About the Wood Engravings

Looking back, the whole experience of working on the eleven engravings for this book was rewarding in every way. From the beginning we had a three way conversation exploring the possibilities for each chapter. I felt that it was most important that the authors choose which incident from each chapter they thought should be illustrated. It was then that I explained my process for preparing the sketches for the boxwood blocks. My method is to draw directly on the wood with pencil and before I would ink in the sketch I made photocopies to send to each author to make sure we were all in agreement. I did warn them that the image on the block would be reversed when finally printed. This turned out to be a very flexible arrangement and we proceeded smoothly through the chapters. I would then ink in the final drawings and engrave the blocks. The blocks are approximately the same size as the actual illustrations in the book. After the engravings were finished I hand pulled the prints off the blocks on my Vandercook proof press. Every time I was able to send off a finished print to everyone, there would be that expectant moment when we would wait until all had finally seen it. It was an exhilarating moment when we all agreed.

Let me say how wonderful it was to be able to enter the world of medieval legend with Patricia Terry, poet, and Samuel Rosenberg, medieval scholar, and to be chosen to illustrate their vision with my experience as artist/wood engraver.

— Judith Jaidinger