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Original Roman Gorgons on armor
My cold cast appliqué
Authenticity alert! I should have carved a negative image into stone with a hammer & chisel, melted down a few gold bars and poured the molten metal in... sorry but, that's just a wee bit beyond my abilities so I had to go with a more modern equivalent... cold casting.
To make the molds I softened the plasteline clay in the microwave for about 60 seconds and then pushed my small gorgon broach into the clay and engraved myself some wings, along with a small eagles head, and a snake ribbon under the chin (all of which are standard motif for a Roman Gorgon), using the wood clay tools in the images below.
Unfortunately, pretty much no one seems to make the appliqués necessary to copy standard Roman Lorica motif ( I found one set of Gryphons but they cost nearly $200 alone)… so, I needed to make my own.
Vale!
Antonivs Marivs Congianocvs
aka_ANTH0NY_C0NGIAN0
My ancient coin collection:
[url:3lgwsbe7]http://www.congiano.com/MyCoins/index.htm[/url]
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You can see my first failed attempt in the background! :oops:
I then mixed 3 parts cold cast liquid resin together with 1 part metal powder and poured it into the clay mold.
(Note, I should have used a 1:1 metal powder to liquid resin ratio, unfortunately I didn't have enough metal powder so, the appliqués didn't come out very shinny but, I'm planning on finishing them off in gold and silver anyways.)
Once hardened, it came out of the plasteline clay but with some difficulty and a great deal of the clay was sort of stuck to the appliqué. I had to use a knife and then afterwards, while running it under hot water; I had to use an old toothbrush and soapy water to clean it all off.
Vale!
Antonivs Marivs Congianocvs
aka_ANTH0NY_C0NGIAN0
My ancient coin collection:
[url:3lgwsbe7]http://www.congiano.com/MyCoins/index.htm[/url]
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Then it was time for the Dremel to smooth everything out
Below are the rest of the appliques I made and an original example. Over all I think my armor's motif came out pretty good... at the very least the iconogy is accurate to what the high ranking officers and Emperors typically had in sculpture; a Gorgon/Medusa head with wings center top, two gryphons facing left & right while flanking a single stick candelabra with flame, and Lupa with Romulus & Remus nursing toward the bottom. (I purchased the shoulder thunderbolts last year from Nix Imperial)
UPDATED PHOTO
I still have to finish them off in gold & silver and then paint them in vibrant colors as the originals were... I might have them plated or I might try using gold and silver leaf, I'm not sure yet. Then again, I might just paint them.
If you want to see more details of this technique and how I made the other appliques… please click here:
[url:2ozfb615]http://www.congiano.com/Extras/Recreation/appliques.htm[/url]
Vale!
Antonivs Marivs Congianocvs
aka_ANTH0NY_C0NGIAN0
My ancient coin collection:
[url:3lgwsbe7]http://www.congiano.com/MyCoins/index.htm[/url]
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This is the Lupa, Romulus & Remus applique for the lower part of my lorica, that I made by making an impression of a small statue, filling in the head area, then turning lupa's head so it faced back.
This is me turning the head around after making the first impression
This is it coming out of the mold
More examples here:
[url:pku15pj7]http://www.congiano.com/Extras/Recreation/appliques.htm[/url]
Vale!
Antonivs Marivs Congianocvs
aka_ANTH0NY_C0NGIAN0
My ancient coin collection:
[url:3lgwsbe7]http://www.congiano.com/MyCoins/index.htm[/url]
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looks super
Anton O\'\'N eil
the one the only the crazy
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Lookin' good. I really like the way you turned the lupa's head. How do you plan on attaching it to the breastplate?
I guess, I had always assumed the designs would have been embossed into the plate itself.
Marcus Julius Germanus
m.k.a. Brian Biesemeyer
S.P.Q.A.
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Quote:How do you plan on attaching it to the breastplate?
I guess, I had always assumed the designs would have been embossed into the plate itself.
Salve,
Thanks!
I'm most likely going to 'cold wield' 3 or 4 thin "L"-shaped brass strips to the back of each appliqué, pierce through my lorica, and then bend the brass strips over to hold them in place.
I puzzled over the embossing vs. appliqués idea myself... if you look back at the image of the 4 original Gorgons, the one in the upper right is very much likely to be an appliqué, just look at how thick it is; that is most likely not hammered out. The other three gorgons however; could very well be (and possibly are) embossed.
Vale!
Antonivs Marivs Congianocvs
aka_ANTH0NY_C0NGIAN0
My ancient coin collection:
[url:3lgwsbe7]http://www.congiano.com/MyCoins/index.htm[/url]
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Great job you've done there's, like to see the final look
and so we could say AVE CESAR
Christophe (due to my job, have to keep Incognito)
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.cinecreatif.com/images/produits/160675-018_2.jpg-tbn">http://www.cinecreatif.com/images/produ ... _2.jpg-tbn
The Legio i choose in regard of my area from Wikipedia, seems now to told else thing, can just tell that i am interested in a 1st Century AD Legionnary, Hamata and Lorica, Coolus to Gallus Italic, best of 2 Worlds
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Looks great Anthony! A laudes well-deserved.
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Thanks Robert!
I haven't attached the appliqués yet but... this is what they look like placed on my lorica...
Vale!
Antonivs Marivs Congianocvs
aka_ANTH0NY_C0NGIAN0
My ancient coin collection:
[url:3lgwsbe7]http://www.congiano.com/MyCoins/index.htm[/url]
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that looks great so far i cant wait to see it when done
Anton O\'\'N eil
the one the only the crazy