BERIC DONDARRION'S FLAMING SWORD
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To celebrate the final season of Game of Thrones in 2019, HBO partnered with artists around the world to reimagine 18 original props from the show. I was fortunate enough to be able to participate, working with the fine people at Precision Neon in Brooklyn on the sword of Beric Dondarrion.
The defining characteristic of Beric’s sword is that he lights it on fire going into battle. So it was very important that fire be conveyed in the design. Beric’s life and death(s) in the show is defined by his faith in R’hllor, the “Lord of Light.” The flaming sword is an iconic image within the religion, calling back to the legendary hero Azor Ahai who carried the sword “Lightbringer” in his battle against the darkness. I primarily work with lettering and typography, so the natural thought was to combine type and fire to incorporate the first half of the famous call and response prayer to the Lord of Light, “The night is dark, and full of terrors.”
The biggest challenge of the project was designing something that hit the right balance between aesthetics, complexity, and size. The type needed to be legible. The flames needed to read as fire. Neon tubes only come in set sizes. And a sword isn’t a particularly big object. The result is a sign with a high density of tubes and some pretty insanely intricate glass work. One of the most satisfying parts of the project, other than seeing it light up for the first time, was going to Precision Neon and watching the tubes being bent. I was in awe of the skill on display. They made it look easy.
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Client: HBO
Role: Concept, Design, Typography
Chief Creative Officer: Menno Kluin
Executive Creative Director: Sam Shepherd, Frank Cartagena
Creative Director: Doug Murray, Andrew Hunter
Design Director: Brian Gartside
Producer: Adrienne Darnell
Neon Produced by Precision Neon