Welcome to the 16th round of the League of Extraordinary Riveters Terrain Competition. "Got wood?"
Dear Ladies and Gents, welcome again to the now 16th instalment of the ongoing League of Extraordinary Riveters Terrain contest.
For those of you new to this event here a small explanation on what it is all about:
This is a competition about terrain building, main aim is to build creativily from random materials tabletop worthy terrain pieces.
But since the last competitions have shown dioramas are also allowed and welcome.
Each round has a “theme” or other defining attribute(s) that must in some way be applied to the your terrain project, to compete with other modellers for that most prestigious of prizes, membership into The League of Extraordinary Riveters [LoER].
The competition is open to everyone registered on Dakka Dakka, all are welcome to enter regardless of ability, etc.
The main aim of these competitions is to encourage gamers and model-makers alike to go that extra mile when building terrain that can be used for playing your preferred tabletop wargame (or similar pastime - for example, a board game playing piece would be acceptable). Those taking part can expect to receive ideas, inspiration, encouragement and feedback from each other, and at the end each of the participants is "rewarded" with a new piece of terrain for their own use (that's the thing you just built).
The winner of each round hosts the next round, and the cycle continues.
The theme, limitations, rules, judging and prizes are all the responsibility of the host, although he or she can get help from others for some of those things...
For those who are returning once again to compete a most sincere and heartfelt welcome back!
Speaking of the last competitions, here is a list of links to former glorious days of the already finished competitions...:
This time though the theme of the round is around a not to be taken too seriously question: "Got wood?"
To clarify this I have to say we are here for the fun of modelling and by this question hopefully no one gets to feel uneasy about it...
The goal of the competition thus is to either build from wood or make it look like wood...
As above stated a playable terrain piece or a diorama...either way the aspect of wood has to be shown. If you choose to build from wood, obviously your WIP pictures are of great value, so let them be shown! You may hack, saw, or carve to your hearts desire! Scale is up to you, should you enter...so any system is allowed. Should you opt for the look of wood...make us believe the wooden material is there even if you used plastic or whatnot!
We like to see how people build their models, so please post as many WIP shots as you can. This can achieve more than just keeping me happy (and you want to do that anyway ): Regular posts in this thread will keep it in the public eye and will allow more people to find this contest. Also, if you post WIP shots, others can give you feedback and ideas before it's too late to change it (this will only help you as a participant and we all learn something new).
However, FINAL pictures should not be shown here. This is important for motivation, we are all our own worst critics, and seeing someone's brilliant work should not put us off but it can. I can't stop you posting in your own threads, but please not in here. PM me with the pictures / links instead when they are ready.
One last note on photographs. Please put as much effort into taking photos of your finished model as you have building it. Poorly lit, out-of-focus, blurred, and low resolution photos can harm your chances in any competition. Remember, If I can't see it in the photo, I can't judge it. Only you can hold the model in your hands and turn it around to see everything. Make sure everything you want me to see is in the photos. Thank you.
Rules:
1: Talk about the Competition...please spread the word, most of us have their own P&M threads, so leave a link there so that more people get aware of the competition and may join, true to the saying: the more the merrier
2: Must be completed by the deadline. And when I say "must", I mean "about". There is a fair amount of leeway given in these contests but assume there will be no extensions and we'll cross any problems when it arises.
The Deadline is 11 weeks which makes it midnight BST 13th December Which I believe is 19:00 EST or 16:00 PST
But anything on that night though to midday will be accepted so that those of you living in the past can keep going until bed time.
Also: we all know how life can be, so if you feel that you will have difficulties with the deadline because...well life... we´ll work something out
3: Your piece should be scratch-built or heavily converted. Model kit parts can be used, especially if used in an unusual way, but you will get more points for something you sculpt yourself, so keep that in mind. Unconventional parts are highly recommended in addition to those you will be using as part of this competition. And remember it is all about wood!!! So the more wood you use the better...but don´t stress yourself with too big models...tho...if one feels up to the challenge of making a full sized fort...be my guest^^...
4: Your model should be a piece of terrain or a diorama that can be used for gaming purposes. It cannot be a playable model in itself (a crashed tank must stay crashed), but removable models (people) are fine.
5: Any scale, any setting and any gaming system are welcome. A nice mixture of fantasy, sci-fi, historical, or modern will make this contest all the more interesting. If you don't play a game, that's fine too; just make a display piece, but keep rule 4 in mind.
6: The women are right, size doesn't matter. You can make as small or as large a model as you want. Bear in mind the time-scale and don't bite off more than you can chew. We've all made that mistake!
7: Final Entry: Six or more photos of your final entry, showing top, front, both sides, back and all the important parts - not to be posted in this thread. PM me with links to your galleries, albums, etc. As I said above, please take the time to take the best photos that you can.
Together with your photos, I would like a statement of the items (a photo would be ideal) that you used. This is not a must, but would be helpful.
8: Please include some fluff or an explanation of the model/setting to allow the rest of us to fully appreciate your work. Last few competitions this was optional...now it is a must! we want to share your fluffy feeling about your models!
9: AMBITION: Push yourself. Try something new! Always wanted to use leds? Go for it! Fancied weathering powders? Here's your chance! I'll be looking at your galleries for previous work, entries etc. I want everyone to feel that their best has a fair shot at this.
10: Not so much a rule, but it wouldn't be the League of Extraordinary Riveters if there are no rivets. This also means similar small details are highly valued (rivets are the best example of this level of detailing).
11. THE RULE OF COOL trumps all.
If you are unsure of anything just ask away.
Note, i am not explaining any point system here...i am relying on my taste... when i take a bite, i don´t dissect everything into their components...i simply enjoy the symphony of tastes and crunchy bits...so being your dictator for this competition...make it a joyous composition and the victory is yours!
Winner is entitled to membership to the League of Extraordinary Riveters. You will be allowed to fly the League's banner and be recognised as a modeller devoted to Rivets.
Prizes are not yet thought about, but rest assured you will get something that either keeps you busy modelling or feel privileged to own something made by me^^
After the competition has ended a people's choice poll will be started to let the your fellow Dakkanauts judge you as well.
Which entitles you to more warm feelings inside and the bragging rights that your peers love your work.
What's the deadline on when you need to know how i a contestant? Cause I'd totally like to get in on this however I'm not sure if I can commit yet because of work.
The Deadline is 11 weeks which makes it midnight BST 13th December...
Plenty of time...
And I'll update the contestants list later on...
Until then cam can still think about entering for good...after all your new home will be good testing ground...
About the deadline, perhaps add a bit that states, "if you are close to finishing your entry, but may miss the deadline, please PMbefore the dead-line so we can work something out."
I can't commit yet. RL keeps biting me on the backside at the most unexpected moments these days.
Sig updated with the new link. And a shout out in my own thread.
A tentative "Yes" from me mate! Love the theme! RL is still mad and especially after just getting back from hodilays... but I need something to get me back into the hobby... ad what better way than this!?
Interesting theme this month. I will ponder some ideas and get back to you.
Wait, how do you add rivets to wood? Would you accept nails? (That would seem to be in the spirit of "similar small details are highly valued").
Does the entire piece need to be/look like wood?
what was the retailers motto? first in first out... glad you joined!!!
Camkierhi wrote:Not committing just yet. Far too much RL going on.
Come on all you wood be winners. Have a go it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on!
i am corssing my fingers for you to still find time to actively throw your hat in...wood works is right up our alley but i know why you are hesitant...good luck with the move!
Rogue Wolves wrote:What's the deadline on when you need to know how i a contestant? Cause I'd totally like to get in on this however I'm not sure if I can commit yet because of work.
added you....if life causes strife...we´ll work something out!
Red Harvest wrote:Would plywood be acceptable?
About the deadline, perhaps add a bit that states, "if you are close to finishing your entry, but may miss the deadline, please PMbefore the dead-line so we can work something out."
I can't commit yet. RL keeps biting me on the backside at the most unexpected moments these days.
Sig updated with the new link. And a shout out in my own thread.
thanks for the updated sig! also as stated above, wood, MDF, plywood...if in doubt ask me, also... option LOOK s also available... so even clay or plastic or GS are allowed IF once finished it looks like wood...
and added the paragraph about RL issues getting in the way! thanks for that suggestion and i would love to see you tackle woodgrains...
MagosBiff90 wrote:A tentative "Yes" from me mate! Love the theme! RL is still mad and especially after just getting back from hodilays... but I need something to get me back into the hobby... ad what better way than this!?
added you mister! so many ideas ...probably...get them rolling!!!
TP^DC Deputy Manager wrote:I'm not sure yet. Subbing for the moment. May formulate a quick idea and enter, will let you know.
i went ahead and added you...hope i wasn´t too opressive here....but you have it in you! besides, you´re a cornucopia of ideas! join for the greater good ... puuhhhhlease?^^
Cleatus wrote:Interesting theme this month. I will ponder some ideas and get back to you.
Wait, how do you add rivets to wood? Would you accept nails? (That would seem to be in the spirit of "similar small details are highly valued").
Does the entire piece need to be/look like wood?
i like your nail idea... besides...you could add rivets to iron clad wooden ships and so on... and as always: it´s ultimatly your terrain piece you´re creating, so your reasoning is the main reasoning here!
inmygravenimage wrote:I'm in. Oh yeah!
added!!! i am looking forward to your ideas!
KINGPIN54 wrote:Still new but wood do my best at it!let's see what comes from this! Sign me up.
you´re added^^ also... see what you did there...that shows the right spirit!
