Ruin grass

Just look how the grass has grown on the first ruin

Don't these guys ever get out with the Weedol.

Speech House 7

 Or 'cunning plan 1'.
See, wot I thought wos, rather than have piles of rubble permanently fixed to any particular ruin, have the rubble heaps on their own bases so that they can be used anywhere. The ones in the group show some cut to fit in corners and others to be away from walls.

 It's the usual ply base with a build up of thick corrugated card which I've plastered with water/glue/filler mix. The back of this one shows this.

Then I've deluged them in 'Slate Beach' and tried to press it into the filler mix.

I'll find out if that's worked when it's try and I give it a tap.

I plan on using a spray varnish to seal it and to provide extra adhesion.

Then a lick of paint and some dry-brushing before gluing on some larger rocks and brick work.

We'll see how it goes.

Speech House 6

Slow progress is being made.

The incorrectly laid pavement has now been dry-brushed in Fortress and White, as have the piles of fallen wall (though I see that I've missed a bit!)

I have cunning plans yet to be revealed.

Speech House 10 should finish it!

I'm still unsure how to do the floor.

Should it be weed and grass covered or not?

Speech House 5

The camera hangs on in there and the small amount of progress is evident here.

Pavement laid and flagstones badly* laid on stage (courtesy of kitchen worktop edging)

*(Whoever would have thought that the builders of Osgiliath could have  got away with such a shoddy job?)

I've rushed ahead without though on the footpath around the edge and, after gluing down the wall paper, realised I was using the wrong sheet.

Cobbles are supposed to be for the streets!

I'll live with it rather than starting again after shifting all those cobbles.

I'm still unsure of how the floor should look.

I'll see how simple highlighting works when the cobbles are dry enough to do them

The little photo of the stage corner is to show up another mistake.

I should have painted the stage Fortress Grey before laying the flagstones and so I tried painting between them.

I'd coated the flags in glue after they'd been glued down which meant that the paint freed the glue and made a mess

I gave up that idea.

So much to learn, so little time!.

Speech House 4

Coigns affixed.

Card cut to two thirds of brick size and 2mm less than that to cover gaps.

I wonder if one piece of card cut to shape, glued on, covered in filler/glue mix would work.

Easier to glue on but would it be easy to joign up the motar lines?

(It was deliberate. It was deliberate)

May have problems for a while as the camera is playing up.

Speech House 3

The second ruin, 'Speech House' so far.

After a timid and wavering start, at last the walls are up.

A 'stage' will be at the far end which gives one archer a view from that direction..

The other areas are covered.

Walls are all painted externally, Dawnstone with Fortress and white highlight. Internally with Fortress highlighted white.

The skin colour is the hold up with the wildmen.

On the left is Ratskin with neat Reikland as shading.

The other two are Bronzed Flesh and Balor Brown - no shade as yet.

Perhaps a mix of Bronzed and Ratskin might do it, once shaded and highlighted with Ratskin?

'Speech House' walls are up

I've been unsure of the order in which to do the various requirements on the 'new' ruin.

How to paint the interior? Erect the walls, then paint? Paint each piece and then assemble, or something in between. Filler mixture or Dark Earth for the tops of the walls?

However, decisions made, there is some progress and more learning.

No photos yet as I depend on daylight and I've just finished painting the top of the walls at 20.15 pm

In parallel, I've been starting on the Wild Men of Druadan including Ghan-buri-ghan.

Metal and AGAIN! I forgot to spray with primer.

More puzzles including what colour to paint their skin.

'Speech House' 2 walls

Two of the walls painted with Dawnstone.

The upper test piece was to decide if I should use Fortress or Dawnstone as the base colour.

Dawnstone fills the 'mortar' area between the bricks better.

I used black before, as suggested, but it's then difficult to get to that pale grey/white that's needed for Osgiliath and Minas Tirith.

The foam board is first 'painted' with a thin filler paste/water/glue mixture.

When that's dry (and it takes a while because the card absorbs the moisture*) grooves were scraped into the filler with the back of a hobby knife, two or three scratches, where the bricks join, both horizontally and vertically.

I lined up a ruler with the previously marked out lines.

I had tried felt tip but obviously that 'ran. Use a black Biro.

Then Dawnstone was applied quickly as too much brushing can soften the glue and you end up taking paint off!

Again, wait a good while (overnight?) as you don't want to dry-brush over damp paint

'Speech House' ruin

I started the new ruin yesterday, cutting out and then gluing the cut out piece to a second layer of foam board.

That piece is at the back and now I have cut out the other four pieces and am waiting for the glue to set before cutting into the second layer.

I should be able to do that tomorrow and then think about build first and then mark the bricks or the other way around.

There are no windows in the back wall. All the light comes from the sides to illuminate the 'stage'

The base is there in the first shot.

Vrashku again

0K So it looks more like a tin arm than one encased in armour.

I'll have to get up close to one.

'Images' are no use.

Vrashku's Vambrace

Here's Vrashku, at last, with a indeterminate vambrace on his right arm.

There is no clear division between metal and flesh.

That's the arm which also had some serious elbow trouble.

Ach! Naggers! I've just twigged that the vambrace covers the whole forearm, inside as well as out.

Back to the drawing board.*

That said, I think he's a neat model.

It wold be interesting to see how the resin model compares.

* Actually, I will be 'back to the drawing board' as I'm starting to plan another three Osgiliath ruined buildings I've cut bases for seven and cleaned up the edges on the first three.

John's tree (green)

John's tree evolves and becomes more convincing as it does so.

Sorry John.
I thought I'd caught that squirrel in the second shot but they are quick little buggers.

John's randomly used emulsion and acrylic paint on his bathroom sponges giving a realistic light and shade look.

Result - He's now reduced to pot scourers in the shower.

(John - loofahs can also be used for tree branches)

Mordor Uruks and Uruk Crossbows

So here they are on bases and the original gloss varnish dulled down with a coat of matt.

Perhaps another coat might improve things though on one previous occasion that led to a serious reduction in colour.

Bases make all the difference.

Vrashku is missing as there is a damn great hole where his elbow should be.

The liquid Greenstuff is hardening off.

The fellow second from the left seems to have a pronounced lean (pronounced LEAN!).

I'll have to look into it.

Mr. Blake's Ruins

 Mr. Blake was obviously paying close attention while we were making the Osgiliath ruin for, here he is, making his own.

Here he is putting finishing touches to the kitchen with a fire and the bunk beds with an arched entrance.

Not strictly GW, I suppose, but brilliant, nevertheless.

Well done Blake!

Now Maggie - when are you going to finish that Rohan Cottage?

Uruk Hai Crossbows

 All four of the Uruk crossbow men are now done - again awaiting bases and a coat of varnish.

Nice resin models with plenty of detail though the number of bubbles are annoying as was the fitting of one of the 'armed' bows.

Just Vrashku to do, and he looks quite simple*, and then I can base them and start something new.

*This is in no way meant to imply that Mr. Vrasku is a few crumbs short of a lembas sandwich, merely that the paint job looks easy.