Tuesday, October 27, 2009

RIDDLE OF STEEL!!!!

No art this time just some images of actual combat. I've been doing martial arts of one form or another since I was a teen but SWORDPLAY has become my pastime of choice for the last 20yrs. So below are some captured frames showing full contact rapier fighting with my pal Larsen ( whom I've been teaching for the last 5 yrs at least). this isn't your typical on a strip traditional fencing but more like " renaissance street fighting". Its as close to actual combat you can get. No holds barred- hence the motor cycle armor which as you can see leaves certain areas very vulnerable.

Hell were not trying to kill each other....... well we are, but not for real. We have a point system so you can literally bleed someone to death as a tactic used in a real fight or kill them with one blow.

So below are all the kill shots from a 5 minute bout.

enjoy. These pictures are 3 yrs old. Larsen and I have moved onto longsword....... sans armor. and no.... not full contact. That would be dumb.


I'm on the left- Larsen is on the right ( in shorts) I lunge and he hits me with a thrust to my underarm- pierces my lung. I'm dead


A simple thrust catches Larsen in the neck. Its just a poke but its his jugular so..... He's dead.


Larsen grabs my blade. HEY! ( totally legal in a street fight).


My blade caught Larsen goes for a cut, which I block with my hand. Ouch!


So I kick him in the gut! Also legal in a street fight.


I press the advantage of the kick and a cut to the head finishes Larsen off.


Later.....a well timed thrust catches me in the belly. I'll bleed out for the rest of the day and then die. Sad.


Attack and defend. We both attack at the same time but I block his cut with my arm and land my cut to his head.



A big and risky move, I commit to a leaping off line attack and luckily land a cut to the head.

15 Comments:

Blogger yebkamin said...

awesome stuff mandrews!

12:54 PM  
Blogger Operation GutterBall said...

Do it for Crom!

10:48 PM  
Blogger g said...

i see you apply your "kicking in the balls" rule in any kind of situation :D

1:20 AM  
Blogger Sant Arellano said...

DAMN MANDREWS!! You're a machine!

Those pics are cool, the camera was circling all Tony Scott around you guys, has all your training in martial arts helped you in your animation career?

Sant

10:32 PM  
Blogger Khylov said...

Good to know that you can walk out of the office and still see stabbings and thrustings on the front lawn. Good times.

Looks like Austin with Cyclops visor in the background.

1:51 AM  
Blogger Marcos Mateu said...

Great sequence of moves, and as you say it does feel like a real fight where you just do your best to make it to the end!

8:19 AM  
Blogger Dave Dick said...

Haha - looks pretty fun!

10:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Are the blades tipped like a foil or are they for real spades?

2:22 PM  
Blogger steve said...

when do i get my lessons?

10:40 PM  
Blogger MANDREWS said...

Yebkamin----- Thanks. its a blast


Operation Gutter ball----- done!

Gabriele Pasqualino------ thats right. exploit every target.


Sant------- only in the sense of being able to turn on my intimidation skills when I need to to get things done. Just kidding. I dont know if they have. If anything they keep me loose and free flowing.



khylov------ Oh yeah. As often as I can. nowadays its medieva longsword and no armor. heh heh. And thats Max Brace watching.



marcos----- absolutely.



Dave---- it is at that and good for shedding unwanted pounds sitting around drawing all day.


nick sweet------ they are rebatted meaning round tips( not like a foil tip) and blunt edges schlager blades. nice weight.



steve------- any time. just gotta work where I work.



Mandrews out!

8:34 PM  
Blogger Greg Manwaring said...

Big Mark - glad to see you're still training! I'm here in Barcelona and just went and chi sau'd with a group of guys the other day!! (like riding a bike - albeit a rusty one!!) You still training with Oram?

2:08 PM  
Blogger Heather said...

You should totally check this book out:
http://www.amazon.com/Solomons-Thieves-Jordan-Mechner/dp/1596433914/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Can't wait to see your next epic :)

10:35 PM  
Blogger Kendra Melton said...

Hahah this is fantastic. I love the street legal moves especially. Wonderful!

10:23 AM  
Blogger Omar Rodriguez Animation said...

Congratulations Mark, from what i've read...your the new Director for the Bear and the Bow...Pixar's Brave. I may be wrong...nevertheless sounds awesome...Fill people with creativity, imagination, and dreams.

10:58 AM  
Blogger Kaki Flynn said...

M,

You are now directing BRAVE. Great. I heard your podcast - I hope your sense of humor gets inserted in the movie. You are a woman warrior on the inside, I can tell. How about some news about directing BRAVE??

12:13 PM  

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