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Thanks, Dr H.

I did more work at a craft party today.

Shaping up fantastic bud.

It's very good to see you back Warboss, although I'm very sorry for your loss. I sympathize and empathize heavily, as I have shared that experience in the recent past myself.

I have greatly appreciated your observations and comments on past projects.

I wouldn't worry too much about not finishing things- as long as you're pushing the edge of the envelope a bit and learning a few new things and having some fun letting the creative juices out, then I reckon you're doing the right things.

I like the start to the bases you've made, and look forward to seeing this project advancing a bit to get your overall idea.

 Meer_Cat wrote:
It's very good to see you back Warboss, although I'm very sorry for your loss. I sympathize and empathize heavily, as I have shared that experience in the recent past myself.

I have greatly appreciated your observations and comments on past projects.

I wouldn't worry too much about not finishing things- as long as you're pushing the edge of the envelope a bit and learning a few new things and having some fun letting the creative juices out, then I reckon you're doing the right things.

I like the start to the bases you've made, and look forward to seeing this project advancing a bit to get your overall idea.

Thanks, Meer_Cat. That really means a lot to me.

That's my kinda party And we all get the hobby ADHD, it's part of the fun of the thing!

Added more details to a few of the pieces.

Good work. Should look great once painted.

Thanks, Dr H. That's what I'm hoping, too.

I'm liking these panels, Warboss! There is a perceivable purpose to each piece added- no random bits stuck on to fill space, definite purpose. I'm anxious to see what they shape into as paint is added!

In true Me fashion, I've started another project without finishing any of the previous. Sigh, oh, me.

So I've been commissioned to build some thematic terrain for a client. I haven't actively worked on wargaming scenery since starting my job at the Casino and I'm marginally surprised by how invigorated I am by the prospect of designing and building just a few small pieces.

I've largely been given creative license to do whatever, albeit with a few design guidelines. The most compelling of these guidelines is the fact that the environment is dominated by deserts of blue sand. This probably doesn't seem like much to go on, but coupled with the rest of the data - recently colonized world, built from local materials, was going to be a planet dedicated to mass-manufacturing before being cut off from its patrons then plunged into war, and a Communist Brutalist design aesthetic - means that I dove head first into research governing how deserts work, what minerals are blue, how minerals are processed for use, how sand is created, and also did image searches for just what this architectural style looks like. Turns out that, despite having a reputation for minimalist concrete construction, Communist Brutalism is actually quite dynamic in form and complexity. On top of that , most of what's left of it in the world is in a state of semi-abandoned decay - perfect for this project's needs.

I've spent the last few nights at work rolling these concepts, ideas, and pictures around in my head, occassionally making crude sketches. [One of the strange evolutions of my art is that while I started as a sketch artist, mostly working in pencil, pen, and paper, I've since learned to think and sketch better in three dimensions. But now my drawing ability has kinda atrophied]. Anyway, my basic idea - to start a project that I hope will eventually spawn more work - is to create little, single occupancy habitats for workers that are slowly being swallowed up by the deserts around them.

Here's some concept sketches of facades.

That's a really exciting commission. Looking forward to what you do!

 inmygravenimage wrote:
That's a really exciting commission. Looking forward to what you do!

Thanks, inmygravenimage! I hope to begin construction on these in the next few days. I gotta assess my supplies and make sure I have the right materials for what I want to do.

I think I might turn this project into a full-on, start-to-finish project tutorial. Including a "parts list". I'm making a trip to my storage locker on Thursday to ascertain what I have and then possibly hit up a craft store to fill in the gaps.


I also want these buildings to be semi-stackable or to at least imply that they could be. Or that they could align next to one another to create row houses. And lastly, because this is for 40k, I wanted to make these "unfinished world" structures have large, blank panels on them that the original architects would have put in place so that the Imperium and/or the Adeptus Mechanicus could put their icons where they needed.

A man, a can and a plan- get to work, you! Welcome back, Warboss- been too long!

The commission looks very interesting- customer has given you good definition but left the parameters wide open for creativity. The research sounds fascinating as well.

I'm looking forward to watching this one build, and by all means, please make it a tutorial/how to!

 Meer_Cat wrote:
A man, a can and a plan- get to work, you! Welcome back, Warboss- been too long!

The commission looks very interesting- customer has given you good definition but left the parameters wide open for creativity. The research sounds fascinating as well.

I'm looking forward to watching this one build, and by all means, please make it a tutorial/how to!

Thanks very much, Meer_Cat! Will do.

Have tried this myself at times, as in the connection idea, blue sand sounds interesting and will be stunning when done. This is going to be good.

 Camkierhi wrote:
Have tried this myself at times, as in the connection idea, blue sand sounds interesting and will be stunning when done. This is going to be good.

Thanks, Cam. I'm going to post up a supply list and first steps tomorrow I hope. I'm also going to try an experiment with glitter in the sand dunes to see if I can get a scintilating effect.

So I went to the storage locker and found a few things, then went to the craft store and went totally overboard.

