 | | | | | |
I have just taken down my collection of about 30 castle sets, most of them
being Royal Knights, and I'm about to go to work building a giant castle like
Dan Jezek's Skull Kraag Keep or Pawel Nawareciwcz's Strombrachter. But I
think that my measly collection of 30 sets (probably around 5000 pieces) isn't
enough to build one of these wonders. About how many pieces should you have
before undertaking the task of building a huge fortress? I have heard that
the best advice for building a castle is to have tons of the basic block
buckets. Is this true?
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
In lugnet.castle, Bill Jackson writes:
> I have just taken down my collection of about 30 castle sets, most of them
> being Royal Knights, and I'm about to go to work building a giant castle like
> Dan Jezek's Skull Kraag Keep or Pawel Nawareciwcz's Strombrachter. But I
> think that my measly collection of 30 sets (probably around 5000 pieces) isn't
> enough to build one of these wonders. About how many pieces should you have
> before undertaking the task of building a huge fortress? I have heard that
> the best advice for building a castle is to have tons of the basic block
> buckets. Is this true?
Well, I've built some pretty big castles(1), and I just have a couple of the
major castle sets (plus dozens of the smaller ones). Can you build something
like Strombrachter? Probably not, but a modest sized castle shouldn't be
difficult. As for having basic buckets, dunno. I don't see much use for red,
blue, and yellow pieces, except for filler. The best advice I can give is to
just experiment. You'll find out what works for you with the pieces you have.
Jeff
1 - By my standards. Nothing nearly as large as Strombrachter, though.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
In lugnet.castle, Jeff Stembel writes:
> In lugnet.castle, Bill Jackson writes:
> > I have just taken down my collection of about 30 castle sets, most of them
> > being Royal Knights, and I'm about to go to work building a giant castle like
> > Dan Jezek's Skull Kraag Keep or Pawel Nawareciwcz's Strombrachter. But I
> > think that my measly collection of 30 sets (probably around 5000 pieces)
> > isn't enough to build one of these wonders. About how many pieces should you
> > have before undertaking the task of building a huge fortress? I have heard
> > that the best advice for building a castle is to have tons of the basic block
> > buckets. Is this true?
>
> Well, I've built some pretty big castles(1), and I just have a couple of the
> major castle sets (plus dozens of the smaller ones). Can you build something
> like Strombrachter? Probably not, but a modest sized castle shouldn't be
> difficult. As for having basic buckets, dunno. I don't see much use for red,
> blue, and yellow pieces, except for filler. The best advice I can give is to
> just experiment. You'll find out what works for you with the pieces you have.
I'd have to agree... it all depends on what you want... if you look at
something like Strombrachter, you'll notice that 80-90% of the walls are all
castle wall sections. That helps a lot, since you don't need to build them out
of actual bricks, like castle Bloodstone.
Also, you might have color preferences-- I've got grey, dark grey, black, and a
couple white castle wall sections, and the same with the corners... If I were
using the castle wall sections, I'd probably try just to use one color...
(likewise with plain bricks, but I might throw in some dk grey or maybe tan for
random coloration)
I don't know about having basic buckets, though... I probably wouldn't use red,
yellow or blue in my castles (white maybe, black maybe)... I'd say the best
thing to get are grey service packs. Lots and lots of grey service packs. I
recnently built a huge scale model of a music school using mainly grey, white,
and black bricks (and black plates) and I think I used between 15,000 and
20,000 bricks (it was about 3 feet by 5 feet, and was somewhere around 15-30
bricks high on most walls depending on where you measured (some parts were over
50 high at the peaks of the roof)... And that was all basic bricks-- no
specialty pieces or anything, so that piece estimate is probably a little high.
Using decorations and interiors for minifigs, the piece count would no doubt
rise.
For the most part, though, I'd say build what you can, or build what you think
you can. Not many of us can build something on the scale of Strombrachter...
someday you may be able to build something that size, but don't think you can't
build a huge fortress without having it be 7 feet in each direction... The
best models aren't cool because they're huge, they're cool because they've
got attention to detail, cool stylistic features, etc.. (all of which
Strombracther and Bloodstone have!) Just build what you can, and keep thinking
in the back of your mind "Someday... someday..." :) And in the meanwhile, buy
lots of castle sets and grey service packs!
DaveE
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
> best models aren't cool because they're huge, they're cool because they've
> got attention to detail, cool stylistic features, etc.. (all of which
> Strombracther and Bloodstone have!) Just build what you can, and keep thinking
> in the back of your mind "Someday... someday..." :) And in the meanwhile, buy
> lots of castle sets and grey service packs!
Well said.
To be honest, I have been fascinated by Eric's Models recently, so from PERSONAL
observation, I have to say that building something small (see church) and giving
it great detail, makes people appreciate it more. Sure building a huge castle
is fun, but towards the end of it, you get very anxious to put it online and you
hurry details ... with smaller projects, you tend to be very meticulous.
