Waitoa

Thanks Kevin, I try to lay a complete row of bricks and then sand it down so it is more level.  My corners are bit rough but have often carved bricks so the joins match where the levels are out.  This gives the brickwork more of a rustic look and using the bricks of the old kit means that with the differing colours highlights this.  The effect is kind of growing on me.

most recent update with inner courtyard finished and now onto the outer walls.

Always look at your posts with a mixture of awe and envy, awe as I know that this type of modelling is harder than it looks and envy as I my efforts will not reach the same heights.

In comparison to me this is rapid progress.  Where the bricks extend out I have found it easier to trim with a modelling saw prior to fitting and then refine with sanding later on.

2 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

gonna look great when you get to that point   

Thanks, It may take awhile but using this log as a way of motivating me

2 hours ago, Ekis said:

Hi Waitoa,
Are you starting to put in vegetation before finishing the roofs of your cloister?

Not putting them in place just building them from kits for a change of scenery..... My plan, which I am failing miserably on is to, finish the courtyard area and then start to brick the monks accommodation.  Most likely will tile the roof of the cloister while I do the main building and will at least layout the garden area.  Given the amount of dust I crest the actual plants and flowers will be at the end.

Hi,

Been busy with work but started to get the scenics ready, 

Welcome to the brick building brotherhood, visited Stari Most many years ago after the Bridge was rebuilt but many of the buildings were still in ruins

3 hours ago, Canute said:

Ribs are good, as is brisket. Or pulled pork. Our big argument is the appropriate sauce to apply. We have East(vinegar base) and West(tomato base) North Carolina sauces and some parts of South Carolina favor a mustard base.

You will have to share recipes, with the lockdown I am trying to master American style bbq, not great starting this in the middle of a UK winter

Glad I took Ekis’ advice and went with the sandstone pillars, pleased with the result.  The grass square is just for contrast as when finished will have a walled monastery garden.

3 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

Great work  coming along here  - just cant beat these simulated brick builds   - by the way  is that Prussian Blue  I see in your paints  behind  - how do you find it regarding  its Flat Matt  finish?

 

OC.

Hi,

no no it is the royal blue, it’s a Matt and I have found it covers quite well, been watching your build and really impressed with the quality of the painting.  You can always join in the fun once you have finished your current build but need to warn you this can get quite addictive.

Making slow progress, trying to use the worse bricks on the pieces that are less visible 

This is really a demonstration of amazing vision and skills

Inspiring me to get back to mine as put it to one side as life has gotten very busy.  Very impressed by the additional detail that you are adding but have to ask if you have an end in sight or think you will keep adding and changing things?

You have excelled yourself on this part, truly speechless as know how hard it is to get these results.  May need to pull finger a bit on mine as being sidetracked with finishing off a number of small projects in my stash

This just gets better and better, will continue to enjoy and learn as much as possible as again very cool

36 minutes ago, Ekis said:

This is also exactly how I treated the larger doors with a pointed arch. Mounting the stones on a separate cardboard box on the facade allows the arch to be properly aligned and sanded quietly.
Your door with the 2 columns looks great ! 😉

Ah ha, the apprentice learns from the master, was wondering how you got them so well aligned now the secret is out

Hi,

Thought this was a clever cheat on building arches on a template and then sticking it to the wall.  The door still needs details added.

Wouldn’t say I enjoyed the roof but found it easier than the previous ones, still have to clean it up and do the ridges but quite happy with the result.

Finished the little square tower, the roof doesn’t overhang enough so when I add the roof tiles will have to bring these down enough to create the required overhang.  Started to use some of the Aedes ars bricks as the quality and ease of shaping is so much better than those originally supplied.

2 hours ago, Ekis said:

I think that for a very small cloister in this small country village in southern Europe, the stone used had to be closer to white or pink sandstone (as in the region of Albi or Toulouse in France).
Granite has no place in the southern regions, marble was reserved for much more prestigious buildings!
Granite or marble are very difficult rocks to extract, even more so for stonemasons hired for this small religious construction of the Middle Ages.
That's just my opinion, but it seems to me more consistent with this period and the geography of this village. 😁

 

That makes sense may make the white clay pillars and then paint with a sandstone colour to blend in.  Thanks

Bit torn between the heavier white “marble” pillars for the cloisters and the red “granite” ones.  Understand from very limited research that it would be more likely marble and the red ones were more for limited use around door ways etc.  Any thoughts from you guys?

Very cool, looks like a photo rather than a model.  Was thinking of something similar and have seen images of the square tower at Castle Foix.  Was this the inspiration?

Progressing the Cloisters and enjoying the mix of materials and getting more confident in using card.  Trying to weave the bricks of this whole building together rather than build in sections as don’t trust my accuracy in terms of aligning the bricks of the various pieces 

10 hours ago, Ekis said:

I locate the village during the foundation of the bastides in the south of France during the whole of the 14th century.
 

My knowledge of French history in this period is pretty much limited to reading Maurice Druon’s works post the fall of the Templar’s but the more I read around this and the establishment of the various bastides make me hope that this Covid 19 situation clears up as would love to spend some time exploring.  

One of the reasons I may go earlier is my understanding of Bastides were they were well planned and had straighter lines in terms of streets and walls.  None of this is my strong point so will hide behind this as an excuse for a more muddled construction.

7 hours ago, Ekis said:

Are you aiming for the 13th century?

Was thinking of that period but not sure what level of accuracy and realism I can achieve balancing with the enjoyment of building.  Intend to have a mix of styles and want to replace the missing gate house with what is basically a Roman structure.  Understand that wouldn’t be totally out of place as these tended to survive and be in use in this period.  

What period are you looking at your build?