Magical woodland terrain- For Moonstone / Arcworlde / Frostgrave

This is the first time I’ve taken a photo of everything in one place, as it currently stands. There’s still a fair bit to play with:

Painting the Observatory.

Sealing.

Little bits of tidying up, here or there.

Traversable ladders or platforms to stretch between scenery. (the sort of stuff that’s so easy you put it aside…)

I Have other ideas for this ‘set”, but I’m keen to finally start using this stuff.

I tried two differing builds for the main dome and settled on a good old deodorant for the bulk of it. The body and doorare coffee stirrers. the lens is from a toy. I might  leave this as a removable piece so that I can remodel  the tower deck.

More foamboard; more balsawood ‘timbers’; coffee stirrers. The gothic arched windows are from the punched-out remains of boardgame tokens. Rather neatly, I had a choice of classical, arched and square windows.

Looking at the photos, maybe I need some supports across the dormer window? Also wondering about some statuary for the buttress arches… Of course I need the scope dome too..

After a few sketches I’ve come up with something that will be fun to build. Using foamcore board and balsa for the timbers, and perhaps also some plasticard where necessary  was the plan. It ended up pretty much like I imagined too, at least to build.

Hexagons are nice simple shapes to work with – clean angles, etc. The Base has a slight inward tilt to suggest buttressing arches for the upper story. Six identical base pieces; six arches; pieces to widen the columns. Then score in some brickwork and make a start on the inner tower, with a doorway too.

From the previous update, you all know the procedures from there: applying shades and thin layers. Working highlights into raised parts. No drybrushing at all felt necessary on these models. It’s subtle in the photos, less so on the table, but there is a degree of coloured highlighting around the stellar objects. The same shade to give the illusion of a glowing object.

The colour of the rocks was defined by thatt on the prior terrain pieces. It’s normally a question of applying paint to the scene itself to find a harmonious palette overall. I am trying to capture the feel of some middle ages/renaissance hedge wizards hasty constructions. I settle on a blue star, yellow sun and a differing hue for each planetoid.

This process can be daunting sometimes. You find that with the uniiform colour applied the sculpt aquires a coherent look for the first time, but it also shows imperfections off in the final result.

My painting of the rocks will proceed exactly as I did for the earlier sculpts. Wet palette blending and washes….

I did intend to keep the terrain separate but I belatedly realised that tthis won’t be possible. I want to “rig” the astrological stuff as if it has been ttethered for nefarious wizarding purposes. I’m not sure what – I haven’t ever actually read any of the bg for Moonstone, beyond that notion.

I’m using balsa wood and coffee stirrers ( bonded in laminates!) AS THESE PROVIDE THE REAL STRENGTH. The balsa, even when impregnated with s.glue, is nothing like as rigid.

The ‘rigging’ is various bits of cord/string/etc from our local fabric shop.

It is time to airbrush the results. I’m looking forward to seeing this myself as this process “really ties the room together.”

Beyond these items I’m now wondering over a general “Astonomer’s hut”, something like that old Warhammer terrrain with the telescope – but not that size; that was ludicrous! ….or an orrery of some sort….