The Future of the Past

Hello history enthusiasts,

Today I’d like to share a truly exciting new project I’m currently developing. Together with my fellow illustrator Oliver Wünsch, I’m working on a completely new format for storytelling. Thanks to the latest AI tools, we can now bring our illustrations to life—animate them, and even make them speak. This opens up incredible possibilities, especially for communicating archaeological research.

We aim to transform historically accurate illustrations into eyewitnesses of their time—whether for educational use in museums or for immersive storytelling in entertainment contexts.

The idea of using AI-generated imagery for museum displays is not new. However, when it comes to historical accuracy, the results are often far from convincing. A recent exhibition on the 16th-century German Peasants' War, for instance, features AI-generated characters as avatars of historical figures.

Artistically, the result is disappointing. It seems that no one with a cohesive artistic vision or solid understanding of human anatomy was involved in the project.

Due to current technological limitations, all characters appear in fantasy outfits and cyborg armour. The curators describe this as a deliberate pedagogical twist—offering a fresh perspective on the period. What they don’t say is that, at present, it is simply not possible to use AI alone to create historically accurate images or video of authentically dressed and equipped figures.

I won’t go into the technical and economic reasons here, but it’s safe to say this won’t change any time soon. When clichés suffice and authenticity doesn’t matter, AI is a fine tool for creating amusing clips—like Moses reporting live from the Exodus.

​

But when it comes to producing quality material that reflects academic research, there are only two options:

You either reconstruct historical gear and costume, hire actors and a film crew, and shoot and edit video the traditional way. This is time-consuming, expensive, and limited to what the camera captures on set.

Or—you can hire Oliver and me.

We can create high-quality video content based on top-tier reconstruction illustration. We can visualise newly discovered artefacts, equip characters with the kind of rare or costly gear that would be nearly impossible to fabricate, and even mount them on historical horse breeds with fully reconstructed harnesses. We can animate facial reconstructions—and yes, we can make them talk, in any language, whether for a museum display, mobile app, or online platform.

We’re genuinely thrilled by the possibilities this opens up. Our combined artistic experience, historical expertise and technological fluency make for a unique and powerful toolset. We’re currently producing demo videos, and my patrons are the first to get a sneak peek—a short test clip based on my illustrations of Roman armour from the 2018 Kalkriese find.

Of course, keeping up with the blistering pace of technological development is no small feat. Testing, selecting, and mastering various AI models is challenging, to say the least. After all, shaping and enforcing a clear artistic vision upon what can only be described as a psychotic genius (that’s generative AI for you) is no easy task.

When we go live, you’ll know we’ve cracked it. What is more, we are not using any cloud computing. All AI models are run on our own computers, so all critical client data will be safe.

A Final Note to Sword People

Sword-and-shield fighters—take your summer training to the next level! Enrol in one of our extensive I.33 sword-and-buckler online courses now at a 15% discount. Build your foundation with the first course, and master the essential concept of schutzen (cover) in the second course.

Shields up!

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.

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.