factotumbird

[factotumbird]

Look i believe in keeping my hobbies to myself somewhat but I am a fantasy writer/illustrator so you all need to know im addicted to making chainmail.

You also need to know im moving on to making chainmail lingerie (I can't help myself)

[factotumbird]

[factotumbird]

Mosaics in Kyiv subway

[factotumbird]

Source

[factotumbird]

That mood when you spend 7 hours researching medieval ships and fishing nets and end up watching an hour long documentary about Iceland telling British fishing ships to fuck off and expanded their territorial fishing waters during the 1970's to protect cod stocks.

I can't believe people almost really escalated to armed conflict over cod IRL, but actually yes I can scratch that.

[factotumbird]

Hello I know almost nothing about assassins creed but I know a few things about costume design and history so I’m gonna look at all the assassins creed box art/default outfits of the various protagonists and take a look at their inspiration, practicality, and rough historical accuracy.

I’m gonna go in chronological order by time period just to be an ass about it

Alexios and Kassandra, Greece, 400s-ish BC

They put boobs on Kassandra’s version which immediately puts them on my shit list. That makes the armor easier to pierce because it gives blades a convenient slide towards the center of your chest.

Those concerns aside though, I haven’t really seen an armored torso piece with this exact design but the historical inspiration is clearly there. I’ve got no real issue with the Spartan helmet.

They’ve got a belt for a purse but no purse. And normally I wouldn’t criticize that because they could be keeping their weapons there but they’ve got an embarrassment of belts here. They’re also wearing red which is a fairly expensive color compared to yellow or blue or something but whatever it does look pretty cool

Looks pretty good, has the period vibe even if it’s not accurate, and is relatively appropriate attire for a soldier for hire, if a bit flashy. 8/10 broken spears

Bayek, Egypt, 49 BC

No offense but I think that this man saw into the future and witnessed both a hot topic circa 2008 and a 20th century orientalist depiction of the Middle East and tried to recreate both of them with what he had lying around.

So the collar thing seems to be based on actual Egyptian armor but it looks leather instead of metal. I don’t know what his weird menstruation skirt is supposed to be or why he’s wearing pants. During this point in Ptolemaic Egypt I’m not sure anyone would’ve even heard of pants unless they’d heard stories from the far north.

As far as practicality goes I mean he’s guarded from the sun I suppose. He’s got gloves for handling his eagle. I can’t tell what his clothes are made out of. If they’re made of cotton or linen he might stay cool but if some of that is leather like I think it is he’s not gonna be comfortable in there.

I would criticize all of those belts again but at this point I think they might be holding his outfit together. I don’t wanna dignify this one with a rating.

Basim Ibn Ishaq, Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate, 800s AD

So the armor I mostly don’t have a problem with. It’s a bit short but it’s clearly based on actual period designs so I’ll let it go. Even if it does commit the sin of too many belts.

The assassin outfit… confuses me. Makes me conflicted. So around that time there were a lot of different colors and patterns available for fabric however he’s gotta keep with the white outfit aesthetic. I get it. He’s also got a cute pop of blue in there. His outfit is flowy and loose fitting and will keep out the sun. That fits the time period vibe.

However this guy would still stick out like a sore thumb. First of all, random armor pieces. Second of all, too many belts. Third of all, there were so many things you could’ve done with turbans in this setting? And veils? There was and is still a style of wearing a turban where you leave part of it hanging off the side or back and so many things could’ve been done with that to cleverly and mysteriously obscure his face.

There’s potential here but I do deeply wish that potential had actually been used. 3/10 houses of wisdom

Eivor, Norway & England, late 800s AD.

This protagonist comes in both boy and girl flavor and for once the outfits match. I appreciate that.

This person also has an actual purse to go with their embarrassment of belts and the underlying tunic and pants at least have the general vibe of being period accurate.

As for their armor though, they either aren’t wearing any or they have some secret chainmail under their tunic. And those random bracers that don’t look particularly Viking.

Their little fur cape there would probably be warm but also wouldn’t function great as a cape. Or as a blanket.

Weirdly historically accurate but also not accurate at all. Kinda extra. Kinda like it though. Looks warm. 9/10 ravens

Ezio, Italy and Ottoman Empire, 1400s AD

This is the og guy. Weirdly enough unlike many of his successors he doesn’t actually have an unreasonable amount of belts.

What I will say in favor of this outfit is that the color and metalworking isn’t improbable for his time period. I mean they had the technology.

Everything else about it though? Uuuhhh idk where they got any of this. Collars in that style weren’t really much of a thing yet, that belt is huge, and hoods would’ve been more likely to be separate garments from the rest of your clothing. This guy looks badass this is a very compelling design but nothing about this dude screams renaissance Italy. If his goal is to remain hidden he’s going to have a very tough time. 6/10 da vinki paintings.

I’ve reached the image limit. I will finish this list in a later reblog.

[factotumbird]

My brother and his friend are playing assassins creed odyssey in the family room and unfortunately for them I Know Things About Ancient Greece.

[factotumbird]

asking "hey is it fine if I smoke in here" and before you're able to answer I've already set up a full rack of salmon over a fire in your living room

[factotumbird]

Box with Boys Playing in Garden-Ming Dynasty

What I find particularly compelling about this depiction is the level of detail in the kite winder. You can clearly see the winder is more in the "spindle" style.

[factotumbird]

PLAGUE! PLAGUE! PLAGUE! PLAGUE!

[factotumbird]

look what i got in the mail today! 😁😁😁😁

It was surprisingly difficult to get my hands on this. I had to import this from Sweden, and it was only available in very short time windows on the one website where my credit card didn't get rejected - currently it's out 9f stock again. But I got it!

And guys. It's so pretty.

This is definitely a very nice adult picture book, lots of photos, outfit recreations, but also, basic stuff like sections on fibre, dye, weave, stitching and of course, a brief overview of bog finds/preserved textiles. I don't want to post too many pictures because of copyright issues, but

There's a section on gendered clothing that I found particularly interesting, and I do so want to make iron age trousers for myself. Overall, I just really enjoy flipping through this thing.

In any case, 10/10 highly recommend 😊

Bog Fashion by Nicole DeRushie

[factotumbird]

Rude

[factotumbird]

Gold nose ornament, Salinar culture, Peru, 100 BC - 200 AD

from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

[factotumbird]

Medieval - Rabbits beating up man

[factotumbird]

Michele Gordigiani, Margherita of Savoy, Queen of Italy.

[factotumbird]

The Clare Chasuble

1272-1294

The Victoria & Albert Museum

"The chasuble is the principal vestment worn by the priest when celebrating Mass. This example has been drastically cut down from its original voluminous shape to suit changing fashions in church ritual. It is made of luxurious materials, with a silk satin ground and rich embroidery, and is known to have belonged to an illustrious family. The embroidery is carried worked in underside couching, split stitch and laid and couched work.

It was made at some time during the marriage of Margaret de Clare and Edmund Plantaganet, Duke of Cornwall. Before being cut down, it is said to have included the coats of arms of Clare, Cornwall, Lacy and England. These stand for Margaret de Clare who married Edmund Plantaganet in 1272. They were divorced in 1294.

Stylistically the embroidered motifs can be seen as a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic. The scroll work and figures of griffins look back to the earlier style, while the quatrefoils enclosing Christian scenes belong to a decorative scheme with repeating geometric motifs which were standard in English medieval embroidery (known as opus anglicanum, the Latin for English work) from the mid 13th to the early 14th century."