Dioramas
Do you love dioramas & vignettes? We sure do.
Clervaux Castle - the Annexes
Captain_Muller
Visit this Community
Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Joined: May 21, 2009
KitMaker: 44 posts
Armorama: 43 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2009 - 02:18 PM UTC
FANTASTIC, YOU SHOULD GET A MEDAL :O
roudeleiw
Visit this Community
Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2009 - 04:41 PM UTC
JB, thanks, you got mail

Hey, the southern Hemisphere is awake ! :-)

Bradley, thank you very much! The Sherman you supervised is coming soon also.
Richard, thank you, it's always nice to see a new face.

Claude
roudeleiw
Visit this Community
Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009 - 07:54 AM UTC
I worked a lot the last days and have already something to show.

I finished the old stair leading to the witch chapel and tiled it with pieces of sanding paper. I wanted to give it a bit more structure as usual



The small cobbleroad leading to the castle is nothing special. Special is the fact that it will meet diagonally with the cobbles on the other module. It would be impossible to let them join invisibly (Wow, what an english!). I solved the problem by doing a water drainage parallel to the module. Well, i hope the picture explain it better then my text.


In the back you see my other occupation the last days. I am putting this wall together stone by stone. This takes time, believe me.

The last part is in front of the gate house.

I had no height for this building and i made it as good as i thought. Now i had a big challenge to get the stairs reach the door without getting to much in the road and still be like the one in the reference picture.
Then they are continuing sideways up to the gate level. This will partly be hidden by walls later.
Well, here is the preliminary work from this evening.


I am working around the whole module finishing a lot of smaller and bigger details. I want it done in a week, leaving me with only the painting process for the dio and also the figures for the six weeks to come before attending an expo.

Cheers
Claude
newfish
Visit this Community
England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: June 23, 2008
KitMaker: 2,329 posts
Armorama: 2,110 posts
Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009 - 11:38 AM UTC
Hi Claude Cracking work. Nothing else I can say really just a pleasure to see this
still evolving ! Great work mate!

grave_digger
Visit this Community
Clare, Ireland
Joined: December 30, 2008
KitMaker: 952 posts
Armorama: 834 posts
Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009 - 09:32 PM UTC
Hi, Claude, amazing stuff you´ve got here, and very inspirational, too. Keep it going
Cheers
Libor
driffowl
Visit this Community
England - North East, United Kingdom
Joined: March 09, 2006
KitMaker: 42 posts
Armorama: 7 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 - 03:19 AM UTC
hi claude new to the hobby in real terms.you certainly give usall some thing to aspire to.your model is outstanding .i find it truly staggering when museums and local authorities turn down models of this quality espescially when they are being given.if they put as much time and effort into what they do and were 1/2 as generous then the world would maybe be a bit better place.i will watch the build with intrest and am sure will learn a thing or two............cheers...geoff.
martyncrowther
Visit this Community
England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: September 12, 2007
KitMaker: 1,548 posts
Armorama: 1,407 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 - 10:44 AM UTC
Really nice work Claude! Brilliant.
roudeleiw
Visit this Community
Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 - 03:30 AM UTC
Thanks guys!

I appreciate the comments.

Cheers
Claude
Belg1960
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: May 03, 2007
KitMaker: 41 posts
Armorama: 37 posts
Posted: Friday, September 11, 2009 - 04:30 AM UTC
Claude, your work is very creative I like how you work around a challenge and come up with a solution. I posted your how to link(glue casting) to another forum and was asked why didn't use resin instead of glue, was it just cost driven? I also was wondering when you glued it to the substructure didn't the new glue react and melt some of the detail in your casting? Thanks and will be watching for your reply, Pat
roudeleiw
Visit this Community
Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Friday, September 11, 2009 - 04:53 AM UTC
Thanks for the interest (hey, there is a lot of talk of me without my knowing :-)

First, it never occured to me to use resin, it is as simple as that.
The advantage of the wood glue is that it remains flexible, probably a long time, depending on the thickness i presume. I don't know if resin would do that.
Remember, i only do this casting method for round surfaces.

Having glazed my scale windows with clear resin, i know that i can crash and break it after a few days.

And no, the glue did not react to the new one, probably ecause it had dried enough.

Where does this discussion takes place ?

Cheers
Claude
Gorizont
Visit this Community
Sachsen, Germany
Joined: November 28, 2007
KitMaker: 1,462 posts
Armorama: 1,289 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 06:26 AM UTC
Hey Claude, nice to see that your webpage now works!
This is a great project and with the "overview-plan" it´s better to see the single module-parts.
Also I thought about to buy your book.

greetings...
Soeren
roudeleiw
Visit this Community
Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 09:49 AM UTC
Thank you Soeren

Nice to hear that the site is of some use. For the moment I just need to find the time to update everything, the site and all my running blogs.
The business of selling a book requires a lot of time so close to the publication.

Then i am hurrying also to finish my actual build.

Here is one picture of the painted and planted hill under the wall.


That is a lot of space to fill!