TheEyeOfNight wrote:Subbing now, and mulling over ideas. Longtime fan of the League competitions, anxious to throw my hat in
come on... i´ve added you for spirit´s sake! whatching the competition is only half of the fun...
soooo....here is me hoping to see the first saplings of your ideas ^^
However, I can offer good advice on the subject.
I plug this a lot whenever wood or sprue are mentioned, but if by some miracle you haven't seen my hut tutorial, you can see that here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/545398.page#5935106 It shows how you can turn spare sprue into scale wood, and I even cover painting it to look like wood (which can also be useful if you are using real wood).
Also, I recently found that a sheet of plasticard can be turned into a wooden floor using my scribing technique and then cutting out random "planks" and swapping them with others to give a less regular appearance.
I can offer advice along the way or I can offer a second opinion to your judging, Vik, if you like.
your work was a big inspiration for choosing this theme this time...
indeed, Doc H has lots of cool reference material and an amazing array f techniques to get the wooden look if one would choose to go for the LOOK option!
note...in terms of the rules you could also opt for MATERIAL and have the wood you worked with look like steel, concrete or heck...flesh?....or wood that looks like wood...
Count me in. Gotta have some mooks to up the body count and make the heroes look more heroic
I've got zombies in the brain so probably some kind of wooden structure and then some scatter bits either made of or made to resemble wood.
So would a half wooden half brick building, or a brick/whatever building with lots of boarded up windows work as well as a fully wooden shack, or are those going too far off the script for full points?
i´ll add you with delight GrimDork!
and i think you are on the right track...if you opt for LOOK then you should have a "major" part of the piece to look like wood...if you opt for MATERIAL you could work as much as you like with wood but the look is then up to you...
it sounds a bit fishy... but you will fill your idea with live ...
and as to the point system... this time there isn´t any... i see i taste....and i will judge^^...i am by far too dumb to actually really make a list of points and have that system be followed....really...i am one of these guys that really is too dumb to measure^^ and i am no good with numbers^^ (i am proud to come up with twice the right amount when i count the kids i have to look after as a nursery nurse (joke))
Yeah but there are points even if you don't realize it. For your previous example, I dint want to add any raw/hot onions such that the flavor symphony suffers
Since I don't keep a lot of wood on hand, =/, I decided to buy some supplies at my local Hobby Lobby. I think this is Basswood or whatever. The pile of slats that has that layered look seems like it may make good shingles, and there are a lot of slats and boards for doing various things. The corner pieces look promising too.
I also nabbed a little block from a bag of blocks my daughter decided she wanted. I'm thinking of usingi some wood or card to make it look like a classic shipping crate and then possibly trying my hand at casting a few.
Right now, a small-medium shed/cottage is in the back of my mind, though I could build a few. Maybe a remote wooded community or a collection of outbuildings for Survivors to explore in hopes of stored goods (but no zombies!).
Thinking I might try something different to my usual "type" for this one.... well... different time period anyway....
Thoughts turn toward either a wooden fighting vehicle.... or sometime of fortification... I think they were called "hoardings" that used to sit along the top of walls of medieval fortresses etc.... will get some pics up later...
I did the star wars asteroid base that won the contest before last. It's fun working outside of your normal scale sometimes! Being armada compatible meant it was also usable at 1/1400
Anyway, my wood is going to be a 35mm affair, cos I'm on a Batman kick just now
MagosBiff90 wrote:Thinking I might try something different to my usual "type" for this one.... well... different time period anyway....
Thoughts turn toward either a wooden fighting vehicle.... or sometime of fortification... I think they were called "hoardings" that used to sit along the top of walls of medieval fortresses etc.... will get some pics up later...
remember a vehicle could only be a possible terrain piece as a wreck...it needs to be not a "fighting" unit for any game... but a fortress would be totally allright! loking foorward to your pics!!!
GrimDork wrote:Since I don't keep a lot of wood on hand, =/, I decided to buy some supplies at my local Hobby Lobby. I think this is Basswood or whatever. The pile of slats that has that layered look seems like it may make good shingles, and there are a lot of slats and boards for doing various things. The corner pieces look promising too.
I also nabbed a little block from a bag of blocks my daughter decided she wanted. I'm thinking of usingi some wood or card to make it look like a classic shipping crate and then possibly trying my hand at casting a few.
Right now, a small-medium shed/cottage is in the back of my mind, though I could build a few. Maybe a remote wooded community or a collection of outbuildings for Survivors to explore in hopes of stored goods (but no zombies!).
one shed would be sufficient, but i really like that idea of yours about the wooden community! that could look spectacular.
Tactical_Spam wrote:Did i read the size aspect of this competition right?
from the later posts of yours i think you read them right^^... but to clarify...indeed every scale is welcome! tho...in 6mm scale or even smaller scales rivets would be a hell to apply... shall i add you to the fold of competitors?
And the model can be of any dimensions you like. You want to make a whole table of terrain, or just a small set-piece? Go for it.
yup! that was a cool example!
GrimDork wrote:I think there has been at least one X-Wing compatible entry which is something like 1/270th so even smaller than 6mm has been seen
that was a cool one as well...winning potential even...
sooooo peeps....when can we oggle over your first ideas, WIP, sketches or inspirational finds?
the masses want to look into your heads
Automatically Appended Next Post:
inmygravenimage wrote: I did the star wars asteroid base that won the contest before last. It's fun working outside of your normal scale sometimes! Being armada compatible meant it was also usable at 1/1400
Anyway, my wood is going to be a 35mm affair, cos I'm on a Batman kick just now
lol...indeed you opened the trapdoor after this win^^
Currently painting zombies so no scenery progress yet. I've got to source something to act as the base and do some figuring as I'd very much like the roof to come off for game play and so I can make it some furnishings.
GD...(needing to have a nick for you) if you want... take a look at my wall entry for the 12th comp... totally built from wood...and with removable roof and even a middle floor...
Thanks for the encouragement, Vik. Here's the preliminary idea, in the theme of "Stuff I've Never Even Considered", and hopefully will go well with my Beastman army.
Spoiler:
A wicker man-style effigy, hopefully created from the twigs and bits of organic matter around my house and juiced up with little dangly bits like skulls and body parts.
I'm going to keep things pretty simple this time around: a wooden billboard for my Gotham layout, made largely of coffee stirrers. We shall see how it goes!
Viktor von Domm wrote:If you pull this off, no way it's not gonna end up being epic! Really like that idea!
"If" being the keyword...we'll see how it turns out
MagosBiff90 wrote:OOOoohhh TheEyeOfNight yeh that's going to be awesome!! Nice idea!
Thank you kindly. Let the madness begin.
Cleatus wrote:Still not sure what to do, but the wheels are turning!
Jump on in, the water's fine and smells of paint and superglue!
Speaking of which, the initial 15-minutes I put into a proof-of-concept showed that this idea is feasible, but will be rather labor-intensive. I now direct your attention to People's Exhibit A:
Spoiler:
The idea (at least in my head) is to build up the wooden frame with those little twigs into the actual shape I need. Will it work? No idea, but I'm satisfied enough to begin some actual construction. I'll swing by the thread later, but for now I vanish into the Catachan-like madness of my backyard to gather supplies. Build well, my friends.
Hey guys, I'm so new at this stuff I did not even know that a page 2 existed. Brainstorming here on this side of the earth. Should have prelims done tinight.
Can I clarify - does the wood have to be visible, or can it just be part of the structure of the piece? I'm basically asking can I use a wood frame and construct the terrain around the wood?
TP^DC that would be the option MATERIAL you're going for. Or in other words totally straight after the rules. I would be delighted if enough wood and cool techniques/methods would be shown, so that everyone can learn a trick or two...
Ok. Have chatted to Vik and he's given me the thumbs up.
So . . . . . . I'm going to try building the bridge at Kazhad Dûm. I'm painting a Balrog for Paradigm's painting challenge so it seems to make sense.
The issue is one of the use of wood. (Vik doesn't know this next bit) My misses thinks I can make wood look like stone. So I'm gonna give that a crack, if I can't pull it off, I'll use wood for the structure, but I want to honour the theme as much as possible and am going to try my carving skills first. Expect some test shots.
Speaking of which, the initial 15-minutes I put into a proof-of-concept showed that this idea is feasible, but will be rather labor-intensive. I now direct your attention to People's Exhibit A:
Spoiler:
The idea (at least in my head) is to build up the wooden frame with those little twigs into the actual shape I need. Will it work? No idea, but I'm satisfied enough to begin some actual construction. I'll swing by the thread later, but for now I vanish into the Catachan-like madness of my backyard to gather supplies. Build well, my friends.
that looks awesome...was fearing the twigs might make it too blocky looking but your choice of material is excellent!
Thanks guys. Let's hope I can make it work now. And Vik, it's not heresy to disagree with my wife (or any other female partner for that matter), it's suicidal!
Automatically Appended Next Post: Forgot to say - @TheEyeOfNight - love the concept and test run. Looking good. Can't wait to see the end product!
Hmmmm love this idea, love wood, need more terrain pieces (malifaux, our pathfinder games etc)
So I think Ive twigged to the concept here - I'll throw my hat in. Not sure what I might do yet tho, likely to be a building thingy. /ponders
*edit* Forgot - saw a trick on youtube (forget name sorry :() for using steel wool + vinegar solution to chemical 'dye' wood to look like well, finished wood. It gives it a lot of more variation. Just thought someone else might be interested in the idea.
I don't know what I'm going to make, and I'm not committing to this idea just yet, but I was thinking of building an Eldar spire. Question, though - if I make this out of wood, can I coat it in plaster or some other substance to smooth the edges or do I have to sand the wood smooth and hope?
