During the Middle Ages books became more popular as reading became a more widely taught skill. Each book, however, had to be reproduced by hand which made them very expensive and only the very rich could afford them. These illuminated manuscripts became prized possessions in collections all over the world once the invention of the printing press made them a thing of the past. Illuminated letters still show up from time to time in decorative use-and the ability to draw and paint them yourself is a fun skill to have. They look great on stationery, used as a monograms for personalizing gifts and, of course, go perfect with calligraphy. Here are tips for illuminating letters.

Read more: How to Illuminate a Letter | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4525950_illuminate-a-letter.html#ixzz1ioczIARc