Calligraphy: Correcting errors
What happens if you are writing an important document and you make a mistake?
Correcting errors is difficult but not impossible. Remember that the general
look of the document is more important than the individual words and letters.
Remember also that spelling was optional in the Middle Ages. Real medieval
scribes also made mistakes. Words that happened to be left out could be
written at the bottom of the page, and the illuminator might then, for example,
paint a rope around them and some figures standing where the words belonged,
pulling at the rope.
If I really mess up and need to correct errors in the text, here is my standard
procedure:
1. Take out a sharp modeling knife with a round blade and carefully scrape
off most of the ink. It's impossible to write on a surface that has been
scraped this way.
2. Next, mix a paint that has exactly the same shade of white as the paper.
Tipp-ex can be used, but it's too stark white for most quality papers, and
it's difficult to write on. I use white gouache, with some yellow in it
to get the right shade.
3. Paint over the error several times, until the paint covers all traces
of the error.
4. Polish the painted surface with a small piece of fine sandpaper until
it's flat and even, and write new text on that.