Guildenstern wrote: Hmmmm love this idea, love wood, need more terrain pieces (malifaux, our pathfinder games etc)
So I think Ive twigged to the concept here - I'll throw my hat in. Not sure what I might do yet tho, likely to be a building thingy. /ponders
*edit* Forgot - saw a trick on youtube (forget name sorry :() for using steel wool + vinegar solution to chemical 'dye' wood to look like well, finished wood. It gives it a lot of more variation. Just thought someone else might be interested in the idea.
It is also possible to chemically dye wood using lye or ammonia fumes. Although it is a bit dangerous
Guildenstern wrote: Hmmmm love this idea, love wood, need more terrain pieces (malifaux, our pathfinder games etc)
So I think Ive twigged to the concept here - I'll throw my hat in. Not sure what I might do yet tho, likely to be a building thingy. /ponders
*edit* Forgot - saw a trick on youtube (forget name sorry :() for using steel wool + vinegar solution to chemical 'dye' wood to look like well, finished wood. It gives it a lot of more variation. Just thought someone else might be interested in the idea.
It is also possible to chemically dye wood using lye or ammonia fumes. Although it is a bit dangerous
Yes, I've read about these techniques. I also read about using tea or chalk to bring out the grain. Or just wood stain. If it ends up too dark, you can use bleach to lighten up the wood again. Lots of options.
Remember: safety first. Conduct experiments in a well ventilated area, especially when dealing with unfamiliar chemicals. Rubber/latex gloves and eyewear optional, but recommended.
OK, seriously, I need to come up with an idea. Maybe a shanty town, some pallets, boardwalk...
So I thought I should go and check I had some wood.
Yeah, I think I do:
And there are some large blocks in the garden.
Been researching how the precipice for the Balrog should look and there is loads of variation. So I'm going back to the movies to get a definitive goal. Had to start at the beginning though, so will find out in a few days . I do know that the bridge is meant to be 50 foot long as per Tolkien, so using Gandalf's height as 5'6" and the 32mm scale, that works out as 1:65 scale and the bridge needs to be 23.4cm long for it to be to scale. That would be a long thin dio. However, and here's where my fellow League members/participants can help. How about a square dio, with the bridge starting in one corner heading over to the precipice and Balrog imposingly sitting in the opposing corner? Yay/nay?
as for you ideas...i´d be game for a long thin one and even a square one... maybe you should make out of paper a mock up of both layouts and see what you think works best for you?...
would hate to really talk you into one direction that later on proves to be against your ideas/needs....
well...we´re about to watch the films soon too...we´re thinking about watching them with our kids...aged 7 and 9...hmmm...they watched movies like avengers or all the star wars stuff already...so mebbe it will work with the LotR too...^^
Automatically Appended Next Post: and storage is a big issue we don´t have too undervalue...i´ve built way too much stuff that eats up too much space...
from your point i think this has much to offer... if you play your cards right perspective can be our best bud in terms of the built..painting later on will bring out lots of perspective too...
Good ideas floating about.
Like the wicker man concept.
For the layout, Deputy, ...well storage is an important consideration indeed... but if you do go for a corner-to-corner layout, can I suggest it not be perfectly symmetrical, and go from not quite one corner to not quite the other corner.
The slight asymmetry will give it a bit more "arty" feel to it. Perfect symmetry can look a bit odd at times.
And, if you are going to have Gandalf (5'6" seems a little short for him?) on one side and the Balrog on the other, then playing with asymmetric sides to the chasm (one larger than the other) can show the balance of power between the two figures: Large side with Balrog to show the seeming unfairness of the fight, or large side with Gandalf to show that he is in fact the more powerful being...
For the layout, Deputy, ...well storage is an important consideration indeed... but if you do go for a corner-to-corner layout, can I suggest it not be perfectly symmetrical, and go from not quite one corner to not quite the other corner.
The slight asymmetry will give it a bit more "arty" feel to it. Perfect symmetry can look a bit odd at times.
totally with you...
also your insights about asymetry are a good hint...this will make the piece indeed look way more "lifelike"
My tupence, I would go long and thin, a 9" base will fit nicely on a shelf, and I would also probably squew the length a bit, after all a landraider transports a thousand robot men, so a bridge a little less than 18" long will look fine.
Totally with DrH on the asymmetry bit, also would be an amazing chance to do some awesome OSL with Gandalf.
In the middle of house move, no TV, so envious of a LotR sesh right now.
And Vik, they will love the films, but probably skip the Shelob bit, depends, also if doing it true to timeline, should be Hobbit trio first, and again the spiders!
Thanks all. Asymmetry would work well with long and thin too. And this is a lesson in not trusting all sources of info for heights. Ian McKellen is actually 1.8m (5'9")!!! Making the scale 1:44!!! Bridge would need to be 34.6cm for full length, but asymmetry will allow the bridge to end in a way so that the bridge can be divided in two allowing potential opportunity for future terrain piece.
Think I imagine the piece ending with Balrog on wide area rather than Gandalf Dr H. Conveying how he had strength of purpose to hold at that point despite it's fragility. Or something...
Have never done OSL. Not sure I am up to it yet. We'll see
Guys, Gotta say, thanks for all the input and support, you're all great!
TP^DC Deputy Manager wrote: Think I imagine the piece ending with Balrog on wide area rather than Gandalf Dr H conveying how he had strength of purpose to hold at that point despite it's fragility. Or something...
This has potential to be a really awesome dramatic piece, excited to see how it turns out!
@TheEyeOfNight - cheers. With my track record, don't get your hopes up!! But grateful for the support. Hope I don't let you all down. Will try sketching a plan tonight and upload. But that will of course only be a rough plan because I need to get to that part of the films before I can do a definite plan
TP^DC Deputy Manager wrote: @TheEyeOfNight - cheers. With my track record, don't get your hopes up!! But grateful for the support. Hope I don't let you all down. Will try sketching a plan tonight and upload. But that will of course only be a rough plan because I need to get to that part of the films before I can do a definite plan
Plans are good. Extended-edition, director's cut plans are even better.
Also, since I am out of town this coming week, here is the progress on the body frame so far (Bestigor for scale). Fun tip: sprinkling a bit of dirt on the hot glue globs before they dry makes it look a lot like mud, and should save me some work later on.
Spoiler:
And some supplies I ran across hiking through our local park. Not sure what I'll use them for yet, but they'll definitely be part of this...
So the plans are in motion:
So it will be a cube 30cmx30cmx30cm due to the wingspan being 25cm (which is rubbish because I was hoping to have it a rectangle with short edge being about 15-18cm to fit on a shelf I have, but needs must. I had originally hoped to have the bridge be much higher from the base to represent the depth of the canyon. But it would be impractical and is again restricted by the height of the Balrog (15cm!). The piece the Balrog will be stood on will be a block of solid wood and I will chisel away the exposed surfaces to represent the rock face.
I've taken on board the perspective/asymmetry points and from above will look like this with the bridge ending in mid-air. The bridge will be made of two pieces of 2"x1" glued and screwed together then attacked with chisel and saw, with curve cut in from the beginning.The bridge will be connected to the rock face with glue and dowel:
I've got disc cutters that will allow me to cut recessed circles for the minis' bases too. I think. Maybe. We'll see.
Hope people don't mind me babbling here, it helps me form my thoughts.
Absolutely no probs with babbling here, as this is what's that thread is all about!
Love your sketches, they hint of coolness...
Chisel work will be a feast for us, as I want to learn a thing or two regarding that too!
And the lack of true depth you can fix with the paint job...
Ok so here's my input.... Going to go for a medieval age trench / fortress hoarding... timber in construction built over a stone wall... with a fire going inside... ( I know... fire in a timber construction... what could go wrong?!) ... going to really push myself and attempt to try OSL paint technique which I have never done also also maybe a wee LED perhaps....
Going to try a nice clean paint job (nothing to decrepit or crusty) which again will be a nice change! got a plan in my head so will crack on this evening as I have a wee bit of free time for a change!
I was driving through the country this weekend and saw an old abandoned barn out in a field. After thinking about it a little while, I said to myself, "Yep, that's it." So I'm going to try building a broken down, abandoned barn, and possibly a farmhouse too. Seems like an appropriate fit for the theme. Examples of what I have in mind:
I finally have my reference photo:
What I am planning is nothing new. A load of people have done fabulous jobs, but interesting that because the area behind the Balrog is not seen for long most people have used artistic licence (absolutely appropriately). I think I'll go with the pillars because they will make an interesting appearance and I'dnlike to be as true as possible to the original.
Now, back to the film (sorry, not trying to rub it in Cam)
Though, I don't think I want to do a barn/farmhouse per se. I do want to do a scenery board with a fence row, some shaggy outbuildings and maybe a water feature. Nothing verdant, maybe in the heat of summer or early fall, but before the leaves are down as I don't want to detail a bunch of leaf piles. I dunno, a small farm house could be pretty neat for some zombie encounters but it would require a lot of research to get a proper layout for the interior, and a *lot* of work on gubbins.
We'll see. The bad part is, if I do a board at all, I may as well do a 4x4' board. I mean a 3x3' board for Pulp Alley may as well be a zoomed/cropped section of a 4x4' board. Just make it bigger and use a smaller section of it rather than making cumbersome expanders later. Of course this means a lot of work upfront.
I had so many plans for various 4x4' boards, doing a run-down farm is a bit odd of a shift.. but it would work for everything but fantasy... so I'm considering it. We'll see, I know there's a lot of time left in the comp but there isn't a lot of hobby time on my plate lately.