Thanks and hope to see you on my buyers list

Claude
guygantic
Visit this Community
Antwerpen, Belgium
Joined: August 19, 2006
KitMaker: 7,084 posts
Armorama: 970 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 07:08 PM UTC
Claude, you are just unstoppable, lucky for us ! I enjoy all the small corners, it makes it interesting to look at. Also the high and lower sections make it so pretty.
The rock looks spot on, it carries every detail just like reality.
jba
Visit this Community
Rhone, France
Joined: November 04, 2005
KitMaker: 1,845 posts
Armorama: 777 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 07:49 PM UTC
The space is really well occupied, that's a very efficient and realistic way of sculpting rocks..
Good luck with the book!
JBA
martyncrowther
Visit this Community
England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: September 12, 2007
KitMaker: 1,548 posts
Armorama: 1,407 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 09:37 PM UTC
Great update Claude, really nice work.
HONEYCUT
Visit this Community
Victoria, Australia
Joined: May 07, 2003
KitMaker: 4,002 posts
Armorama: 2,947 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 10:33 PM UTC
I want to climb that rockface Claude
Verrrrry realistic mate. I love the root systems...
Brad
roudeleiw
Visit this Community
Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 10:46 PM UTC
Thanks guys, this was actually in progress work, i planted more on it later.
I like pausing between the steps to have a second view the next day and see with fresh eyes if there is need to ad or not.

Bradley, the next days i need to finish this Sherman!

that shows you how i like doing heavy metal, , on the latest possible moment.

I made a horse with natural rabbit's fur standing in front of the Sherman, i hope that will devert all attention . LOL

Claude
Kinggeorges
Visit this Community
Barcelona, Spain / España
Joined: August 31, 2005
KitMaker: 1,380 posts
Armorama: 845 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 10:47 PM UTC
Claude,
fantsatic job, and what a f....g scale...
If I may permit, I find thje colot of the rocks a bit grey, I would see them a mit more beige...
And this is suggestion, but why not putting some small trees on some of the balcony made by the rocks. Have ever noticed how strange and tortured could be those small trees growing with very few earth and wind and devastating rain ?
Best,
Julien
ps : what your book is about ?
Gorizont
Visit this Community
Sachsen, Germany
Joined: November 28, 2007
KitMaker: 1,462 posts
Armorama: 1,289 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 - 12:40 AM UTC
Nice looking stonework! I also will try to make different types of them.
For my next projects stony underground´s are planned. (but there are no plants on Venus) :-)-><

greetings...
Soeren
roudeleiw
Visit this Community
Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 - 01:01 AM UTC
Hi Julien, thanks for the suggestions.
Well, the slate is supposed to be colored slate (Buntschiefer) , so basically you can do what color you like. Here is a picture taken from just below the castle


Tha'ts even more grey then i have, with a lot of plants and lot of moss and so, very difficult to make in scale as there are a lot of plants to set.
I choose the more colored approach, the same as under the castle, it could be a lighter grey on some points but this will do it.

Regarding the trees , you are right of course, that is a look i really love and will do that on another occasion in the town, but in this case , the photo makes the balcony's really a lot bigger as they really are. The really "big" one in the middle is just big enough to accept some two grass tufts.

There is another point (but , psst, don't tell anybody) i have no time anymore to do a lot of trees if i want to be finished in 5 weeks.

The book is all about the build of the castle, every step, every detail, reference photos, build photos, a few specific tips i have regarding such a build, like the stone pattern making, glazing, roof making and to finish a lot of wonderful pics of the finished castle.
Some of you guys asked me once to do a little resumee of my build, well i am always thinking big, that is my resumee :-)

Thank you all

Hey, i took two hours off to work on the dio, so let me go to by hobby room now :-)

Claude
viper29_ca
Visit this Community
New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: October 18, 2002
KitMaker: 2,247 posts
Armorama: 1,138 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 - 04:05 AM UTC
I am amazed every time I see more of this build......utterly amazing.

I truly hope that it finds its way into a museum some day so that many people can see your work (assuming of course that you would want to part with it, after so many 1000's of hours of blood, sweat and tears you have poured into it!)
captkf
Visit this Community
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: May 18, 2008
KitMaker: 71 posts
Armorama: 70 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 - 12:21 PM UTC
Hi Claude,
I Love the hill under the wall, [not to mention, everything else] Throw alittle more foliage on there and it's going to look great !
Good luck making your deadline. You got the whole world watching and waiting. And it's been an awesume ride!

Kirk
paratrooper
Visit this Community
Utrecht, Netherlands
Joined: July 31, 2003
KitMaker: 995 posts
Armorama: 64 posts
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 06:46 AM UTC
hi claude

first of all i want to tell you that i love your work here on the forum. because of you , i'm making my second house on the moment. you are a great inspiration for me!

i have also a question for you. Can jou tell me how you make the glass in the windows. I know you did it with clear resin but i want to know your method of working . if you dont mind offcourse!

keep on the good work!

greets Peter
roudeleiw
Visit this Community
Luxembourg
Joined: January 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,406 posts
Armorama: 2,224 posts
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 08:29 AM UTC
Peter,

thank you very much , i appreciate your praise.

Regarding the resin windows, well, you put me in a delicate position.
This description is part of my book i willl start shipping this monday.

I think everybody concurs that i am never keeping my work methods for me and share what i can. This time however i will choose, as respect for those buying my book, (there are already a lot of preorders) not to go into the details of this method.
Not so close before the publication. ( i am sitting here right now doing packages for it already)

I hope you understand and have no bad feelings

Claude
paratrooper
Visit this Community
Utrecht, Netherlands
Joined: July 31, 2003
KitMaker: 995 posts
Armorama: 64 posts
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 10:36 AM UTC
hi claude

i understand , no bad feelings at all. I will buy your book when its in store in the netherlands by mol modelbouw . good luck and hope too see an update soon

greetings Peter