Decorated initials in manuscripts denote a new section in the text. “The more important the division and the higher the status of the manuscript, the larger and more elaborate the initials would be” (Graham and Clemens 25). Decorated initials range from simply being in color to having ornate flourish and even to being grandiose with pictures inside the letter.

This decorated initial on the left has been colored in finely and vines added around it instead of pen flourishes.

Initials, like one on the right, that include a picture inside of it are called historiated initials.

Common in the Gothic period, red and blue would be used in an alternating pattern to decorate letters as seen on the leaf to the right. In some cases says Graham and Clemens, " a red initial with blue pen flourishes would follow a blue initial with red flourishes" (27).  This is not the case with this leaf because both the P and D have both color of flourishes.

The leaf to the left is an example of how simple decorated initials could be left with just a few flourishes of the pen.