Though, I don't think I want to do a barn/farmhouse per se. I do want to do a scenery board with a fence row, some shaggy outbuildings and maybe a water feature. Nothing verdant, maybe in the heat of summer or early fall, but before the leaves are down as I don't want to detail a bunch of leaf piles. I dunno, a small farm house could be pretty neat for some zombie encounters but it would require a lot of research to get a proper layout for the interior, and a *lot* of work on gubbins.
We'll see. The bad part is, if I do a board at all, I may as well do a 4x4' board. I mean a 3x3' board for Pulp Alley may as well be a zoomed/cropped section of a 4x4' board. Just make it bigger and use a smaller section of it rather than making cumbersome expanders later. Of course this means a lot of work upfront.
I had so many plans for various 4x4' boards, doing a run-down farm is a bit odd of a shift.. but it would work for everything but fantasy... so I'm considering it. We'll see, I know there's a lot of time left in the comp but there isn't a lot of hobby time on my plate lately.
Haha, sorry!
Wait, interior work? Water feature? A 4'x4' board?? I'm hoping to finish a single building, and you're talking about doing a whole board of stuff. If you end up doing a run down farm, I'm sure your style will be completely different than mine.
Looking forward to seeing what you (and everyone) comes up with for the comp!
Grim', could you not do one corner (1x1) of the planned board and then add to it later... or if things go well do a second etc... You wouldn't make a whole 4 foot square board in one piece anyway would you? Would you?
If you're going to be making it in sections, may as well ensure that at least one section gets finished for the contest and then finish the others as they come...
If you can get it all done, then all power to you. But don't ignore the power of little victories (completing part of a larger project) to encourage motivation; a 4 foot square blank space could be quite intimidating, getting 1/4 of that done could really make the difference.
That's a very long way to say; plenty of time, one step at a time. You can do it.
Yeah same for me. Even if its just some pallets, a hut, or an outhouse or something... I wanna do a farm board maybe, but liable to not get it all done.
just want to put it out there that i would be making pallets and crates as scatter terrain or barricade/ LOS-blocking debris piles out of real wood coffee stirrers, as i did some of that before:
Good st uff, they look extremely pallet-like. Extremely,
What kind of glue did you use? CA, woodglue, what pva? I love to hot glue stuff but those look like they were done with something a bit more set and dry as they're pretty straight with no awkward hot-glue-lumps.
Damnit now I'm getting flashbacks from Walmart.... and yours aren't even blue!
i am sorry i was so long away...job life and a fuzzy head due to a man flue that´s around the corner...
well...i updated the list of contestants...i hope i didn´t drag someone into the fray against their will...and also that i didn´t forget someone...gimme a nudge and i will fix that oor this asap^^
as for the pallet thing... totally worthy idea for the comp! may i add my own 5c of retail knowledge tho... from my own hazy memory pallets have square inner planks instead of rectangular panks...for my own projects i would rely on putting the upper coffey stirrers on a skeleton of matchsticks...
soooo....when do we see the first real WIP pics...?...c´mon!
cheers, vik (who is loving the discussion part as much as the picture showing^^)
Evening, gents, back from vacation. Popping back in to say cheers, and kudos to all the ideas that have sprung up and/or developed in the meantime. Going to be fun competition
@Grim - i used superglue. Gorilla Glue brand gel superglue, to be precise. i'm sure you could use PVA or wood glue...i tried to do pallet markings, but they didn't come out so good after i washed them with a really-too-dark wash to make the wood look better...i've noticed recently at work IRL that several pallets are painted on the sides (blue, and especially red)...i think they might have been used for flammable barrels originally. i'll probably work son some of those, as well.
@Vik - there are several different kinds of pallets...the ones i am around the most have three 2x4's as the 'frame', and i thought the coffee stirrers were close enough in scale. i have also seen pallets made with cubes of 6x6 at the corners and midpoints, and for this comp, i might try to make some of those, but the others are fairly simple to make and i have everything i need to make them already.
also had a thought to make ork buildings like they had in a workshop article in an old white dwarf...
Progress progresses, thanks to a quiet evening with my wife and American Horror Story. Gluing tiny sticks into place into place is a fairly repetitive task, so additional entertainment is more or less a necessity.
Haven't decided on what the base is going to be, but I cut a circle of foamcore to suffice for the time being. (Planet Killer for scale)
Managed a start on my entry tonight.... Wrote out a big explanation 4 times but my phone is being a jackass!!
So.... Pics only.... Lol.... Medieval style bunker that can be separated into wall sections.... Old stone fort rebuilt over in timber in a desperate time of need...
More to come soon... Only minimal wood so far! Haha!
Viktor von Domm wrote:and there i am ...always looking to have a not too revealing backdrop in my pics....lol...nice toilet paper roll there...
Hey, no shame between friends, colleagues, or strangers on the internet. I might not have that right.
MagosBiff90 wrote:So.... Pics only.... Lol.... Medieval style bunker that can be separated into wall sections.... Old stone fort rebuilt over in timber in a desperate time of need...
Liking the controlled chaos look so far, and always a fan of modular builds. Was never quite able to pull it off myself, but looking forward to how the project turns out.
Ahoy all! Im still in... lol.... managed to make a very quick mock up of part of the timber structure overthe doorway... still rough and basic for the moment... going to atte, pt to make it a-symetrical... as though it has been thrown up in a hurry...
Anyway... hope you all can see the direction I am trying to go in....
Ack, I don't want to get a paddlin'! I'm still in!
I spent some time sketching out my idea for the abandoned farmhouse. See what you think:
The overall structure is there, details will come as I start building it. I'm building it to scale for Warhammer 40k minis, so the doors and windows would all be approximately the right height for a IG or Ork Boy. Space Marines might have to duck. This drawing is actual size, so the finished model will be 7.5" wide on the front, and approximately 5.25" tall. I included a small sketch of the side view (not to scale). I want to have the bare boards showing, and some peeling away. Maybe fire damage. Lots of ideas. Now to build it!
At least you guys have a start! I need to power through some of my other projects so I can get started on this one =/
Having a little trouble with inspiration atm - I love wood. I am a bit obsessed with it of late. But... I don't feel like doing a house, even though I need more terrain of a house like nature. Have to do some brainstorming with supplies in hand I guess.
That was going to be my take if i could have managed. A nice little woods. three or four trees and some bushes. Go for it anyone, i will not manage now i think.
Cleatus wrote: Not much progress. I experimented with creating wood planks. These are cardboard, sealed and then primed with gesso:
It's a start. *shrug*
Use some house paint, lay it on thickly, and once it starts to dry, drag an old brush or better yet an old toothbrush --stiffer bristles-- across it to leave brush marks to simulate wood grain. Works a charm.
First level ready for a floor.
And now to figure out how to add the second level floor. Also, 20cm across at the widest point. This is a big 'un. With the roof, probably 28cm high.
Hmm still not sure what I'm gonna have the energy to do this time around. Farm board is the neatest thing but probably not the time. Maybe fall back on one of those shacks or even an outhouse
Are we already feeling the first Christmas caused breaks of creativity here? It is getting very quiet atm...
Well....then I have to bring up some incentives...
I am currently designing an all wooden tank as a first price for the winner...the piece will be a complete scatchbuilt that will stay true to this daring theme...so it will hopefully will look good even unpainted...I plan only to seal it with varnish...
Well hello Dakka friends, been a while since I was posting (although have been lurking...). Been as long since I did any model related work as well... When I saw this competition though, i thought it's high time to get my mojo back on. So without further ado, here's some wip for my entry (no promises that I'll finish though )
Going to make my wood out of wire...
Sorry for the dodgy pictures, will hopefully get some better daylight shots as I progress...
Tree - singular Three separate 'branches' combined to make a thicker trunk. each 'branch' is 17 30cm/12" lengths of wire folded in two to make 34 lengths then all twisted up with 8 strands at a time pulled out to make the individual branches, subdivided in half each time
Red Harvest wrote:Welcome back! Trees are supposed to rot, not rust, y'know Those look pretty good. The roots especially. Baling wire or...?
Hah, very true... It's actually plastic coated garden wire with the plastic coating stripped off. It's a little thick for this (1.8mm I think - 1.5 or less could have been better), but usable none the less
I think I have wire like that somewhere. I've been meaning to make a few trees... but, next year. Moratorium on all new projects for me. Need to finish this first.
And Craft sticks...woo-hoo... testing me they are. All the surface irregularities and the warping. It adds character, to be sure, and probably makes for a visually more interesting piece in the end, but I like things precise.
Hey this comp ties in perfectly with something I've been wanting to do for a while now! I have a couple of 12" wooden manikins. I want to make them into terrain sculptures for a Maidenworld themed table. Anyway, I was thinking that I could do one of them sort of as a proof of concept for this competition. I'd pose it, lock the pose in with some greenstuff or something, and sculpt armor out of sculpy. So here's kind of what I'm thinking for the pose and composition:
The manikin I'm using looks like this (all painted up from a stop-motion animated thing I did back in school):
Okey dokey, after some thought and scrapping some ideas I finally decided what I'm gonna attempt. I'm gonna be making those cages that you hang prisoners in and let them die, the type that hangs in the open. Will have it hanging from a wooden structure on top of a rocky hill. The rocks I will be making out of that decorative bark you get for flower pots, and the cage will be out of plastic that I will attempt to make to look like wood with plastic rings to support them, those I will make to look like steel with a lot of riveting on the "wooden structure"and the cage/cages.
wow Ruglud - very nice! that tree's looking seriously complex!
