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8/8/2019 Swords: An Artist's Devotion - Q&A with Author
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/swords-an-artists-devotion-qa-with-author 1/2
Q. How and when did you become
interested in art?
A. My father was an artist, so in my earliest
memories, I can recall him working at an easel.
The smell of paint and the jumble of art supplies
inspired me from the get-go. In fact, I remember
getting in trouble as a wee little guy after drawing
on the walls and the undersides of furniture.
Imagine a crazy crayon mural of dinosaurs fighting
with bears and sharks! It seemed like a good idea at
the time.
Drawing became a lifelong habit. Creating artwork
was an escape hatch th rough which my mind could
wander away from any uninteresting task, yet it
was also a pursuit that required me to develop
discipline and focus. My interest in art has led me
here and there in the world. First I made a living
doing freelance illustration, and later I found a
career making computer games, which I did for
eight years.
Q. How did you make the leap from video games
to books? Do you find creating books different
from or similar to working on video games?
A. During work on a few of the Diablo games,
I began vividly daydreaming of writing and
illustrating my own book. Finally, I felt enough
conviction that I quit my job. Creating Swords was
similar to working on video games in that it was
a real production. I had to stay disciplined and
focused, or I would wind up dallying too long inone area wh ile leaving oth er areas unfinished. My
video game experience really helped me time the
development, and I’m happy to say that the book
was delivered just on time.
Q. Why did you want to write a book about
swords? How did you get the idea? A. I didn’t choose a definitive topic un til after Iquit my job. I hoped that my headfirst plunge into
the unknown would spark the “big idea” that I
was counting on. I’ll admit that was a crazy plan.
The existential panic kicked in right on cue, and I
went on the thrill ride of a lifetime as the project
somehow magically fell into p lace. A dear friend
and cow orker gave me a beaut iful sword as I parted
comp any with Blizzard North. The kind gesture and
generous gift stuck in my mind, until one day I had
an “Aha!” moment.
I channeled as much of my energy into illustrationsas I could, struggling to capture the vivid p ictures
that filled my mind. It was eye-straining work, but
thankfully, with subjec ts as knights and ninjas, it
wasn’t hard for me to find ample inspiration. To tell
the truth, it was a blast, like reliving a part of my
childhood. I really tried to make the book I would
have loved to have owned as a child, and yet I also
crafted this book for peop le (like myself) wh o have
never outgrown their fondness for the sword.
An interview with Ben Boos author and illustrator of
AN ARTIST’S DEVOTION
8/8/2019 Swords: An Artist's Devotion - Q&A with Author
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/swords-an-artists-devotion-qa-with-author 2/2
ILLUSTRATIONS COPYRIGHT © 2008 BY BEN BOOS
Q. Why do you think people today are still so
fascinated by swords?
A. Great question! I know I’m not alone in my
fondness for swords. My friends at Blizzard North
were sword nuts, and from w hat I can tell, so are
millions of others. The sword is certainly a fantasticweapon and a mighty invention. With steel, we can
rival the tooth and claw of any beast. The sword is a
brutal, effective weapon, and yet I don’t think that’s
the reason p eop le love it. There is something more
at work here. The sword is a blazing symbol—of
strength and hon or, of power and p rinciple, of art
and discipline, of science and craftsmanship, and
of justice and truth . In the modern e ra, millions of
people still gird themselves with virtual swords and
wade into imaginary battle every day. The sword
represents empowerment and th e ability to stand
up and fight for what is right and true. A swordsomehow romantically hints at a readiness for
adventure and the unknown, a possible showdown
with adversity, and the potent ial for glory and
reward. That’s why I think the sword has timeless
appeal.
Q. Are your illustrations based on actual
historical swords, or are they works of
imagination?
A.There is certainly a flavoring of imagination added
to my swords. In terms of hilt shapes and b lade
types, my illustrations are very accurate, but I also
extrapolated and used a bit of imagination to create
new specimens that seemed appropriate for a given
culture and era. I worked out variations of ornament
and detail until I felt I had created something
familiar but somehow new. My dream was to
envision treasures that have never been found, and
by reconstruction and a bit of artistic interpretation,
I hoped to present w hat these lost specimens mighthave looked like.
Actual artifacts rep resent such a tiny fraction of the
glory that once was! Like fossils, they give a mere
peephole into our history. What creatures existed
but n ever fell into a tar pit or a mud hole? Swords
that didn’t get bur ied just so in a bog often didn’t
get preserved at all. What wild ornament have
we not gotten to see? What beauties have we not
yet dug up? This is the stuff that gets my interest
and imagination fired up. Of course, I kept close
to reality, based on my understanding of genuine
historical examples. I didn’t want to offend pur ists
with overstretches of the imagination, so I tried to
restrain myself as best as I could. For those seeking
a deep and rigorous history of the sword, I have
included an extensive list of sources, from the works
of the late great scholar Ewart Oakeshott to the
living m aster o f medieval swordsmanship,John Clements.
Q. What are you working on now?
A. I’m already hard at work on the next “artist’s
devotion” book! It has been another adventure
too, just like the first p roject. This time around,
I’m drawing on my love of all things related to
fantasy. My fascinat ion with Tolkien and C. S. Lewis
will be involved. I really get to populate this new
book with some exciting stuff: monsters, treasure,
heroes, weapons, and lavish ornament abound!
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