This is from the Escape from Goblin Town boxed set accompanying The Hobbit films - I realised the other day that I’ve bought almost all the components from the set apart from the dwarves and Gandalf! All in separate auctions or at wargaming shows (my last score was a bag of about 30 of the lovely (disgusting) goblins at the Vapnartak show in York a couple of years ago). I’ve also got the rickety platforms all painted up and a horde of the goblins that I believe I’ve shown previously on the blog!
What can I say about the terrain piece as it comes from Games Workshop? Mediocre? I can see why it was done that way but it certainly lacks something, hence why I added foam to bulk out the missing rear (see what I mean in the final picture (which is not mine and was found online for reference)) - the reverse of it is effectively just...not there! I used scraps of polystyrene glued together to form the rest of the rock outcrop, then carved it into shape and slathered over a mixture of PVA, a little sand and wall filler to create the texture of the rock. Once dry I worked out where the metal banding holding the (fancy formerly dwarven bed) to the rock would go and connect to the other side, which I then carved into the plaster mix and foam, to create the grooves for it to sit in. I made the banding with thin card, cut to size and then glued in place. I added rivets to this (pearls from a water filter) and then mounted it on a shaped piece of plasticard.
Painting this was a joy - I got so many colours in there for all the grime, mold, moss and algae and added patches of flock for the thicker areas of moss. It could of ended up a boring slab of grey rock, but these added life to the piece and set it nicely in a damp underground catacomb or pit. One thing I’d like to mention is the fact that this is also the King’s toilet - how grimy and glorious is that?! There is a bucket full of turds just underneath and a hole in the seat!
Lovely finished piece, you should have taken a photo of the bucket of turds!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to teach me how you got that stone effect, do you think it would work well for ruined statuary?