Dio-Bolical Monday No: 31 – “Death & Taxes: The Earls Visit – Part 9”

Featured by theimperfectmodeller, posted in Dio-Bolical Monday, Uncategorized

Last week with the Mill building almost done, I started on the base section and the area surrounding the Mill which included the river section.  Having applied some more filler, added some additional slate chippings from the garden and applied further fine dirt and gravel it was time to start painting and thinking about the position of the next building, the Blacksmiths.

In the two images below you can see that I have added some MDF to add a little height.  I decided that the Blacksmiths building looked better in a slightly elevated position.  Decision made and MDF stuck down I pondered how to fill the gap between the two buildings.  I settled on the idea of a Marsh area and laid down some more slate chippings from the garden.  You can also see that I’ve added some Marsh Marigolds and a couple of grass tufts.  More would be added but I was keen to get a basic impression before I got to carried away.

The second image shows where I’ve filled the gap with more filler and chippings and started to paint.  The rocks were basic greys and various shades for dry brushing and I used inks for the appearance of moss and lichen.

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With more tufts, grass, Marrigolds and a splash of mud added the boggy marsh area looked like this.

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Next I decided to divert my attention to the back section of the river.

The Mill wheel won’t turn without moving water so there was a need to simulate this.  For this I used Woodland Scenics Water Effects which starts white and dries clear.  A little white paint was added though to achieve what I hope will be a better look.

At the same time I started to add Woodland Scenics Realistic Water onto the river bed.  This is essentially a pre-mixed clear acrylic which must be built up in thin layers.  It takes an age to do as it takes many hours for it to cure before you can move on.  I leave it over night each time before adding the next layer.

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Next I decided to paint up the little boat which came with the kit as this needed to be placed on the river before the final layers of realistic water were poured in.  At the same time I started adding some water lilies and more Marsh Marrigolds.

One of the things I should mention is that Realistic Water will find any gap and leak if areas aren’t properly sealed.  The area at the rear where the faster flowing water is was built up so didn’t present a problem.  The area at the front however needed to be dealt with.  As I wanted the end to appear clear I used a bottle of acrylic which I purchased from Green Stuff World.  It is a gel which hardens in a matter of seconds with a UV light from a torch.  This gave me a solid edge and prevented the liquid water from running out at the front.  Using some cotton for a thin rope I tied the boat to the wooden jetty.

img_1810 The final image for this week shows just where I am for now.

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I’m pleased with my progress so far and with the look of the base.  There is still more to be done in this area, not least of all adding a couple of figures in due course along with a few other bits and bobs.  I might also add more water yet too, I’ll see how it all fully dries out.

Next I think I’ll start work on the Blacksmiths, either the basing area or the building itself.  Then again I might make a tree!

TIM

33 thoughts on “Dio-Bolical Monday No: 31 – “Death & Taxes: The Earls Visit – Part 9””

  2. Excellent looking progress TIM, great call on making the area next to the river into a marshy area with the amount of water, and the potential for flooding, it makes perfect sense.
    Which way is the river flowing ? Am I right in thinking it goes from the side with the wheel to the dock, if so is the boat the wrong way round ? Not trying to cause problems, just want everything right as it’s a competition piece.

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    1. That’s a very good point Dave and constructive ones are very welcome. To be completely honest I had not taken that into account so now you’ve got me thinking. Logically the boat couldn’t be rowed over the rapids and rough water. It could be rowed up stream but would have to be turned around to be rowed back down stream as and when. Further logic would suggest that the boat would be tied up parallel to the jetty but it’s to late for that now. If I was tieing the boat up I’d tie it to the front of the jetty as I have done and also to the back to keep it steady and from drifting off. However the boat looks like it’s a drift already and hasn’t been securely tied at the rear (because I never thought to do so!) so I think the best option is to attach another rope to the rear of the boat and the jetty and claim it’s got lose!

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      1. That was the best solution that I came up with as well, and at least it’s an easy fix adding a rope, rather than trying to move the boat, as repouring resin can leave marks, and show where it’s been changed.

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      3. Or you could have a snapped rope, which is why the back of the boat is now swinging out into the stream, just remember to add some water effect to the side of the boat that the water is pushing against.

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  7. This project really came together this week! The landscaping and water both look excellent. The whole scene has a lot of life now too. I’m excited to see more as this is shaping up to be your best work yet! 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

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