My contributors copies of Daniel Merseys Lion Rampant: Second Edition arrived earlier this week, and it's due for general publication next week so took the book outside into the blazing solar heat of the ecopocalypse, to have a quick look through.
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| Epic front cover by Mark Stacey |
As the Daniel states in his introduction to the book, Lion Rampant isn't a "detailed and scholarly simulation of combat" but rather "favour(s) abstraction and stylisation", taking influence from popular-culture representations of the broad historical period of medieval combat -incuding imaginary kings who pull swords from stones and vikings with mohawks and eyeliner. So for this set adopted my 'high medievalist' approach, drawing on the traditions of the medieval illuminated manuscripts with it's formal stylisation and idiosyncratic quirks of the scribe, as much the Arts and Crafts medievalism of Beardsley, Morris and Gill as our anonymous monastical scribbler.
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| 12th C Frankish Archer |
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| 13th C Frankish Knight |
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| 13th C Mongol Mounted Archer |
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| 12th C Frankish footsoldier |
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| 12th C Mounted Saracen |
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| 10th C Foot Viking |
The labels are my own, rather than Daniels or Ospreys - Frankish being short-hand for 'occidental' covering the broad types from which the characters are drawn, much like Saracen covers multiple diverse cultures and periods. Like all medieval illuminators inevitably do, I brought in various elements of flora and fauna to embellish the work, but rather than purely decorative, used them to reflect the material and literary cultures of the characters.
The 13th C Frankish Knight is accompanied by a squirrel and fox echoing popularity of the folk hero Reynard the Fox in the period, and have them on an Oak bough, with it's associations of. The 12th C Mounted Saracen, tulips and peacocks both long held motifs of turkish art. The 13th C Mongol mounted archer rides along the birch used in construction of the recurve bow, the 12th C Frankish footsoldier a small hedgehog perhaps reminiscent of a spear formation, standing on the ash of the traditional ashen spears. Beside the 10th C Foot Viking are two ravens, sent by Odin, no doubt, perched on the white pine the vikings hew their shields from. The 12th C Frankish archer, inevitably featuring a small bird offering advice and standing on the yew from which his longbow is made. Slightly whimsical quality that perhaps lends them something of the peculiarities and universality of medieval manuscripts.
There is much more art in the book than just my linework - theres a lot of full colour miniatures photography from the author, Daniel Mersey, Henry Hyde and the Wargames Illustrated team, featuring models from Perry Miniatures, Gripping Beast, Crucible Crush, 1st Corps, Claymore Castings, Bad Squidoo and many others.
And quite a lot of gorgeous full colour artwork over double-page spreads that make the book quite the visual treat, including painted work by
Angus McBride,
Graham Turner,
Johnny Shumate and others. On a personal note, it has to be said, having my work in the same publication alongside that of McBride - whose work I've admired since boyhood is really quite something.
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| Back cover with my linework in blue |
And no word of a lie, at this point my phone overheated, refused to take any more pictures, and shut itself down for my own safety.
Lion Rampant: Second Edition is available to order from the publishers,
Osprey Games and all good bookshops.
