I need samurai/ chinese warrior references

[davi]

Can anyone help me with finding samurai/chinese warrior references? Armor/weapons/fashion designs. Maybe geisha(sp?) also. thx.

[Fipse]

Hi Davi,

try these: http://www.ospreypublishing.com/

They´ve got some interesting, not too expensive, books to this subject, e.g.:

JAPAN
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=P3451~ser=WAR
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=S1494~ser=WAR
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=P1319~ser=WAR
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=P6191~ser=WAR
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=P3958~ser=WAR
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=Q302X~ser=WAR

CHINA
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php?title=P6558&ser=MAA
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=P2544~ser=MAA
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=Q9427~ser=MAA
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=P5144~ser=MAA
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=P5993~ser=MAA

If you´re into detail, the Warrior books should be the right source for you.

Fipse

[negativespace]

Have you ever bought one of these books. Are they worth it?

[Lono]

i have a really big directory on my hd.


that doesnt help you though does it?


i collected a bunch of stuff from those web pages that sell samurai armor replicas. cool stuff,, and lots of it out there.
a real pain to hunt down though.

-Lono

[Fipse]

Hi negativespace,

it depends what you expect from this books. I´m medieval interested, am a reenactor and have got about thirty of them. They have good primary sources if you´re used to work with them. The quality of the illustrators is over all good - they´ve got some specialists like Gerry Embleton or Angus McBride but you have to look out al little. Also the quality of the writer depends. As a rule of thumb you can say, the newer the better.

I personal use them quite often as reference for costume illustrations, developing armour patterns etc. The best books - if you want to get really into detail - are the books from the "Warrior"-Series, where there is one special kind of unit with all details (Clothing, weapons, equipment) described.

They are of course a little popular oriented - if you´re just looking for masses of pics that are reasonably historical correct for Fantasy Drawing I can recommend http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3572013089/qid=1038022185/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_3_1/302-7662576-5816036

I know it´s in german but you maybe need just the pictures for Fantasy and these are about 150 fullcolour-pages of armour and weapons.

Hope this could help you.

Fipse

[davi]

Thanks for the links. I'd rather have free references though. I don't feel like shelling out money for 60page books when i'm just doing a few sketchs for myself.

[negativespace]

Thanks for the info. What's the difference between the Warrior series and the Men at Arm series?

[Fipse]

@ Davi
No probs, could have been some bigger project and these books are good starters.

@negative space
The men-at-arms show a more general view of a time or group (e.g. "French armies of the Hundred Years War" or "German Medieval Armies 1000 - 1300) while the warrior series shows one specific type of warrior in a narrow timeframe with a very detailed view of equipment, methods of training, developments etc. (e.g. "Viking Hersir" or "Saracen Faris 1050 - 1200).

BTW there are a lot of modern armies for references, too ...

Fipse
(who doesn´t get any money from Osprey ;))

[SouL]

You might like this site: http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/katchu/0.Katchu.html

Shows you how to make armor and has quite a few images as well. The images are a bit on the small side, though.

[Lono]

Thanks dude!

i cant believe ive never stumbled apon this page before,,,, and ive done extensive scowering.

-Lono

[davi]

thanks man, this is perfect :D

[amphex]

Ooh..damn, this stuff is really cool =)
Kinda inspires me to draw some samurai stuff lol