Loyalist Portrait Series

[SouthernOracle]

I believe the horse looks fine for it appears to have just trotted into view for the photograph. Warhorses generally are controlled with the pressure of the legs, leaving the hands free for weapons. Everything looks fine to me except the height of the rein hand above the saddle's pommel. It could be this soldier's preference, but I would expect his hand to reach this height from a jerk back on the reins from a dead gallop. This would mean of course that they would be drawn tight like Boucman suggested. If he is at a trot, then the rein hand would hover above the pommel at his stomach level.

[Boucman]

yes, it's the way the horse's neck is bent that sugested the rein pulling to me. Horses don't bend that much when directed with the legs

[LordBob]

I'll see what I do about those reins. I did draw them short in the preliminary sketches, but somehow they ended loose.

Finished Dragoon / Cavalier lineart + flats

[Turuk]

Very nice, I particularly like the touches on the top of the helm. It's nice to see these coming along so well.

[thespaceinvader]

...wouldn't the helm-top embellishment prevent the visor from opening?

Oh wait, no, it hinges outwards, not upwards. I see.

Great work =D

[TheJM]

So, uh, what exactly is that animal on top of his helm? I've been staring at it trying to figure out what it is.

I'm not terribly familiar with old crossbows like that one, but wouldn't the bolts need to be a bit longer? It might just be the angle that they're sitting, I'm not sure. Anyway, I like how you have the crossbow hanging there, on the saddle.

[Turuk]

I'm not terribly familiar with old crossbows like that one, but wouldn't the bolts need to be a bit longer?

If you take a rough measurement with your fingers you can see that the length of the bolts (as judged by the bottom of the quiver) you will see that they would extend from the catch for the string to the end of the crossbow.

As to the animal on the top, your guess is as good as mine.

[turin]

A dragon, I assume. Not sure what dragons actually have to do with dragoons, but whatever, it looks cool.

[Skizzaltix]

Apparently they were named after a French gun which was aptly named a dragon

...I must admit I had thought it was a Gryphon, at first.

[Turuk]

It is possible that the name derives from the dragoon's primary weapon, a short Wheellock called the dragon, so named because the weapon of the first unit of dragoons raised in France had the muzzle of their weapons decorated with the head of a dragon. The practice of so naming a weapon stems from the earlier period when all gunpowder weapons had distinctive names irrespective of size such as the culverin, serpentine, falcon, falconet, etc. It is also thought that the mounted infantryman with his loose coat and the burning match at a gallop resembled the mythical dragon.

In French, Portuguese and Spanish there is no distinction between the words dragoon and dragon.

Indeed. I sort of took it as a dragon as well, which is fitting.

[LordBob]

Well, to thell the truth the mysterious animal on top of his helmet is...

Spoiler:

Ye Olde Unnamed Mythological Beaste ! Seriously, the design is a chinese dragon with feathery wings. Something that came to me after seeing a similar creature in a medieval miniature

TSI: you follow my exact reasoning (and drawing process) about the helm. I guess the best option would be to just not open it :p

[kitty]

great stuff! the cavalier is turning out great. all those details and armour-thingies! i wonder if you had extensive armour knowledge before this project or if you do tons of research for every unit line.

and re-check the size of his hand.

[fmunoz]

Turuk was right, my first version of the dragoon used pistols hence that name.

[LordBob]

Kitty : I've always been fond of medieval stuff, but never got any serious research done before. What drawings I did back then were always aimed towards realistic, yet without reference. Whereas each portrait now has its due reference: I've been learning an incredible lot about real armour with this loyalist series.


And a lancer sketch for good mesure. Considering they are "clad in minimal armour", yet have good resistances, I followed CuyoQuiz's advice and pitched on a brigandine.
Once again the portrait shows mostly horse, so I'm considering a reframe

[Turuk]

Once again the portrait shows mostly horse, so I'm considering a reframe

I have to agree, with the horse as it is posed/standing now, it's the main focus point of the picture and so I looked at the horse first and then the rider. Especially since it seems to be coming at the viewer.