproduction. No camera can ever capture the unique luminous quality of the original illumination.
This intensity of color comes from the special support: unlike paper, parchment does not absorb the pigments, which remain on the surface thanks to binders. This results in colors much more vivid than those of watercolor or even oil paint. By the way, the word “illumination” comes from the Latin “illuminare,” meaning “to light up,” because these illustrations made manuscripts bright and precious. The term “miniature,” used for these drawings, comes from the Latin “minium,” which referred to a bright red pigment used in these works.
On the first day, we began by learning how to transfer the drawing onto the parchment using tracing paper. Then, we applied traditional gesso, prepared in advance by Florence. However, the gesso was not completely dry yet, so we started laying down the first layers of color.
We really had the very best: although the colors used were chemically based, their quality was exceptional. The richness and depth of the pigments brought the parchment to life in an incredible way.
However, at the end of that first day, I went home feeling a little lost, full of doubts and confusion. My flat color area seemed very blank, and I struggled to understand what I had done wrong, even though I thought I had followed the instructions fairly closely. This uncertainty was frustrating because I didn’t really know where I had gone wrong.
Fortunately, on the second day, when we began adding shading, my drawing gradually came to life. My dragon finally started to look normal. I’m quite proud of myself, even though my work clearly has nothing to do with the original model.
Gilding, on the other hand, seemed more difficult than I had imagined at first. I thought I could get it right on the first try, but I quickly realized my gesso wasn’t raised enough and had many tiny holes. I had to apply up to three layers of gold leaf in some places to get a satisfactory result. Luckily, despite the cost of gold leaf, Florence was generous and allowed beginners like me to fix mistakes by adding small pieces of gold leaf here and there. I should mention that we use genuine 22-carat adhesive gold leaf, which makes the work much cleaner, less messy, and gives a very luxurious finish.
All participants admitted that illumination had become something of an obsession for them. Practicing it, I understood why. What struck me was the repetitive task that lasts for hours: applying paint in several very thin layers. In crafts, it’s rare to find a gesture that requires little thought but a lot of time. It’s almost hypnotic. One slips into a flow state, comparable to meditation. One completely disconnects from the outside world, face oneself, and it’s incredibly soothing.
In the end, I couldn’t believe I could finish the illumination in just two days. Florence’s advice and guidance made it possible even for the worst students like me.
I loved this experience so much that I’m going to continue illumination at home.
Florence offers many kits for those who cannot attend the workshop in person (send her a message to get all the models). The kits cost €250.
The 2-day workshop is €200.
Sometimes I just regret the lack of certain tools, like the agate stone or the special brushes to gently remove the gold leaf, which causes long waits. Also, since the colors are prepared on site, there are certain moments of waiting. Many participants also bring their own gilding tools, which I highly recommend if you want to go faster. As for the pigments, Florence insists on preparing them herself on site to ensure they are very fresh. She also points out that usually, when everyone works on the same theme, the pace is smoother and waiting times shorter. Anyway, illumination requires a lot of patience.
To find out the dates of upcoming workshops and to register, visit Florence’s Instagram
Rates: €200 for a 2-day workshop (Florence speaks fluently English too)
Illumination kit if you can’t attend in person: €250
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