And I have (finally) gotten an idea I like for my attempt: a foot type bridge over a swampy area. Something I can add to my soon to be made swamp board (either for malifaux or WH) now to actually work out how to do it
Red, slow down! Let the rest of us catch up! Never mind, keep going, I want to see the finished reults. Ruglud, that tree is amazing. Looking forward to seeing more.
KINGPIN54, that cage looks great!
My project progress is humble, but I'm getting there. I did some experimentation and settled on a technique for creating the look of weathered wood. Here's where I'm at:
Now that I know how I'm going to do it, I feel ready to start assembling the house proper. So next steps are to assemble the basic walls, and cut out lots of planks.
Some amazing work here guys, awesome effects and so varied. Wonderful to see.
Oh BTW I might get a chance, depending how this week goes, if I can find my paints and set up a paint station, 5-6 weeks is tons of time...right?!!
Automatically Appended Next Post: Sorry got to say KINGPIN54, that is brilliant, and exactly the right spirit for this comp. Looks awesome bud, thanks for sharing and will be stealing for later use.
Guildenstern, that would be strips of cardboard (from cereal boxes), cut to 1/4" x 1".
If people are curious, here's the technique I used:
Seal the cardboard (I use DecoArt/Americana Multi-purpose Sealer).
Prime (I used thinned Gesso).
Drybrush black.
Paint a thin layer of "pine yellow" (2:1:1:1 cadmium yellow+white+pumpkin orange+water).
Drybrush black.
Drybrush "pine yellow".
Drybrush black.
Repeat as necessary.
Something like that. Layers, layers, layers. I did use an old toothbrush to get some nice streaking effects. Thanks for the tip on that. I also found that if I did not try for complete coverage, the effect looked better. What I mean is, when painting the "pine yellow" just make a single pass, and don't touch up spots you missed. You want to see a little bit of what's underneath. And don't load up your brush, you want it thin and streaky.
I've been wanting to make s densely overgrown jungle board for some time. I think I may look into using this opportunity to make some trees. Big trees, like more realistically scaled big trees. So 25+ mm wide and a foot or two tall, but only because of an artificial ceiling that cuts them off final fantasy tactics style. Maybe some not as big trees too. But we'll see.
Started with the base for my rock mound, using decorative bark. Gave it a black basecoat and is busy drybrushing it. First layer done and busy with the wooden structure that it hangs from. And a mock up off what it should end up like.
More work done. First though, damned craft sticks.
That felt good.
Will be adding a crow's nest, and handrails to the walkway, and a ladder or stairs to the door. And shingles. Then I'll worry about the rest of the details.
More, as always, in my blog.
So, bit of an absence on my part. Life, work, excuses, excuses...I suck. But I'm working on that. Kudos all around to the projects going on, I'd high-five you each individually, but that'd damage my laptop.
Onto the meager updates.
The head is taking shape, after discarding three or four initial attempts. Everything was coming out either too sophisticated for the hypothetical barbarians to have built, or so ramshackle that I didn't want to use it. All that aside, here's the current version as it sits, pending any creative changes:
Spoiler:
Most of the focus this week, when I could find time, went to the base. I'm rather pleased with how it's coming so far, and it adds the benefit of some weight to the bottom, making the whole apparatus a lot less top-heavy. The legs themselves were secured by driving a couple of long nails up through the bottom of the base, and in between the twigs forming the lower legs. A little hot glue, a little sprinkled dirt, and the nails vanished.
Spoiler:
After that, it was adding some cork layers to provide a foundation, and applying a *lot* of homebrew basing material (mostly sand, with some added bits, black paint, and glue to hold it all together).
Spoiler:
That was dusted with dirt while it dried, for added texture:
Spoiler:
Can't decide if I'll paint it, or if I'll keep using the dirt and debris, but that's for later.
More work done. First though, damned craft sticks.
That felt good.
Will be adding a crow's nest, and handrails to the walkway, and a ladder or stairs to the door. And shingles. Then I'll worry about the rest of the details.
More, as always, in my blog.
What do you call them? In s.a they are called G-clamps, cause they look like a G
Thankfully no splinters Red Harvest, but I used scissors to cut off both ends of a box of 1000 sticks... I was not expecting the pain that came with that
Afternoon gents... thought I would pop in just for a quick little look at the ..... GGGEEEEEZZZZZZ!!!!!
Some pretty awesome designs coming together! I had most definitely better get my finger out if I stand any chance in this one!!
got a couple of free evenings this week to be able to crack on with my entry... although I may have to downsize slightly in order to get something done! Really nice work though..... and that aged wood effect is really nice!!!
Rogue Wolves wrote: Thankfully no splinters Red Harvest, but I used scissors to cut off both ends of a box of 1000 sticks... I was not expecting the pain that came with that
ouch!
I tried that, was quite the pain. Then I bundled a bunch of sticks together and used my hand saw on them. Worked better but still a bit of a pain. For a larger project recently, I bundled a bunch more together and used my miter saw. Overkill and probably a little dangerous. Plus you loose a bit more wood but sooooooo much easier!
Rogue Wolves wrote: Thankfully no splinters Red Harvest, but I used scissors to cut off both ends of a box of 1000 sticks... I was not expecting the pain that came with that
That hurt just reading about it. But I guess no blood, no foul.
In other news, painted the base and played around with adding some "reindeer moss" from the Dollar Store.
Wooden sticks - - pictured below
Popsicle sticks
Toothpicks
some twine
A worthless CD
and basing materials
Unfortunately, there is not much progress to post at this time. All I did tonite was some measurements, cutting and dry fitting stuff. Tomorrow I hope to start assembly =D
I'm a little bit late to the party but I will throw in my little project as well. I am making walkways for a grot fortress. I don't have the fortress built yet but you have to start somewhere!
I will be using coffee stir straws and painting it to look like wood. I have cut them into thirds and then glued those sections onto two full sized ones as supports. The unevenness helps with the ramshackle feel of goblin/grot life!
I think these would also work for makeshift walls/barricades.
Camkierhi wrote: I am actually struggling to come up with something original for this, you all keep stealing the good ideas.
You know, I had the same thought when all this started. Originally wanted to do a Trojan Squiq, figured that was one of those 'there's no way anyone's tried this yet!' ideas.
pwbinde tried, and succeeded.
In any event, my last update before I shut things down for tonight. Looking forward to getting some hobby time this weekend, but until then, and in absence of a normal update, I give you a BELATED HALLOWEEN THEMED UPDATE. With scary violins and a couple of flickering LED candles from Dollar Store.
Spoiler:
Seriously though, how awesome is Dollar Store for this hobby?
Got a lot of work done tonite. I am trying to make this piece as though it were truely being made in the past, where things like nails and such were expensive and wooden plugs were used.
Here is a good close up of the plugs. Here I used the pin vise with a large bit and plugged the holes with toothpicks.
Needed to put a support in for the overhead arm.
Here is where I attached the support as well as finished the lip around the well.
For the pulley, I hollowed out a toothpick and ran a thread through it. This can be tied to the overhead arm and act as the pulled for the bucket. The twine I have looks a bit big for this scale so I may resort to thread for it all. Just gotta see after I attach it.
Then I got the roof pieces assembled
So all I have left now is to paint it, attach the roof, base it and rig up a bucket. SO far all materials except the "rope" and base are wood. =D
Started coating the tree with PVA and ready mixed filler that has been mixed together to form a gloopy paste... This is the first coat (also chucked some down on the base...)
@GamesEtc - I use pearl cotton. It's a two strand embroidery floss you can find in just about any craft/sewing store. Looks great as rope imo.
everyone's projects are coming along great! wish mine was ... I put my wooden boards together, primed them (brushon) and bought some wood dowel to make the posts that are going to hold it up.
Well, didnt get a whole lot done today, but here is where I am at so far:
And I promise to get better lighting on the final pictures!
And began thinking about the base this will be put on and some little details I can add to it. How about a wooden rake?
Waiting for it to dry so I can cut off the excess and add the handle.
What do you call them? In s.a they are called G-clamps, cause they look like a G
We call then C-clamps.
Rogue Wolves wrote: Thankfully no splinters Red Harvest, but I used scissors to cut off both ends of a box of 1000 sticks... I was not expecting the pain that came with that
Get yourself a razor saw like this Perfect for the craft sticks.
Cotton buds and cocktail sticks.....Bamboo forest right?
Take some cotton buds.....
Cut them up a bit, and cut up some cocktail sticks....
Then cut the tubey bits up at an angle...
Stick them together...
Repeat.....lots....
Carve a base in some insulation foam....
MMMM but there no weight in it....I know I will mould up and cast a couple...
Drilled holes in it for the sticks to go in.
Current state is primer....
So the race is on...got no chance against the amazing work here, but willing to show what can be done simple like.
Good progress, Games'. Rake looks nice.
The main problem with "rope" at scale is making look like it has weight.
Depending on the material of choice, there are different ways to solve it (most of them involve gluing it down).
I do apologise but due to RL commitments I am going to have to drop out of this one... Simply don't have the time to even look at the website never mind make or build anything... much to my annoyance!
Take it easy and best of luck to everyone taking part!
I've been distracted by other projects and commitments, but I was able to sneak in a little time to work on the house. Structure is coming together, and I should be ready to paint this weekend. (woohoo, 4 day weekend!) Pics pending.
