Armor References?

[Liatai]

Hello there, folks!

Well, I figured it was time. I've been enjoying fantasy and doodling for years... It's time to bite the bullet and learn how to draw armor. However, I've hit a brick wall, and I'm hoping some of you can give me a boost over it. And that wall is... I don't really understand how plate armor works.

I know that every suit of armor is a carefully-engineered work, and it's very easy to mess up and end up with something that would be nonfunctional in the real world. I've been looking at pictures of complete suits of armor hung for display, but come no closer to an understanding. Just how many separate pieces are there in a suit of armor? How do they fasten? What goes on first when you're putting on a suit of armor? How do you make sure the person's joints can bend, without exposing them? How and where do pauldrons attach? (Pauldrons in particular have been giving me trouble.)

Do you know of any good armor references? Anything that might help a beginner learn how to draw armor? Thank you in advance. 

[Paladin Sheppard]

My experience with armor is fairly limited but most of the basic principals apply to my Field Hockey Goalkeeper Gear:

Under-layers go first with armor its generally leather followed by chain-mail. In my case its a set of thin sweat absorbing clothes known as 'skins'.

Then I start on my 'Pants' that go around my upper legs and waist, followed by some boots (this fit over my hockey shoes) Then my leg pads go on my lower legs. This is pretty much the same stuff as Full Plate except mines made of foam and plastics Next comes my chest plate, neck protector, then elbow-pads and gloves, followed by my helmet.

I do it in this manner to allow myself the flexibility to put this stuff on my own, in ye old Dark Ages the knights had squires to help put it on.

As for how pauldrons/shoulder pads are attached they are usually attached in three places by leather/straps to the breastplate. Joints are covered by what are basically metal covered elbow/knee pads.


Feel free to give me a buzz on any other questions you may have.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I do it in this manner to allow myself the flexibility to put this stuff on my own, in ye old Dark Ages the knights had squires to help put it on.

Chances are, they'd have done it the same way, because it's not just flexibility, it's also in terms of overlapping layers - you put the lower layer on first, then the upper layer over it. And where the pauldrons, for example, hang over the top of the chestplate, it means it's difficult to put the chestplate on second. Follow on down the body, and you're looking at each piece lapping over the top of the next, because for many of these, downward strikes should bounce off. It's all a matter of how the human body is shaped for waving a big stick at someone - the armor is designed to meet the probably force with maximum defence.


Not that these generalities are helpful to figuring out how they're designed, mind. Have you considered looking at various plate armor designs on the 'net? A quick google suggests http://www.armourarchive.org/patterns/ or http://www.mercwars.com/fantasyarmor.shtml (some interesting notes in the text, I recommend reading it for a critique on fantasy armor - I found it fascinating enough to pause in posting this) or http://www.leahurst.org/