Anyone For Bridge?

Hi, All!

Sergeant Tetley and his men investigate the new find.

The unearthing of The Lost City of Ah-Pul-Sh'Napps continues this week, with the discovery of a section of street, complete with a footbridge.

According to local legend (as related by the Eternally Lost Tribe of Wutha F'Kahwi ) this once great city fell foul of the gods and was destroyed in a single night of rain, lightning, landslides and floods. For centuries since, the Wutha F'Kahwi have believed the place to be cursed, calling it "Gonnta Kh'rap" - literally meaning, "Where the Great Ones Empty Their Bowels".

A pencil sketch of the rough layout disfigures "Whistling Round The World" by Roger Whittaker. A corresponding layout is planned on a sheet of foamcore before the paper is stripped from one side.

The street is built up. Key elements are inscribed before drawing in the random stonework.

I've been enjoying working with styrofoam - both inscribing it and also carving it - and the results are very pleasing.

Street level - the gutters were inscribed with the rounded end of a paintbrush. This is a delicate process - repeat softly several times in both directions to avoid cracking the foamcore.

Ground floors and a bridge support in place. The paving is complete. One set of buildings is filled with a block of foam where landslides have buried the ground floor.

Bridges are a great way of adding extra depth and dimension to cityscapes - be they ruined or otherwise - and also provide for interesting gaming possibilities. So I like 'em.

The main span (left) carved from green foam. The sides of the bridge (right) cut from one piece of white foam, then sliced into two to creat two identical 5mm thick pieces.

The main span is checked against the walls.

This bridge was constructed of three pieces, mounted on columns. I carved the paved span first, checking that it would fit the model correctly, then designed and cut the sides.

The pieces of the bridge are inscribed and carved until they look sufficiently stony and ruined.

Professor Heineken takes in the view from the bridge.

Having constructed and detailed the bridge, the upper floors of the buildings were built. A soon-to-be partially buried staircase was carved from foam and moved around a couple of times until I was happy with where it would sit. I also added a section of broken wall to protrude from the ground behind the buildings. It is little extra touches like this that help to make a model just that little bit more interesting.

Walls, columns and a section of staircase carved from foam.

The ground was built up with modelling clay until I was happy with the bulk of it. Slips were modelled into doors and windows.

The model before painting. The ground has been built up with clay and is ready to be textured.

Painting and texturing the completed model followed the same techniques as the temple and house featured in my last post. The same simple palette of colours was used. The stonework was painted and highlighted first, then the landscape was gritted, painted and flocked. This ensures that ground cover realistically blends in with the ruins it is covering.

The finished piece from above.

A view of the buried stairs and the bridge.

Mud slides fill the doorways.

Little remains of the upper floor...

I'm very happy with this piece. I've now started on a section of city wall and also plan to build a watch tower and several more street pieces.

Army and Navy combined operations secure the city...

Keep watching, folks! More soon...

All the Best!