Did some work on the pond! Got water lillies on, posts up and painted, textured in, a few mossy bushes and mushrooms (more bushes coming - see below)
Here's my last incarnation of bushes drying. I have a really hard time with these. Still working out a technique that works for me. So far, I have thin green coated wire I use and twist into a vague bush shape, white glue I dip it in and flock to make it look bushy. It still tends to clump off a lot, so I also sprayed it with a krylon adhesive spray I have for scrap booking. It's staying on a lot better than it did when I tried to use a watered white glue to do the same.
They always look great til I actually pick them up so we'll see how they turn out this go around. This is probably the third time I've tried to make bushes this way.
Recently watched someone making trees and they "glued" the flock on by first spraying with hairspray. Then rolling it around in the flock. Not sure how sturdy that would be. But worth experimenting.
Progress update!
Completed assembly stage on the front and back of the abandoned farmhouse. Several of the boards are different sizes, to give the impression that some were replaced over time. There are also gaps here and there, to show how the house is falling apart and in general disrepair. I think I'm really capturing that run down, "ramshackle" look. Hopefully I can make some more progress this weekend (whoohoo for 4-day weekends!).
Sorry guys. RL has destroyed me and will do for a while to come. I'm out sadly. Great work everyone. Very resourceful. I'll keep checking by and maybe enter down the line
Still stumbling along, not much work done over the holidays. Sat down and worked on the moss, soaked it in some watered-down glue, and stuck it in the crevices with tweezers. Painstaking process, not sure if it's going to pay off, but that's pretty much the theme of this entire project.
My well is just about done. I am finishing up some of the details at work right now and just a few more to do at home tonight and I will have my final pics PM'd.
Cheers GamesEtc, It's not turned out too bad for a first attempt...
Update...
Moved on to the basing (as I forgot to do the stone capping...)
Spoiler:
Annoyingly, I've noticed some areas of the tree where the twisted wire strands are quite visible and I should have revisited them with the filler/glue mix. but am going to leave as is for now...
Meanwhile, in Stickville, the wicker man is nearing completion (pending arrival of a few bits in the mail). Pictures of the head, with thorn detail, below. Not finished, but within a mile of home.
I hope to spend some time finishing assembly this weekend... though I'm supposed to go to boardgame night on Sat. We'll see how it goes. Time's running out!
Pretty sure Vik is in lurking mode, as we all tend to do from time to time... He'll return like the phoenix from the flames...
UPDATE: Capping for the wall and some more base paint laid on the err... base...
The capping is thin card strips (5mm x 9mm) and will be painted up to resemble slate or terracotta tiles(not sure which yet). But, card is made from wood, so continues the theme
what have we got, one week to go? I'm on the home stretch now I think so shouldn't be any issues completing in time.
I need to apologize dear followers and competitors...
life has been quite a bag of surprises...one needs to roll with the punches...unfortunately i am not that good for this...and my absence here, due to recent job life balance changes, i am often very drained and unmotivated...that´s why lurking here for such a long time felt like the only thing i was capable of...i hang my head in shame...because i should have been there for you... keeping you motivated, giving you encouraging feed back or just plain kicking your bums for being lazy about working on your entries...well...that would have been an act of hypocrisy i didn´t want to commit but be sure... i watched your comings and goings here...saw your enterprise grow...saw some of you needing to drop out and some new ones joining...all this didn´t make my own inability to utter something none the better...i feel the pang of guilt...
but i have a duty...still...my friends...so be sure ... you all will be judged... so far i have two confirmed finished entries...
fear not GamesEtc and theEyeofnight...i received your pictures... and i am very proud to apply judgement for these gems! cool pics!
for all of you others ...make the best of the coming days...and nights... you´ve invested already such a hard amount of time, so keep pushing yourself so that you classy work wont be for nought^^
p.s.
indeed finishing line will be at the end of the 13. December, but a compilation of all the entries might take a bit of time for me...but trust me, i will honour your work and will make a good end for this competition...this i promise to you all!
p.p.s.
i am by far not above helpful gestures, so Dr.H and Cam and if there are additional peeps around that want to lend a helpful judging arm i will not hesitate to let your musings be of good influence
so....again, please excuse the long absence... i hope i can redeem myself in your eyes...*bows*
I've got the 4 walls of my farmhouse glued, and I'm working on finishing the roof. Then it's paint, paint, paint. I think this is going to be a race to the finish for me. But I'm still in!
we had that finishing line and run out of time issue before... while i am against making the comp into a never ending story, if the need arises we can arrange for some extra time...after all it could be argued that since the host wasn´t there... but since the holidays are coming i expect more time in the end will not bring more hobby time to be spent for the terrain pieces
I got a little carried away with my entry so you missed the fun I had with framing and but long story short this was a bag of balsa wood not to long ago.
Then I used a very thinned black craft paint and a nail to make it look a bit older and abused.
Then came some goodies to turn the shell into a chapel for my brave boys.
A bit of paint and super glue...
Last but not least I have one last detail that will go in tomorrow.
And now I see the hair...
I like the idea of a regiment creating a shrine for one of their now sainted (and martyred) members when ever they camp, it really seems to fit the setting.
You did well painting it like you did, I find balsa wood very soft (which is great for crafting, cutting and construction) not so great for painting >< and sanding is a bit of a chore. Anyway, yours looks great love the little touches as well
Well the giant wooden bunny will happen eventually, but not anytime soon. I too have failed. Too much life and too much going on. I would hang my medal of shame if I had the time to make one
Crickey moses, you guys really went all out, I should of taken a look at the other challenges to see how big you guys go. Would be very awsome if somebody is very good at photoshopping and put all the entries together so it looks like they all on the same table. Mine is dwarfed by the other entries.
almost done... just must add one more thing... arrrrgh...
may have to just say nvm and take pics, was hoping for good light in the morning. We shall see.
*edit* yeah ok, nvm lol I'm going to be adding things forever if I don't just finish so I went ahead and took best pics I could and submitted Good luck to everyone still working!
The relics from include the skull of the regiments greatest hero, his personal weapons, his banner and his copy of the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer. A worthy objective for any guardsman, No?
The relief on the wall is a coin I found at a export shop, not sure where it is from but the guy appears to be wearing aviators... I Know, but its perfect.
Also thanks for all your kindly feedback, and good luck with the competition
I'm done with mine, will send the finished pics to Vik tonight if I can get the light box set up, if not will wait for some (dull) UK daylight tomorrow morning...
mad eddy...if you want to, i take the pics in your last post as the finished ones..right? want to add a bit of fluff?
also...i am awaiting...so...to you all out there that wants to deliver...i am here..^^...
let´s get it on...and get it finished!!!
You are very right, and I'll see about a bit off fluff, I'm not much of a writer though, we'll see...
Automatically Appended Next Post: Time for a little fluff...
Hailing from the Hades system, the Hadian 501st have a pragmatic outlook and are not known for extravagant worship. Even to the Emperor they keep their prayers simple and direct, the only exception is a single shrine.
In the early days of the Macharian Conquests the 501st was assigned to take a small, unnamed moon from an Ork tribe, soon after landing however it became clear that the Ork presence had been underestimated. Within hours the situation was hopeless and an evacuation began even as the Orks began to overrun the Hadian's perimeter when Colour Sergent Xavier Rytoff took his stand. Though he fell to the tide, his sacrifice bought enough time for the regiment time to escape. In the end the moon was purged with a through virus bombing but the sacrifice of Sergent Rytoff resonated with both his comrades and the population of the Hadian system, sparking a small crusade on the periphery of the Macharian Conquests and leading to his elevation to sainthood.
To this day the 501st guards the recovered relics of Rytoff's service wherever the regiment does battle, for they are a symbol of the highest service a mere human can offer his Emperor.
at cleatus... will be waiting... for all the others, until YOU say so in your final post/PM i will be treating every other pics as WIP, but when you say i will hold/stop the clock^^ so use what time is still availabe for you...remember... sunday 24:00 CET european time is the final hour
received also the entries of Ruglud and KINGPIN54, that makes six entries so far! splendid... but to the others...yeah...i´m looking at YOU work on^^
Photos are a-coming Vik Just a bit more paint on the roof, and then time to take some photos. But tomorrow.Tonight is Gaming Night for me and my Crew Can't miss the last one of the year.
And can we get the deadline expressed in Real Time? Eastern Standard Time, y'know the time zone for important cities like Washington and New York. It is a 6 hour difference at the moment, so 1800 hours here is 2400 hours there...
and red...since i wont be able to see if you submitted at 24: 00 CET or six hours later...cause i like my beauty sleep...and need to get up at six anyways...if your entry is submitted by then...all is cool^^
Automatically Appended Next Post: and nice piece written there mad eddy!
Vik, PM's and posts have a time stamp, so you'll be able to see whose naughty and whose nice,er, who makes the deadline and who doesn't. My PM to you should read 9:25am CET. My entry photos are in my humble blog.
Good luck to all who have entered. Or should I say Viel Erfolg? (Viel Gluck?) Both I think. There are some fantastic pieces. You all should be very proud.
Sorry about the "small" entry that I did. First time to try something like this. I did say I wood give it a go. My rocks are wood and my wood is plastic. Everybodys entries are very awesome. Thanks for giving me the chance to be part of something bigger than my entrie!!
Best of luck to everyone. This was the first time I've entered one of these comps; not sure about anyone else, but I developed a love/hate relationship with my entry. I suppose that's bound to happen if you work on something for an extended period of time. However, I'm glad it's done.
Cleatus wrote: Best of luck to everyone. This was the first time I've entered one of these comps; not sure about anyone else, but I developed a love/hate relationship with my entry. I suppose that's bound to happen if you work on something for an extended period of time. However, I'm glad it's done.
