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HSM 02 - Sword | Reference | 2 - 11 - 25
Gathering references
Sword Anatomy Overview
Before collecting references, it’s essential to know the core components of a sword. This allows you to focus on specific details when searching for accurate visuals.
Key Parts of the Sword:
Reference Breakdown by Sword Parts
Blade
Hilt
Scabbard
Types of Swords
Understanding the different types of swords and their cultural contexts will help guide your reference gathering. Look for specific examples from history, depending on the sword type you're modeling.
Where to Gather References
Online Resources: Websites like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, British Museum, or dedicated sword replica sites such as Museum Replicas provide high-resolution images.
3D Scans and Models: Platforms like Sketchfab and Google Cultural Institute allow you to study swords in 3D.
YouTube: Look for swordsmithing videos, historical weapon analysis, or fencing technique videos.
Books: "Swords and Hilt Weapons" by Michael D. Coe or similar literature provides both historical context and detailed illustrations.
Real-life Replicas: Visit historical fairs, museums, or prop maker sites to get close-up, real-world references.
By breaking your reference gathering into these focused sections, you’ll ensure that each part of your sword model is accurate, whether you're aiming for historical fidelity or creative expression.
Submission:
Sword Anatomy Overview
Before collecting references, it’s essential to know the core components of a sword. This allows you to focus on specific details when searching for accurate visuals.
Key Parts of the Sword:
- Blade: Includes the edge, fuller, point, and other features like the ricasso.
- Hilt: Consists of the grip, cross-guard, pommel, and tang.
- Scabbard: Protects the blade when not in use.
Reference Breakdown by Sword Parts
Blade
- Fuller: A groove that runs along the center of the blade to reduce weight and increase flexibility without sacrificing strength. Commonly, but mistakenly, called the "blood groove."
- Where to Look: Historical replicas or technical drawings of various sword types (e.g., Viking, medieval, or Japanese).
- Central Ridge: The raised part along the blade's centerline, adding structural strength.
- Point: The tip of the blade. Look for references that show variation in tip shapes, depending on the sword's intended use (e.g., thrusting or cutting). Thrusting swords will have sharper, more pointed ends.
- Where to Look: Historical swords from museums or weaponry collections.
- Edge: Single or double-edged. The sharpness and thickness of the edge vary across cultures and sword types.
- Where to Look: Detailed blade diagrams and weapon forgers’ websites.
- Ricasso: The unsharpened portion of the blade near the cross-guard, used for more control with heavier swords. Not all swords have this feature, but it is common in large or heavy swords like rapiers and longswords.
- Where to Look: Close-up photographs of rapiers and historical longswords.
Hilt
- Cross-guard: A horizontal bar designed to protect the wielder’s hand from sliding blades. Guards vary greatly—some are simple bars, while others evolve into basket-hilts for added protection.
- Where to Look: Photographs of medieval European swords and rapiers, especially from the 15th-17th centuries.
- Grip: Typically made of wood or metal, often covered in leather, sharkskin, or ray skin (Japanese swords). Look for texture references for authenticity.
- Where to Look: Craftsmanship blogs, leatherworking reference sites, and historical samurai collections.
- Pommel: Serves as a counterweight and prevents the hand from slipping off the grip. Pommels come in various shapes, such as disk, lobed, or pear-shaped.
- Where to Look: Museums, prop-maker videos, and historical reenactments.
- Tang: The part of the blade that extends into the hilt, providing structural integrity. On functional swords, the tang should be a continuous part of the blade.
- Where to Look: Sword forging process videos and diagrams of tang construction.
- Chappe: The chappe, or rain guard, protects the mouth of the scabbard from moisture. This is a late medieval feature, often seen on swords from that era.
- Where to Look: Late medieval European swords, typically seen in sword collector sites or museum exhibits.
Scabbard
- The scabbard is often made from leather and sometimes has metal decorations. Depending on the period or culture, the scabbard design can vary significantly.
- Where to Look: Leatherworking tutorials, museum replica websites, or prop designer portfolios.
Types of Swords
Understanding the different types of swords and their cultural contexts will help guide your reference gathering. Look for specific examples from history, depending on the sword type you're modeling.
- One-Handed Swords: Often associated with Celtic, Roman, and medieval periods. The Roman spatha is an excellent example of a one-handed sword used by mounted troops.
- Where to Look: Roman artifacts and medieval European replicas.
- Hand-and-a-Half Swords: These swords have longer blades but allow for single- or two-handed use, offering more flexibility in battle.
- Where to Look: Medieval reenactment swords, museums, and prop makers’ blogs.
- Two-Handed Swords: Known as war swords in the early Middle Ages and later as great swords during the Renaissance, these were designed to break shields and pierce through armor.
- Where to Look: Renaissance fair replicas, museums, and historical documentaries.
- Short Swords & Cutlasses: These saw usage throughout ancient and medieval history. They were standard weapons for soldiers fighting in close quarters or against long polearms like pikes.
- Where to Look: Ancient Roman or pirate sword replicas and historical reenactment footage.
- Rapiers: These slender, pointed swords were civilian weapons in Renaissance Europe, used primarily for self-defense or duels.
- Where to Look: Historical fencing manuals, Renaissance paintings, and modern rapier replicas.
- Samurai & Asian Swords: Central to Japanese history, these swords, such as the katana, have a distinct curved shape and are renowned for their craftsmanship and durability.
- Where to Look: Samurai museum collections, historical documentaries, and blacksmith videos.
Where to Gather References
Online Resources: Websites like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, British Museum, or dedicated sword replica sites such as Museum Replicas provide high-resolution images.
3D Scans and Models: Platforms like Sketchfab and Google Cultural Institute allow you to study swords in 3D.
YouTube: Look for swordsmithing videos, historical weapon analysis, or fencing technique videos.
Books: "Swords and Hilt Weapons" by Michael D. Coe or similar literature provides both historical context and detailed illustrations.
Real-life Replicas: Visit historical fairs, museums, or prop maker sites to get close-up, real-world references.
By breaking your reference gathering into these focused sections, you’ll ensure that each part of your sword model is accurate, whether you're aiming for historical fidelity or creative expression.
Submission:
- Post a Screenshot of your reference board in pureref
- Post the link to your sword project folder with your pureref file inside of your sourceimages folder.
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