The pictures of supposedly Byzantine warriors are touching. Perhaps the thousand men had such an "outfit", but not the rank and file and not even the foremen. And even the English inscriptions on the pictures do not convince me, but even on the contrary.
Krasnoyarsk (nickname), June 1, 2019
Do not answer the stupid out of his stupidity, so that
you will not become like him;
But answer the stupid out of his stupidity, so that he does not
became a wise man in his own eyes.
Proverbs 26: 4, 26: 5
Historical illustrations. So there is an obvious problem of not knowing. That is, many simply do not imagine how illustrations for articles and books on historical topics are born. And the story about this will certainly be of interest to many readers of "VO", because each such illustration is nothing more than a revived story.
Let's get to know the work of an illustrator "live", that is, on specific examples of his work. And we have this opportunity today. And this is a rare opportunity, since not all of them like to show their "cuisine", let alone describe in detail what and how they do. But … "for a dear friend and an earring from the ear." So look, read and to whom, what will seem especially interesting - ask. This is, for example, an illustration from the book "Armies of the Volga Bulgars and Khanate of Kazan 9th-16th Centuries" (Osprey, Men-at-Arms # 491). It was designed by Garry and Sam Ambleton. Father and son. Garry has worked for Osprey for over 20 years. Lives in Switzerland, where he also creates figures for museums. As for the drawing, it depicts warriors (two figures standing on the right) everyone can see in the exposition of the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan in Kazan. They stand there in glass cases. I photographed them from all sides and … the artists only had to draw them in "living poses"!
Well, I'll have to start with the fact that I had to face the problem of illustration back in 1995-1997, when the Prosveshchenie publishing house was preparing the Knights of the Middle Ages for publication. Then the traditions of the Soviet press were still alive and similar books came out with "pictures", and not with photos from the Internet. Samples for the artist were taken from the corresponding editions of the British publishing house "Osprey" and books by Funkens. Moreover, he turned out to be an understanding person: he drew everything very accurately, but in a completely different manner, so much so that the graphic basis of each drawing did not coincide at all with the source. But the details were somewhat blurred, so everything was "like this" and at the same time, "not at all like that"!
One of the earliest reconstructions that sunk into my soul is a picture from a book about Spartacus in the early 50s of the last century. It was made from a fresco in Pompeii and today (at least for me!) Raises a lot of questions. There was also another reconstruction, in my opinion more correct … But this one is easier to show, it is larger and all the details are clearly visible on it.
By the way, such artists are very rare. For example, I began to look for an "analogue" in my Penza and I was advised a woman who "draws clothes well" and almost prepares sketches for the theater. I met with her, gave her a copy of a drawing from an illustration from the Osprey edition for trial. And I got … I ask: “Why do you have a belt buckle on your belt? Look at your bag, is that possible. "" Ah, that's … but it's such a trifle! " They found me two graduate students of our art school named after V. I. Savitsky. Draw two of our warriors, participants in the "Battle on the Ice" for an article in the English magazine "Military Vogamer". And it seemed to work out well. But somehow it is very popular. I. Zeynalov produced very good illustrations. They were also published in England, in the magazines "Military Vogamer", "Military Illustrated", in Belgium in the magazine "La Figurin", but … he took up metal and was not up to illustrations. Then our artist V. Korolskov undertook to design the book in "Osprey", and then he also designed the book "Knights, Castles, Weapons", but … he was carried away at all out of time, bony with a scythe. And here it was already necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Osprey publishing house in the most serious way. And it was so interesting, although difficult, that it would be simply necessary to tell about it.
Those familiar with these British editions imagine that there should be exactly eight color illustrations in the Maine Arms series. Which each invited artist does in his own way, but in principle the technique is the same. First, the author prepares a script for each drawing, that is, he writes who is on it, and approximately in what position. In this case, each figure is numbered and "its time" is indicated. Then you, and not someone else, not "someone else's uncle" makes a sketch for each figurine. It may not be very good, but it must be worked out in detail. That is, if a warrior has a helmet on his head, then there should be a photo or drawing of this helmet, and a link to the source - where it came from. If there is a pattern on the clothes, then … also a photo - on the basis of what you placed it here.
But this is a somewhat free interpretation on the theme of the "knight of the 14th century", created just according to this drawing and effigy. Author A. Sheps. That is, given that all the knights at that time did not wear the same armor, but … in many ways they were very close and constantly borrowed something from each other in different ways, such a reconstruction has every right to exist!