Yup this happens! same here with certain miniatures and other extended projects. But now you have a really awesome piece of terrain =D
so far the list of entrants consists of these fine gentlemen:
Cleatus
KINGPIN54
TheEyeOfNight
Guildenstern
Camkierhi
Red Harvest
mad_eddy_13
Ruglud
should someone else feel the urge to submit his entry in the next few hours...then i am happily add his name to this exclusive list
cheers, and already thanks to all that made this thread alive!
*bows* Vik
Automatically Appended Next Post: also...big projects tend too bring up a hate/love feel for the piece..i think it is something to do with bringing models truly to life (for me this is generally the case for each project^^)
Argh...didn't loose it...mea culpa...my head is like a stuck drawer...
Well received and the fluff is also a nice piece! Will try to sum up everything...tho it wouldn't hurt to have some pics for ease of work on my part on the dakka gallery...
first, here is the sum up of the contestants that entered their finished terrain pieces to the last competition of this year...: (in alphabetic order...)
Camkierhi
Spoiler:
finished:
WIP fuff...?
Cleatus
Spoiler:
Finished:
WIP:
Fluff:
My entry is an abandoned farm house, fallen into disrepair. This entry was created with recycled card stock (from cereal boxes), recycled index cards, PVA glue, and acrylic paint. The roof shingles were textured with baking soda. Each "plank" was placed and glued individually, in order to create the impression of weathered wood that had been left exposed for many years and warped by the elements. I left spaces in between some of the planks to further emphasize the general state of disrepair of the house, and cut others to inconsistent lengths to show how rotten boards had been replaced over time by the family that used to live in the house.
Fluff:
"I was driving down this back country road one afternoon when I spied a structure in the distance. It was an old, abandoned farmhouse. As I drew closer, I could see that it had not been lived in for many years. Indeed, it looked to have been abandoned decades ago, perhaps during the great Dust Bowl in the 1930's. The structure was in terrible disrepair; all paint had been stripped from the warped wooden planks, the roof was collapsing, and every window was dark. There was no door on the front entrance, which was both surprising and unnerving; had it been ripped off by vandals, or a tornado? As I drove past the sad structure, my heart felt sorrow for the land, abandoned by the family that used to live here. Had their crops failed? Had the bank foreclosed? Had some other tragedy occurred here, and the family, in their sorrow, moved away? Only the house knew, but it stood alone in the field, a mute testimony to what once was."
GamesEtc.
Spoiler:
WIP:
Fluff:
The only source of safe water for the village, the well is well tended and maintained. Every day the villagers draw water from this source and every day they take turns tending to the grounds around it and the general repair of the well. They believe that with their devotion to the well, that the gods give their blessings and ensure that there is a steady supply of water even in the driest of times.
Guildenstern
Spoiler:
Sketch:
Finished:
WIP:
Fluff:
My entry is a bridge over a swamp. I'm slowly working on a swamp board so I decided what I really needed was a swampy piece with lots of nice bushy bits and then the idea for the bridge came up. I used sprue, incised with an xacto knife to make the "wood grain", to make the planks of the bridge. The posts are balsa wood cut to length and painted to look more like logs. The water effect is one I've been trying to perfect as I live in Georgia, where there are a lot of swamps with quite interesting algae growing in them. This was the inspiration for the water.
The minis are a small resin frog, resin water lilies, a rat from the plague monks set and the mushrooms are wooden buttons (from a crafting store). The birch tree I should note, however, is bought. All the other bushes etc are made by me (from the usual terrain stuffs, lichen, moss, flocks).
As for "fluff" I don't really know how to add that here, for this bit of terrain. I just get a giggle at the idea of armies reforming to go over the bridge, especially my clanrats, when they could just walk around it So I guess it'd be a stereotypical Skaven trap...
KINGPIN54
Spoiler:
Finished:
WIP:
Fluff:
You will see that the rock is wood and what looks like wood is plastic.
mad_eddy_13
Spoiler:
Finished:
WIP:
Fluff:
Hailing from the Hades system, the Hadian 501st have a pragmatic outlook and are not known for extravagant worship. Even to the Emperor they keep their prayers simple and direct, the only exception is a single shrine.
In the early days of the Macharian Conquests the 501st was assigned to take a small, unnamed moon from an Ork tribe, soon after landing however it became clear that the Ork presence had been underestimated. Within hours the situation was hopeless and an evacuation began even as the Orks began to overrun the Hadian's perimeter when Colour Sergent Xavier Rytoff took his stand. Though he fell to the tide, his sacrifice bought enough time for the regiment time to escape. In the end the moon was purged with a through virus bombing but the sacrifice of Sergent Rytoff resonated with both his comrades and the population of the Hadian system, sparking a small crusade on the periphery of the Macharian Conquests and leading to his elevation to sainthood.
To this day the 501st guards the recovered relics of Rytoff's service wherever the regiment does battle, for they are a symbol of the highest service a mere human can offer his Emperor.
Red Harvest
Spoiler:
Finished:
WIP:
Fluff:
All Along the Watchtower...
"For the record Jimi Hendrix's version of the song was much better than Bob Dylan's, even though Dylan wrote the song." Quoted for the truth... my son sad that bob dylan sounded in a video i watched like spongebob....
Ruglud
Spoiler:
Finished:
WIP:
Fluff...?
TheEyeOfNight
Spoiler:
Finished:
WIP:
Fluff:
It is the second night of the eighth moon, and Star-Blood stands before the last warherd. The rest have fallen, broken and beaten, on every moon past. Their whelps bear our banners, and fight in our horde. Their warriors fill our bellies, each herd a feast for our gor. We surround them with our banners held high and our war calls filling the night. Our numbers are beyond count: a field of axes, horns, and banners. The yellow glint of our eyes are everywhere in the night: a thousand thousand nightmares waiting for the feast. Half-Horn and Red-Maw lead the warcries with braying shouts and wild swings of their axes. They stir us to blood-hunger, but we are not to descend yet. We wait.
The prey warherd's chieftain stands defiantly by their fire: a wizened old beastlord with too much gray on his snout to cow before any other herd. He is a giant among gor, and has kept his warherd strong with the strength of his horns and the might of his axe. They alone stand apart from our horde, and Star-Blood will not lead us against the hornless men before he has tamed all the gor of the eastern plains.
Star-Blood appears at the edge of the camp, surrounded by his bestigor and the droning of warhorns. He is no towering beast, nor does he drag a greataxe behind him. His yellow eyes are steady, hungry, with a predator's blood-hunger just below. He does not clad himself in thick armor, but wraps his form in the hide of a broken beast from the north. His right arm lies bare, the fur waving in the night's air, and all can see what he brings to this challenge.
In his hand lies God-Fang. Its short, bladed edge gleams in the light. The sacred metal of its length lies unblemished despite its host of kills. Its teeth thirst for the blood of those who dare its bearer. Star-Blood raises it to the dark skies, and brays his legend for all to hear. It is a roar of triumph, rage, and blood. It is a roar that challenges the world itself to stop him.
The chieftain leaps, his axe raised high, and all the warcries are silenced. The old bull has strength in him still, and his charge carries the strength of a mad giant.
God-Fang sings through the air, and the last warherd becomes ours.
* * * *
It is the third night of the fourth moon, and Star-Blood stands before the bestigor herd. The warhorde is not yet large, and we dare not roam onto the eastern plains without more strength. The bestigor's axes are heavy, and their warcries are mighty, but they will not follow a young beastlord without a challenge. We have come tonight to give them challenge.
God-Fang lies in Star-Blood's hand, without blemish or mark to honor the fight. A length of horn, battered by many moons of war and challenges, sinks slowly into the mud beside him. It has been split as if by a shaman's wrath, and the echo of that crack still echoes through the glade.
The bestigor gouge-horn before him slowly falls to his knees, blinking away the shock and horror of his own horn cut from his head. His name is Fire-Spitter, but we will not call him that after this day. He kneels, pressing his snout deep into the mud at Star-Blood's feet, and swears a new blood-name: Half-Horn. His bestigor shout, not in rage, but in awe. Their cries echo the worship-chants of the shamans as they gaze upon the cold blade of God-Fang.
We are ready to step from the woods.
* * * *
It is the fifth night of the second moon, and Star-Blood is but a nameless gor in Stone-Eater's warherd. Stone-Eater tasted defeat at the hands of hornless men that dawn, and there will be challengers tonight. The bestigor have left the warherd, and none now protect the beastlord save his own hands.
The warm rains tear through our herd, but we stand, each waiting with hunger as Stone-Eater breaks one gor after another. Six challengers lie bloodied and dead on the earth, their blood-names fading into the mud in shame. The herd is restless, but cowed by Stone-Eater's strength. The challengers will be eaten, and none will dare strike until Stone-Eater fails again.
Star-Blood steps forward, with God-Fang clutched tight in his hand. He brays his chosen blood-name to us, and we laugh. We laugh because we do not know God-Fang. Stone-Eater laughs because he sees a whelp with a knife, nothing more.
Stone-Eater's armor was torn from a hornless man on a horse, and tied with leather and rope to fit the gor's brawn. It shone bright once, but no longer, and the strange cup carved into it has long been scratched away. The armor has turned away tooth and horn, fang and claw, and none tonight have broken it.
God-Fang tears it in two without stop, and spills Stone-Eater's steaming blood to the ground. There is no more laughter.
Star-Blood names us his warhorde, and says we will rise until we have buried the hornless men under a world-shake of horns and axes.
We believe him.
