From Manuscript to Mobile — How We Turn Medieval Chaos into Modern Design

Ever wondered how a 14th-century scribble ends up on your 21st-century phone case? At Ars Jocularis, it’s all about digging through historical absurdity and turning it into something unexpectedly delightful.

Step 1: Digging Through the Margins

We start by researching actual medieval manuscripts from European libraries and digital archives. Our focus? The weirdest, funniest, most unhinged marginalia we can find.

Step 2: Curating the Chaos

Not all marginalia make the cut. We choose illustrations that are visually striking, historically intriguing, and just weird enough to make someone laugh (or blink twice).

Step 3: Digital Rework, with Respect

The chosen artwork is cleaned, adapted, and formatted for modern use — but we keep the original character intact. No unnecessary smoothing or overdesign. The charm is the weirdness.

Step 4: Print-Ready Absurdity

Using high-quality printing via trusted partners like Printify, our cases are made to last — just like the manuscripts they’re based on.

Every case tells a story — of chaos, curiosity, and centuries-old humour.