The life so short, the crafts so long to learn. - Geoffery Chaucer
For centuries, the idea of the knight in shining armor has been romanticized and idolized. The concept of an iron-clad hero has been written and dreamed about all throughout the ages and has made its way into all forms of media across the globe. For whatever reason, there's been an appeal to a character or figure in a suit of armor, whether it be armor from the past, present or future. It could be the power behind armor, how an armored fighter could deflect normally devastating attacks with only the gear they wear. It could be those depicted in each suit, so valiant and bold or dark and mysterious. Whatever the cause, something about suits of armor has captivated creative minds and imaginations for centuries, and they still do today. Armored characters still populate stories, books, art, movies, comics, video games, and even doodles on the notebooks of daydreaming students. The very idea of armor itself made a massive impact on cultures and societies everywhere, and though its no longer worn in combat, the idea of armor still lives on in fiction, costume making, recreation, and armor making as a whole.
My idea to center the focus of my trip to London around armor started with some character design I've been doing for one of several graphic novels of mine. Despite having armored characters of several shapes, sizes, and eras all throughout my stories, I feel I had the most emphasis on armor in one in particular. One story features a main area heavily based on the landscapes, architecture and culture of medieval western Europe. Most of the main characters are armored in some way, shape or form. With so many characters and designs to go over, I couldn't help but become interested in real medieval armor. Seeing it in real life and studying it would help me design my characters and depict them effectively! So, I had decided to dedicate my research to armor, England being the perfect place to start, with such a rich medieval history having been surrounded by countries with some of the most iconic armor ever known. London was an ideal choice!