* * * *
It is the first night of the first moon, and God-Fang lies in the hand of another: a towering beast of a man, clad in midnight and blood. He stands on the edge of a broken city in the sky, drifting above our meaningless world. His fingers, drenched in red rivers, grip God-Fang's hilt and hold it aloft. His bone-white mask reveals no fear, only defiance.
His challengers come: giants clad in grey stone, with great blades and masks of their own. They clash, but there is no sound. God-Fang glitters in the starlight, cast away from the broken sky-city, and begins to fall.
Far below, a young whelp stands with his eyes to the dark skies. He has no herd, and no blood-name. Not yet.
God-Fang smokes with the fury of the skies as it lands at his feet, and Star-Blood is born.
SOooooo....this will be the basis for the judgement...
the compiling of every data of each entry took me some time...judging will be done hopefully at the end of the week...please don´t gnaw too hard on your fingernails while waiting for the results...
Don't know about everybody else, but I'm going inssane thinking what is happening in vic's brain now. Can we maybe get a post to see all the final submitions? And I am still standing by that somebody needs to photoshop them all into one image so they look like they are all part of one playing table.
Well done everyone.
Great work,
Inventive solutions,
Fantastic ideas,
and a selection of lovely terrain to brighten up any table (or display shelf).
I have given Vik my thoughts, stirred the pot like the best Devil's advocate, and am standing by as consultant to confuse him further (at least I'm not charging consultant fees).
quick update...i am still in the process of judging...a difficult procedure that is taking it´s time...this is due to the fact that we have received a delicious mixture of entries and i want to be as fair as possible... so be a bit patiently for a short time still...at the utmost you will know by Saturday...hope you can all live with that...
Viktor von Domm wrote: quick update...i am still in the process of judging...a difficult procedure that is taking it´s time...this is due to the fact that we have received a delicious mixture of entries and i want to be as fair as possible... so be a bit patiently for a short time still...at the utmost you will know by Saturday...hope you can all live with that...
Fluff? Uhm, self-evident no? Craft sticks (wood) to represent wood. Cardstock (wood pulp) to represent wood. I admit my presentation is a bit wooden, but I wasn't going to tie myself in knots trying to come up with something more. I'll leaf it at that.
Red Harvest wrote: Fluff? Uhm, self-evident no? Craft sticks (wood) to represent wood. Cardstock (wood pulp) to represent wood. I admit my presentation is a bit wooden, but I wasn't going to tie myself in knots trying to come up with something more. I'll leaf it at that.
Proof of a warped sense of humor no? And no moderator around to check my twisted wordplay. Perhaps the high quality of all the entries currently has the judges stumped? This is my guess as to the root cause of the delay.
The puns continue until we have a decision. Just sayin'
since the suspense is killing everyone and then there wood be no need for a winner...i am revealing just this hopefully happy person...
after long (well you felt how long it was...) and deep thoughts, with the help of Doc H and some other helpful influences... i finally decided that....*drumroll*
Spoiler:
Guildenstern with his "swamp bridge" is the winner of the sixteenth instalment of the ongoing LoER Terrain Competition...!
with this decision he will inherit the right to call himself a fellow Riveteer, also he is now entitled to come up with a new theme for the ongoing LoER terrain competitions...and has thus the right to do the judging over the next bright eyed and talented entrants...
a fiew words to my decision...
while all the entries showed great talent and enthusiasm of their makers, this particular one strikes a special chord this time in me... as stated this piece is meant to be fitting for a whole board... a swamp board...i find this theme very intriguing, the whole appearance of this model looks convincing to me, it is very atmospheric and last but not least the "fluff" for this model ...the joke of a skaven trap...made me giggle too...also...note that he used sprue to build the wooden boards for the bridge! i congratulate you Guildenstern and i am eager to see what you come up with as a new theme for the next round! As for the price...come the holidays i hopefully will have some time to work on a special treat for you...
to all the other entrants... i am very thankful about your invested energy and your devotion to this thread... all the more since i wasn´t there for you for quite a length of time!
i hope i haven´t offended someone with my choice...this wasn´t my intention... you all put so much love into your work, believe me, it wasn´t an easy decision for me, as each entry had special winning worthy aspects... tho i tried to make an objective decision and came up with a point system, ultimately it was an emotional, taste based decision... ach...i am a weak man...^^ i am very grateful to have you all here...and that you all shared your works and thoughts here with us!
again...thanks to all for filling all these empty lines here!!! you´ve been the backbone of this thread!
Well I'm dumbfounded. Honestly. Not expecting this at all. So many other entries I thought were awesome - not saying I don't appreciate it! I do, just ... wow o.O
Oh god now I have to run the next one?! panics
Lol
um, will start brainstorming n stuffs... I hope the idea of not starting quite til January of the new year would be somewhat acceptable? I can't imagine how many of us will have hobby time during the Christmas season anyway, but I do know I won't likely.
er....well...i could do that... and the good doc is probably the right man to to line up the best words for that even more than me...but i am a bit hesitant to do that in public... if you want i can PM you my thoughts...? deal?^^
ok... flogging will happen... sorry for my still lagging presence here... for better or worse i will be t home since my youngest is ill and i am watching over him... soooo... free time for some icky comments of mine then... keep dreading these pages then... also i think soonish the next round will be hosted by guildenstern... he will also use thee pages to announce the theme and the link here
Viktor von Domm wrote: ... and the good doc is probably the right man to to line up the best words for that even more than me...
Ah well, better late than never.
As I was only in on the judging as a "consultant", I didn't go as in depth with my scrutiny as I have in the past. However, I can try an squeeze some useful comments from my conversations with Vik.
Usual disclaimer about these being my opinions and me not being a master by any measure (and a dyslexic, so excuse and unintended harshness). These are just observations that are aimed to help you improve next time.
In no particular order (I didn't rank the models, just offered Vik my thoughts on each):
Camkierhi:
Not as complex a build as your previous models, but complexity is no measure of quality. It was nice to see you attempt to create something simple but effective...
And it is. So long as you don't actually google "bamboo", you are instantly reminded of bamboo. Arguments can be made that as alien bamboo, it doesn't need to look exactly like Earth bamboo, and only needs to look like a plant of some kind...
And the colouration is so good, that it really sells the lifelike look of it. I liked the broken ones too. Nice touch.
Would be good to see you incorporate them into something larger.
Cleatus:
Nice build. I like the planks and tiles. It could do with some more details about it to make it more interesting from different angles.
The painting is close, and just needs some final touches to complete it. The wood could do with a greater variation in it's colours for it to stand out more in the photos (it could be the camera and may be more apparent in real life).
The black is a bit strong though and make the whole look very dark. The blacked out doors and windows don't help this either.
Perhaps adding shutters to the windows and a door, or even going all out and free-handing a view of inside in the holes (could just be a few flagstones fading to black at the base of the door-hole); it would never look right from all angles, but get the perspective right for the most common angle (standing at a gaming table) and it would be pretty cool.
Also, if the roof was a lighter colour, it would have helped lighten the whole model.
I suspect you ran short of time, and I know how long crafting planks and tiles can be, so respect for you on that.
GamesEtc:
Your photography is getting better, but still needs some work. More light. Very nice build though. Love the devotion to using wood throughout with wooden pegs an' all. The basing is nice; plants is good. Good job on weathering the wood, and the rope looks natural (tricky to get right at scale).
However, the whole looks a bit toy-like in the photos for some reason, and this may be the fault of the photos not showing your work clearly enough.
Guildenstern:
After only seeing glimpses in the sketches and wip photos, I was not prepared for the finished piece. Really looks great, and realistic (which is what I like in models).
So much of a dark horse I didn't see you coming. The water looks natural , as do the plants on the whole. I like how you placed them in a way that they would grow in real life, and not just in "false" random clumps. The tall grass though, could do with some shorter lengths about it to make that look more natural (they don't all start growing at the same time and get to the same length all the time).
The frog and 'shrooms are a little cartoon-y in comparison, but don't detract from the model and do add a splash of colour.
A worthy winner.
Kingpin54:
The lighting in your photos is a little harsh, try to make it more diffuse and surround the model more.
I like the cage, it's a bit "rustic" but good effort.
I also like how you did the rope holding the cage and the wooden upright is good.
The texture on the wood could be a little less regular though. More passes from various angles and/or wiggling your texture-making device would help.
The rocks look nice, good use of wood, and I like the irregular footprint of the model.
As for painting, try and be a bit more gentle with your dry-brushing (dryer brush and lighter touch) and use more layers; it'll be both sharper and more subtle.
mad_eddy_13:
You could have done with more lighting, especially on the front of the model.
Wood looks nice and quite natural in it's colouration. Good design and layout too.
And great effort on the fluff for the piece. It does appear to be missing a roof though. Time, I suspect again as the enemy, but a removable roof would have finished it off nicely.
Red Harvest:
Loved the construction, and the design. Can't really find any issues to comment on...
Some of your dry-brushing is a little heavy in places... there that'll do you.
Ruglud:
Lovely little piece.
The tree looks great, the wall looks great.
The basing is nice, although your grass could do with a similar treatment as Guildenstern's above.
Painting is nice too.
TheEyeOfNight:
Great design; liking all the spikes. Great use of sticks and thorns. And light up eyes! nice. Like the little skeleton on the chest and the added skulls and plants.
Although the rest of the base is a bit plain, that's probably understandable given the construction... and it is nicely painted mud.
And what a book you've written to go with it.
So there you have it. I hope it helps any and all of you.
Good luck with the next one.
): Regular posts in this thread will keep it in the public eye and will allow more people to find this contest. Also, if you post 
nice promising progress! the thorns are probably meant as antlers...
Perfect for the 
