ABOUT

I had the honor of designing a Hero Sword - Sword Concept for the legendary C. J. Sansom - Shardlake TV adaptation.

During the preparation, there were numerous criteria to meet, including historical accuracy and a handmade feel, not to mention that many details could be lost during later production. As usual, time was limited. However, I had a relatively "ample" amount of time for the entire design process this time, about 10-12 days.

Initially, I experimented with several shapes, including the classic "T" shape and various pommel designs, etc. I believe at least 10 preliminary sword concepts were created, and then we proceeded with 3 designs, which narrowed down to the final appearance.

The decoration could begin. The main goal was not to be perfect, so I sculpted all the motifs by hand. I used different techniques to ensure that they could be easily modified later.

Why is this important? If the engraving isn't wide or deep enough, details might be lost during the later painting process.

During the design process, I also experimented with various materials, which I could showcase through texturing. This provided an opportunity to have a visual representation even before production. This might be a bit technical, but I used 6x4K UDIM textures to showcase sufficient detail.

Of course, it goes without saying that the sword can never be too sharp. Therefore, the pointed parts, blade, etc., had to be made safe to prevent any accidents for the actors.

The final poly count of the sword was approximately 60 million polys. I then reduced it to 500K-1000K polys per part through decimation. This marked the beginning of the 3D printing process, a mold was made from it, and finally, it was cast in metal. After that, it was painted to achieve the final appearance. Naturally, the grip was covered in real leather.

I believe an excellent outcome was achieved.

The sword is not only dear to my heart because it's part of an iconic story, but also because I encountered numerous technical challenges that pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Release date: May 1, 2024