06-05-2004, 11:59 AM
I second Uwe's suggestion entirely since I certainly am not the only one to be able to do decent sketches.<br>
...Most of the times, because of course, I did not post all the rubbish and the failures.. I am very good at filling paper baskets too.. <br>
Aitor has a point about the sleeves. Scales sleeves are probably quite rigid although I never tried. But these are not sleeves but flaps covering only the outer arm. The "sleeve" is open on the inside of the arm.<br>
However, come to think of it, I now consider those flaps went probably no further down than the elbow, or a bit below, thus allowing enough flexibility. But you have to sketch the damn thing to realize that..<br>
Hence the usefulness of sketches. As the saying goes, a small sketch is often better than a long speech.<br>
All the problems of the scale cuirasses construction have not been solved, I think. We know of at least one system to construct such an armour --the Carpow example-- but from what I've sen we are still uncertain about the tailoring. Concentric or square construction around the neck opening, for instance. Both systems were probably used but as nearly always there were probably "tricks of the trade" we still don't know yet.<br>
A far as reenactment go, I've seen few really good looking scales cuirasses, meaning adjusted to the body and with the scales neatly aligned. IMHO, the majority of there reconstructions need some more tailoring work.<br>
But I won't name names..<br>
About pros and amateurs: Angus McBride is a very, very good illustrator. Nowadays he's doing squat, heavyweight types, but he could as easily draw pin up girls or skinny types. And just about as quickly. My figures are 30 percent skill and 70 percent luck which means 30 percent of the time they come out of the pencil just right, and 70 percent of the time they come out of the pencil and directly in the paper basket..<br>
The difference between McBride and other professionals, and me is that McBride says for instance that he is a bit afraid of drawing horses (In his book "Warriors and Warlords").<br>
I am not afraid of drawing horses because I simply cannot draw a darn horse..<br>
Maybe Angus is victim of his success and accepts too many orders.. But anyways I really like what he does.<br>
Finally, as far as I'm concerned, the best military painter ever was a guy called Edouard Detaille.<br>
He did no Romans, just medieval and mostly napoleonic figures, but he sure knew how to draw a horse..<br>
One of his painting represents a napoleonic hussard of the 7th regiment. It's called "the point man" and it's a masterpiece of photographic accuracy.<br>
And yes, finally, about that "reconstruction" of a hypothetical late roman/byzantine helmet I posted a while ago.<br>
It is not a reconstruction. No archaeological proof of that design was ever found and it is based only on very few and very obscure paintings.<br>
It is not what existed. It is what could, perhaps, maybe, have existed, with a full truckload of caveats. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=antoninuslucretius@romanarmytalk>Antoninus Lucretius</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://lucretius.homestead.com/files/Cesar_triste.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 6/5/04 2:09 pm<br></i>
...Most of the times, because of course, I did not post all the rubbish and the failures.. I am very good at filling paper baskets too.. <br>
Aitor has a point about the sleeves. Scales sleeves are probably quite rigid although I never tried. But these are not sleeves but flaps covering only the outer arm. The "sleeve" is open on the inside of the arm.<br>
However, come to think of it, I now consider those flaps went probably no further down than the elbow, or a bit below, thus allowing enough flexibility. But you have to sketch the damn thing to realize that..<br>
Hence the usefulness of sketches. As the saying goes, a small sketch is often better than a long speech.<br>
All the problems of the scale cuirasses construction have not been solved, I think. We know of at least one system to construct such an armour --the Carpow example-- but from what I've sen we are still uncertain about the tailoring. Concentric or square construction around the neck opening, for instance. Both systems were probably used but as nearly always there were probably "tricks of the trade" we still don't know yet.<br>
A far as reenactment go, I've seen few really good looking scales cuirasses, meaning adjusted to the body and with the scales neatly aligned. IMHO, the majority of there reconstructions need some more tailoring work.<br>
But I won't name names..<br>
About pros and amateurs: Angus McBride is a very, very good illustrator. Nowadays he's doing squat, heavyweight types, but he could as easily draw pin up girls or skinny types. And just about as quickly. My figures are 30 percent skill and 70 percent luck which means 30 percent of the time they come out of the pencil just right, and 70 percent of the time they come out of the pencil and directly in the paper basket..<br>
The difference between McBride and other professionals, and me is that McBride says for instance that he is a bit afraid of drawing horses (In his book "Warriors and Warlords").<br>
I am not afraid of drawing horses because I simply cannot draw a darn horse..<br>
Maybe Angus is victim of his success and accepts too many orders.. But anyways I really like what he does.<br>
Finally, as far as I'm concerned, the best military painter ever was a guy called Edouard Detaille.<br>
He did no Romans, just medieval and mostly napoleonic figures, but he sure knew how to draw a horse..<br>
One of his painting represents a napoleonic hussard of the 7th regiment. It's called "the point man" and it's a masterpiece of photographic accuracy.<br>
And yes, finally, about that "reconstruction" of a hypothetical late roman/byzantine helmet I posted a while ago.<br>
It is not a reconstruction. No archaeological proof of that design was ever found and it is based only on very few and very obscure paintings.<br>
It is not what existed. It is what could, perhaps, maybe, have existed, with a full truckload of caveats. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=antoninuslucretius@romanarmytalk>Antoninus Lucretius</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://lucretius.homestead.com/files/Cesar_triste.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 6/5/04 2:09 pm<br></i>
