Dunbrough and Gripenhem WIP log

I just signed up to say how amazing your work is theomar; I'm in awe.

You've inspired me to create my own buildings, heavily plagiarised by your own ha! Hope you don't mind.

And I have so many questions! Especially about the painting. Like what brown wash do you use? Is it something I can pick up at Michaels? You use the same one over everything? And for the wood you use a raw umber with a barn wood drybrush right? What about the roof tiles?

Thanks so much!

2many wrote:

I just signed up to say how amazing your work is theomar; I'm in awe.

You've inspired me to create my own buildings, heavily plagiarised by your own ha! Hope you don't mind.

And I have so many questions! Especially about the painting. Like what brown wash do you use? Is it something I can pick up at Michaels? You use the same one over everything? And for the wood you use a raw umber with a barn wood drybrush right? What about the roof tiles?

Thanks so much!

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the comments!

I use that same raw umber, watered way down for my washes. I really just use cheap craft acrylics for all of my painting, usually something like the roof it just a one off mix of colors, I think on the cooper it was a blue/ mustard/ brown mix. I use the cheap paint because I use so much of it over large surfaces, it's just cheaper that way. Yes, all bought at Michael's/ Jo-Ann's/ Hobby Lobby etc.

Ok, this is the project I've been working on all week. like the look of it, and envision how it will turn out. Problem though: it's too small. So you know, this will be the last building in the Dunbrough project, and it has a space designated in the city, and it's just too small for such a prominent location, ringed by the city streets.

The footprint is just slightly too small, but livable. It really needs to be a story taller though, it get's lost surrounded by some taller buildings. So, this one will be back-burnered for a while. I think this will end up being a country tavern/ inn that I've been thinking about for a while.

As for the building it was supposed to be? Back to the drawing board.

Did you say this will be the last building of Dunbrough?????!!!!! WTF?!

Sorry, but are you sure you want that? If it's lack of storage space in your flat, then all you have to do is to send me a few of your buildings, so I can store them here!

Anyway, what is that building about? The chimney is colossal!

Joao

JoaoS wrote:

Did you say this will be the last building of Dunbrough?????!!!!! WTF?!

Sorry, but are you sure you want that? If it's lack of storage space in your flat, then all you have to do is to send me a few of your buildings, so I can store them here!

Anyway, what is that building about? The chimney is colossal!

Joao

I don't know what's up with that chimney, I didn't realize it was as tall as it was. It'll probably get cut down to be about as high as the peak.

I'm only finishing up Dunbrough because the 4x8 table it's on is full, I'm out of real estate. I still have to do the market, foliage, some roads, figure painting, and lights. Quite a bit of work, but yeah, it'll be wrapping up. Doesn't mean I'm done building though. Gripennheim awaits...

Gripennheim... hum... I'm curious now!

Ironically, painting the smaller things like figures and props will probably take longer to finish than the town.

Joao

JoaoS wrote:

Gripennheim... hum... I'm curious now!

I'm working out the fluff in my head right now, but it'll be the whole town, on an island. With a griffon.

Since the last project I started was too small for the spot allocated in the town, I had to start over. So this is where I am now, I decided on a coaching inn, with stables on the ground level, and a tavern and inn above. I've been trying to stay away from doing another inn, because I already have two in town. The truth is though, that inn's are the the most fun, and if Dunbrough really is a large city, then there is more than enough room for one more.

EXCELLENT START! A prosperous trading town like Dunbrough just can't have too many Inns & Taverns to accommodate the passing Merchant Trains. PLUS the focal point of most Fantasy Adventures seems to be the local watering hole.

Looks to be a good start. can't wait to see it's progress.

All your work looks just amazing!
I got a little question, probably its asked a few times before, but how you get the brick walls? You just carving it into the foam or do you got a little trick to get this beautiful look?

~ Freddy

FreddyAnal wrote:

All your work looks just amazing!
I got a little question, probably its asked a few times before, but how you get the brick walls? You just carving it into the foam or do you got a little trick to get this beautiful look?