Another very popular reconstruction by A. Sheps. Actually, not even a reconstruction, but an artistic redrawing of the effigy in color. Before us is Roger de Trumpington with effigy at Trumpington Church in Cambridgeshire, circa 1329. The pose is naturally changed. The only drawback of this image is that there is no pattern on the scabbard shields (it is very small and it was impossible to make out what was there) and it is not known what color the knee pads are. What if they were copper or were they gilded?
Then comes the “painting of flowers”. You indicate the material from which this or that detail of the suit you offer is made and its color. It is very good if photographs are used as the original. But they must be from a museum and with an indication - from which museum and who is the author of this reconstruction.
All this is indicated by arrows and numbered, and on the sheets attached to the sketch, the color of each detail is written and - most importantly, where they are all taken from. That is, again, photographs of museum showcases or photocopies of noteworthy monographs are desirable.
This was followed by the work itself, and from time to time you are sent ready-made sketches for clarifications. The technology of the work of some of the English artists is interesting. For example, the same Angus McBride, who lived in Africa near Cape Town, had there not only an art studio, where he also taught young people, but also … a stable! Young people, dressed in tight sports leotards, he put on a horse and … photographed in various poses with a spear or bow in his hands. After that, he made a heroic drawing from the photograph and saturated it with the necessary details. As you can see, everything is even very simple: I went to the stable, chose the right horse, the person of the right height and build, and then take pictures and draw.
But again he did not take anything "from his head". Every detail of armor and weapons could be visually identified by one of the sources at our disposal - either museum artifacts, or miniatures from medieval books, or bas-reliefs and statues. This is, of course, the ideal source. You take, for example, Trajan's column and simply redraw what is on it. Yes, there are some "absurdities" there (by the way, I have already talked about them on VO), but on the whole this is a completely realistic source. Or do you need an Iranian knight of the VI century. So after all there is a bas-relief with Shah Shapur, where even chain mail weaving is shown. Well, effigies are a real gift. As in themselves, or rather their photos, as well as their graphic sketches already made on them. Even I can do it - take such a drawing and simply change into her costume the anatomically correct figure of a man from the Internet. There are such people and not even one!
But in order to do all this, you need to know the sources of reliable information, and also have access to them. Well, for example, when I was writing a book about the weapons of Kazan soldiers, I went to Kazan, went there to museums and photographed samples of weapons and armor, as well as full-length figures of soldiers exhibited in the National Museum of Tatarstan. Not only the figures themselves, but also samples of fabrics. I had to go to the university library and look there books by local authors and copy their illustrations, walk around the entire Kazan Kremlin and shoot the Syuyumbike tower from different points (as illustrative material), in a word, spend a lot of time and effort. And then there was Moscow, the State Historical Museum and the Armory Chamber, and letters to the museums of Murom, Elabuga, Bulgar and a number of other cities with requests to send photographs or give permission for their publication. And then, on the basis of the collected and sent materials, it was just necessary to make sketches.
And here again I was very lucky with a co-author. It turned out to be a professor at the University of Nottingham, Dr. David Nicole. And it turned out that he was the son of a well-known book writer in England and knew how to draw well from childhood. Not enough to illustrate my own books myself, but quite professionally to prepare high-quality sketches for the artist. By the way, he also tried to facilitate his work to the limit. He drew a couple of figures of people and horses, and then … just changed them as needed! So one and the same person is God to be with him both a Russian knight and a Mongol, and horses under different saddles and with different harnesses roamed from century to century. But in principle it was logical, since it was intended for the artist, who, according to these sketches of his and according to my script, would have to make a color illustration.
So, with regard to the illustrations of the Osprey publishing house, we can say that they are exclusively historical, every little thing in them has its own rationale, and the artist's "gag" in them is only the posture and facial expression … Well, if someone wants to try their luck working with this publishing house, then … be ready to fulfill all these requirements!
P. S. It seems that samples of text in English with a description of the colors and details of the drawing should not be placed here, they take up a lot of space. But without them, too, alas, nowhere!
P. P. S. So do not speak badly about English illustrators. By the way, we also have very few masters of this level, but they do exist. These are Oleg Fedorov, and Roberto Pallacios Fernandez, and Nikolai Zubkov, and Igor Dzys, and A. Sheps, who, by the way, also perfectly draws military equipment. There are also those who draw warriors of a later time, but I do not know them.