The wooden rectangles in the back I already had (along with the fine sand, pulverized walnut shells, insulation foam, airdry clay, exacto blades, strip styrene, styrene rods & tubes, clear plastic sheets, T-square, hotglue & guns, and other paint not pictured). Everything else I purchased new for this project. Also not pictured are the 5 containers of variously blue glitter I bought to experiment with.


Here's close ups of some of the individual bits, like the giant hole punchers (the most expensive items on this list).


The crackle medium (for dry earth) and some of the colors I'll be using on the sand and building interiors.


These plant fronds will be trimmed significantly, given a few dark washes, and then messed around with to see how they look as reeds and scrub.


The idea I have revolves around picking the buildings up off the ground by a small amount and implying that these pylons are actually the source for the buildings' heat, potable water, lighting, and waste disposal. So I got these instead of trying to chop individual sections of rod to the same, even length. Because, quite frankly, I suck at that.


In addition to rods, tubes, and wires, I intend to use these as miscellaneous doodads rusting away in gaping conduits and exposed panels. It will probably make more sense in production.


Lastly, I intend to break up the straight edges of each piece by adding halves or quarters of these oval shapes to help facilitate the effect of building-swallowing sand dunes.


I hope to begin actual prototype construction in a few days.

I have now been acquainted with 'crackle finish'; I must now not rest until I get to Michaels and buy me some! I've admired others' bases that have that Sahara Desert former floodplain cracked look, now I have a means to go try it out.

I also have to admit, even with the explanatory notes the list of supply material is fascinating- I literally can't tell how you're going to do what you're saying you're going to do, and you're telling me up front what you're going to do- this is, to quote Cam, going to be good!

Well, I certainly appreciate the enthusiasm for this project. My only hurdle has been my chronic exhaustion. I work 9 hour overnight shifts at a Casino, essentially walking all night long. While it's awesome to brag about walking 40 miles a week, I find myself sleeping like 10 hours a day with barely enough energy to get ready for work when I wake up. So, in essence, I am planning and building this project on borrowed time. I keep staring at the foamcore, trying to will it to measure and cut itself, lol.

 Warboss_Waaazag wrote:
Well, I certainly appreciate the enthusiasm for this project. My only hurdle has been my chronic exhaustion. I work 9 hour overnight shifts at a Casino, essentially walking all night long. While it's awesome to brag about walking 40 miles a week, I find myself sleeping like 10 hours a day with barely enough energy to get ready for work when I wake up. So, in essence, I am planning and building this project on borrowed time. I keep staring at the foamcore, trying to will it to measure and cut itself, lol.

I feel your pain. I work as a janitor at a hospital and do 10-15miles a night consistently. Every other week I have a 6 day stretch. This doesn’t include the part time hours and miles I put on doing the same at our church. If I at end healthy I’d be skinny. As it is when I get a day off like today then I feel sick because I’m not walking 5+ miles. Drives my wife crazy as I pace back and forth.

I have not tried that crackle medium. I usually hit hobby lobby as it’s right by our church, but there’s a Michaels about a quarter mile the other direction. I’ll have to see how it turns out for you and then give it a shot.

The big punches work great. I had one that had a giant chevron and one that was a big arrow that I used to make tactical symbols on my rhinos.

They eventually broke due to overuse on plasticard, but they do great on thick cardstock, and I got at least a hundred out of the plastic before they broke.

I refuse to shop at Hobby Lobby because of their healthcare policies. I don't mind when a person has strong religious views, but the moment a company tries to impose their personal restrictions on its employees and play it off as "religious freedom" is the moment they lose both my respect and patronage. Imposing one's own religious restrictions on others is not freedom, it is tyranny. Therefore, I only shop at Michaels or A.C.Moore.

 Warboss_Waaazag wrote:
I refuse to shop at Hobby Lobby because of their healthcare policies. I don't mind when a person has strong religious views, but the moment a company tries to impose their personal restrictions on its employees and play it off as "religious freedom" is the moment they lose both my respect and patronage. Imposing one's own religious restrictions on others is not freedom, it is tyranny. Therefore, I only shop at Michaels or A.C.Moore.

Cool enough, I’m not familiar with their policies, just their convenience.

Welcome back dude

Really excited to see how this project comes along

 JoeRugby wrote:
Welcome back dude

Really excited to see how this project comes along

Thanks, Joe! It will be a little slow in production, but I'm just as excited as you about this project.

I did a few more terrible sketches for the floorplan and walls. Circles are meant to be either pylon mounts or vents in the walls. I've also shifted the door from the center to the corner and anticipated an interior wall for the "foyer".



And here is the "working sketch" for the basic floorplan. Math is hard.

Welcome back.
Nice designs, look forward to 3D versions.

 Dr H wrote:
Welcome back.
Nice designs, look forward to 3D versions.

Thanks, Dr H! Expect some in a day or two.

Interesting ideas floating around on those pages.

And this, folks, is why we make mock ups:



(The front of this wall is supposed to reach the edge of the floor piece it is wedged into.)

First building slowly taking shape:

Good to see you back, Warboss! And I see your work table/space is getting encroached by precious bits just like mine!