~ Freddy

A couple of steps.
I carve the bricks into the foam with a sharp x-acto. Has to be sharp, dull blades tear the foam.
I then use a dull pencil and a trace the cuts. This opens them up and bevels them. Basically gives you shadows and something to highlight.
3rd step is to press a jagged rock into the foam to give it texture.

Thanks for the feedback!

theomar pius wrote:

A couple of steps.
I carve the bricks into the foam with a sharp x-acto. Has to be sharp, dull blades tear the foam.
I then use a dull pencil and a trace the cuts. This opens them up and bevels them. Basically gives you shadows and something to highlight.
3rd step is to press a jagged rock into the foam to give it texture.

Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for the rapid reply!
I will try it immediatley

~Freddy

Impressive job! I like it very much...
Impeccable technique! Love it!

I use buttresses to hide joins where two pieces of foam butt together. It also breaks up the flat area of the walls.

This is also an inside out project. That it, there is quite a bit of interior detail that is visible from the outside, and all of it has to be painted and detailed before the majority of the building is finished and access is cut off.

That is a FINE addition to your Town; interesting angles enliven the otherwise duller sections. GREAT WORK!
Remembering to paint the "you can't get there from here" sections of buildings before the build is complete is one of those things I've almost gotten down pat...almost.

I've gotten the upper stories built out of foamcore. It's really out of plumb, and bonkers big, but I kinda like it. It's gonna have a take forever roof, but it's got a few features I've been wanting to do, namely the porch and the balconies. I'm going to go back to absurd amounts of chimneys as well. I figure the other inn's in town offer a hall with bedrolls, this is where the nobility would stay. All suites, a large tavern, stables, the works.

That is VERY COOL & IMPRESSIVE! I don't even want to think about that roof...ruins are SO MUCH kinder. Have FUN with The Beasty!

I am new and I am very excited to see this project come together. Your detail work is astonishing and you have provided me with a good deal of inspiration. Thank you for sharing your work and the steps leading to the final products. This helps in my creative process in a big way. Keep up the good work.

-Bezelfor

P.S. Where did you find the stable-hand model that is pictured?

Bezelfor wrote:

I am new and I am very excited to see this project come together. Your detail work is astonishing and you have provided me with a good deal of inspiration. Thank you for sharing your work and the steps leading to the final products. This helps in my creative process in a big way. Keep up the good work.

-Bezelfor

P.S. Where did you find the stable-hand model that is pictured?

Thanks for the comments
She is from Fenryll, I believe.

Hey man, love your work!

I'm wondering, where is that woman with the bucket from? I don't believe I've ever seen that miniature before.

Quote :

FKSN wrote:

Hey man, love your work!

I'm wondering, where is that woman with the bucket from? I don't believe I've ever seen that miniature before.

Quote :

Hi, thanks!

She's from Fenryll, she came with two other ladies, one scrubbing a floor, the other carrying a platter. Fenryll has lots of interesting minis, but a lot of them are oversized, just a warning. I use mostly Reaper, which are also large, so she's not too oversized. I'll just call her a Samnite and be done with it. Or him a dwarf

Here she is next to a Mordheim warrior monk.

Yep, Fenryll civilians are beautiful, but completely incompatible with the rest of the 28mm stuff that is usually around. A shame, really...

Anyway, the new building is looking great - even though it looks big, it's still in perfect harmony with the scale of the remaining buildings in your town! Can't wait for the upcoming WIP pictures!

Joao

Keeping a bunch of old card boxes floating around, just to use for roofing. I've got the base for the roof on, as well as sketching out where the window and woodwok will go. Woah this roof, there are 20 different surfaces on this roof. That'l take forever, lol.

Up next is the chimneys, I'm going and try to do a chimney for each suite, and a big one for the tavern.

Super complex design there! This is one bad mofo medieval house!
Joao