Sunday 15 July 2012

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!

32 comments:

  1. Terrific as usual. When you described your ruined footbridge project when we talked at the Kapiti Games Day today, I could imagine what it would look like. But the real thing looks even better than I had imagined!

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    1. Thanks, Roly!

      It was great to see your Maori War finally taking place - great looking game! Hope you and Notorious Greg had a good game.

      Maybe I'll bring a battlefield of my own to the next session.

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  2. Colonel, that is one fine piece. Love the guidelines and I try one of those myself. I love the 3d aspect of it.

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    1. Thanks, JP! I know exactly what you mean by 3d - even if Roly (below) is a little too literal sometimes...

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  3. Lovely terrain indeed, Colonel, sir.

    The street photo (before you added stuff) reminded me of the Mayan ball courts.


    -- Jeff

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    1. Thanks, Jeff.

      Don't know much about Mayan balls. Met a naked Mexican once. Trying to forget it...

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    2. The Maya (and others) played some sort of ball game . . . apparently often causing serious injuries and sometimes deaths . . . here is a link to an article about their ballcourts:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_ballcourt

      You can probably see why your street made me think of them.

      As far as I know, naked Mexicans have nothing to do with Mayan ball games . . . *grin*.


      -- Jeff

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    3. Thanks, Jeff!

      Actually, I was sort of familiar with the Mayan stuff - and I can see what you mean.

      As to whether naked Mexicans have anything to do with anything... It's all just a question of imagination!

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  4. 3d? Are you saying the Colonel's work looks like it only cost thrupence, JP? ;-)

    Though I suppose a record by Roger Whittaker would've been lucky if it cost 2d (tuppence).

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    1. Roly! Twice in one day?! And so insightful...

      Kind of.

      And to think I paid 50 cents for Roger Whittaker! I feel robbed!

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  5. Replies
    1. Why thank you, Doctor!

      Amazing what you can do with this stuff when you get a bit of practice.

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  6. I am jealous of your skill and love the guides to how to build one. Top work whato

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    1. Jolly hockey sticks! Only too happy to share top tips and handy hints!

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  7. Good to catch up today Joe, and excellent work over the last three posts, that ruined city is really taking shape. I'd never have thought of using vinyl as terrain bases!

    I must warn you that, you have a Prussian spy in your midst, I wonder if you can guess who it may be ;-)

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  8. Good to see you too, Scott. Hope the FOW game went your way.

    I can assure you that Professor Heineken has proved his loyalty to the Empire many times! He has even sent promises of continued service, signed in his own blood! I have in my hand a piece of paper...

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  9. I love it, another outstanding piece of terrain. A beautifully executed piece; Roger Whittaker never looked so good!

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    1. Thanks, Michael.

      Soon to improve the appearance of Rolf Harris and others...

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  10. awesome!!!!!!!
    your scratch-buildings are beautiful!!!
    congrats!

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    1. Thanks Sam. Glad you're impressed!

      More soon.

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  11. Wonderful work! Those buildings are very nice! Very nice blog too!

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    1. Thank you, Phil! Very glad you're impressed.

      Hope you've had a good look around the blog. There will be plenty more in the coming weeks.

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    2. I'll come back, I'll come back!

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  12. Oh, I do like that! Wonderful work as usual, my dear Colonel. I like the use of foamcore, and how versatile you show it to be. After looking at the bridge, I've got a couple ideas for some SF scenery items beginning to ferment. I'd best be careful though, too much fermentation of any kind in this awful heat may be dangerous. Time for a cuppa to cool the blood!

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  13. Why thank you, AJ Old Chap!

    Foamcore? Versatile? You'd better believe it, Sir!

    Oo-er missus!

    Sorry - think me brain may be a little fermented!

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  14. Beautiful, beautiful! It is wonderful what can be produced from seemingly simple materials in your hands - it never ceases to amaze me. A work of art! Just looking at all the little details is a joy.
    Thank you for sharing your secrets with us. I am a novice at model-making and will shortly be starting a little project with my nephew to make some terrain for his model airport, attempting to follow some of them. (And I shall most certainly be desecrating Chris de Burgh in the process. Poor old Roger Whittaker!).
    There-in will lie the truth: whether it is all method or a lot to do with skill, artistry and general innate talent. We shall see! Hahaha.
    When you have completed the whole lot, I do hope you'll post a picture of the whole terrain? It must be filling up your workshop by now!!
    Humble regards.

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    1. Thanks, Genna. Such an enthusiastic review!

      I plan to make several more pieces for the Lost City, so watch this space. And yes - I'll be posting pics of everything.

      With a bit of luck, all will be ready for a gaming get-together here on the Kapiti Coast in September with my esteemed adversaries: Notorious Greg, Scott Bowman and Roly 'Arteis' Hermans. A battle report and pics are sure to follow.

      I invite you and all readers of this blog to email me at ordersforthecolonel@gmail.com with pics of your work and/or any questions regarding techniques, materials, or whatever. Let me know how your nephew's airport project turns out!

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    2. Many thanks, Colonel! May just do that.

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  15. Breath-taking, amazing and eye-catching, you have done it up right proper M'Lord!

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    1. Thanks, Anton! And may I say how impressed I have been with your various naval vessels!

      Keep it up!

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