I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
AI for Illustrations, Fighting at Ribe + Original Viking Miniature Weapons
AI, Combat Training & Martial Dress AccessoriesHello fellow history geeks and martial artists. This newsletter's title sounds somewhat confusing, doesn't it? But when you read on, it will all make sense. Let us start with an image that will feature in my up-coming book. I created the original version of the above illustration last year. It depicts hunter-gatherers sneaking up on reindeer in northern Germany about 10,000 years ago. However, I needed to expand the image to better fit my book’s layout. I used new built-in AI-assisted features in Photoshop to complement the image. I describe how I did this in an according post, and I also explain how ChatGPT has become a useful tool for me.
Train with me in Ribe in October!I am delighted to announce that the Ribe VikingeCenter will host a four-day training event from the 17th to the 20th of October 2024 (week 42, a Danish national holiday). This event follows a format that has been successfully established in Hedeby and Trelleborg in previous years, and you have the opportunity to be part of it.
Free Paper on Viking Martial Dress AccessoriesWhile full-size weapons only appear in few female Viking Age burials, miniature weapons and other symbols of the martial sphere were widely integrated into the female attire. In contrast to the long-prevailing opinion of a strict division between the sphere of women and the sphere of weapons and warfare in Viking Age Scandinavia, Leszek Gardeła and Matthias S. Toplak (director of the Wikingermuseum Haithabu) reveal a much more nuanced picture.
So, that's it for today. Take care, and keep your blade well-honed. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please recommend it to your friends. They can sign up here or on my website. Or simply forward them this email. To learn to fight, consult our sword & buckler online course. If you wish to read more, find hundreds of related posts on my Patreon. Special thanks to all my loyal supporters on Patreon – you keep me going! And if you are not a patron yet, you are most welcome to join. If you feel like dropping a coin into my tip jar, you can do so here. Thank you for your time and your interest. Yours, Roland You are receiving this newsletter because you have signed up for it, or because you have previously expressed your interest in my work and events. If you prefer to not receive further emails, you can unsubscribe below. |
Dimicator
I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Hello archaeology enthusiasts, fighters and fellow history aficionados, there is quite a lot happening behind the scenes at the moment — from ancient weapons and practical martial arts research to medieval emperors and historical films. So today, let me take you from a Late Bronze Age spearhead to an upcoming spear-and-shield course, two opportunities to train together, yesterday’s remarkable events in Magdeburg — and finally two film projects that I am very much looking forward to seeing....
Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, one of the great privileges of studying original weapons is that there are things an object can reveal in your hands which are remarkably difficult to recognise from photographs, measurements or typological descriptions alone. But researching an object is one thing; communicating what you have learned is another. Sometimes it takes a detailed drawing. Sometimes, video and photos would do the job — however, permission to share them with...
Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, The past fortnight has been wonderfully busy. From teaching at HEMA Camp 1387 in Lithuania and studying remarkable museum pieces to continuing several long-term research and reconstruction projects, there has been plenty to keep me occupied. I hope you'll enjoy the latest updates. A Week of Swords in Lithuania I have just returned from an unforgettable week in Lithuania, filled with fencing, research, museum visits, inspiring...