By the way - Strombrachter became a big castle as a collection of smaller
projects - keep that in mind;) Again - that's what I'm hoping that Eric will
bless us with (he's got the Inn, the Market, the Church ... now let's see if he
can crank out something that will withstand an attack;)
Also - the castle walls are perfect for an outside wall (BURPS on the bottom,
walls on the top - two layer wall), while I would use regular bricks (if you
have them) in bigger qualities for the buildings (The Devil's Gap is almost all
brick, and it's definitely one of my favorite models).
The key is not to think big right away (Strombrachter took about 2 years off and
on), because that's a sure fire way to get discouraged quickly. Build, post,
build, post, etc. On the other hand, The Gryphon's Nest took about a week of
intense work (and plenty of College Football). I doubt that that can classified
as "Big Castle" though.
-- pn
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
Pawel Nazarewicz <verneer@utk.edu> wrote in message
news:FoLqC7.E1I@lugnet.com...
[snip]
> The key is not to think big right away (Strombrachter took about 2 years • off and
> on), because that's a sure fire way to get discouraged quickly. Build, • post,
> build, post, etc. On the other hand, The Gryphon's Nest took about a week • of
> intense work (and plenty of College Football). I doubt that that can • classified
> as "Big Castle" though.
>
> -- pn
Excellent advice here. One thing I try to do is build "chronologically",
meaning build in the order that a castle would evolve. First comes the
original keep, then perhaps a basillica (sp?) and a defensive outer wall.
Next come some towers. Eventually, a second keep may be built (for a feudal
vassel perhaps). I find that this helps me to maintain consistency and also
build realistically (not too many kings had the funds and manpower to throw
up a massive castle all at once). If I build something that later I don't
like, I simply stage a battle which destroys the offending part of the
structure. Then, of course, it's time for the king/prince/castle owner to
rebuild. :-)
Tim
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
> Excellent advice here. One thing I try to do is build "chronologically",
> meaning build in the order that a castle would evolve. First comes the
> original keep, then perhaps a basillica (sp?) and a defensive outer wall.
> Next come some towers. Eventually, a second keep may be built (for a • feudal
> vassel perhaps). I find that this helps me to maintain consistency and • also
> build realistically (not too many kings had the funds and manpower to • throw
> up a massive castle all at once). If I build something that later I don't
> like, I simply stage a battle which destroys the offending part of the
> structure. Then, of course, it's time for the king/prince/castle owner to
> rebuild. :-)
This is good advice. In fact, the building of a large castle could be quite
a story in itself. You could set it up with workmen, carts full of bricks,
scaffolding, and chronicle the process on a website. Even build a story
around it. I'm doing something similar with my space MOC
http://theforce.net/tinman/nautilus ), even though all I have so far are
crew pictures and "promotional posters".
Paul Davidson
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
In lugnet.castle, Bill Jackson writes:
> I have just taken down my collection of about 30 castle sets, most of them
> being Royal Knights, and I'm about to go to work building a giant castle like
> Dan Jezek's Skull Kraag Keep or Pawel Nawareciwcz's Strombrachter. But I
> think that my measly collection of 30 sets (probably around 5000 pieces) isn't
> enough to build one of these wonders. About how many pieces should you have
> before undertaking the task of building a huge fortress? I have heard that
> the best advice for building a castle is to have tons of the basic block
> buckets. Is this true?
I think it all depends. First what color is the castle going to be? If the
answer is Gray or DkGray then the answer is the basic block buckets are not
going to help. If the Castle is going to be Red, Black, or White then I would
say the buckets are the way to go.
Of course if you live in the US you can order the Gray brick service pack to
increase your gray brick count.
I admittedly don't know a lot about the older Castle sets but 30 sets sounds
like a lot to me. I think you could probably do it with that but it all
depends on how detailed you are going to be and if you are going to model the
interior as well. The interior can take up lots of parts but they are usually
smaller and more speciallized.
I guess the other question is are you going to use lots of Castle wall pieces
or do you want to go with basic bricks. I would think if you are going to use
the wall pieces and you have 30 sets you are well on you way where if you want
to do this with basic bricks you probably need to start buying bricks either in
the buckets or from S@H.
I just finished a big project myself and although it takes a lot longer and in
my case I had several periods where nothing got done because I was waiting for
orders to arrive from S@H it is extremely gratifying when you finish your
project.
I think our best hope for big projects like these is LEGO Direct. Its just
hard waiting until they start doing business.
Best of luck and keep us updated.
Eric Kingsley
The New England LEGO Users Group
http://www.nelug.org/
View My Creations at:
http://www.nelug.org/members/kingsley/
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
In lugnet.castle, Bill Jackson writes:
> I have just taken down my collection of about 30 castle sets, most of them
> being Royal Knights, and I'm about to go to work building a giant castle like
> Dan Jezek's Skull Kraag Keep or Pawel Nawareciwcz's Strombrachter. But I
> think that my measly collection of 30 sets (probably around 5000 pieces) isn't
> enough to build one of these wonders. About how many pieces should you have
> before undertaking the task of building a huge fortress? I have heard that
> the best advice for building a castle is to have tons of the basic block
> buckets. Is this true?
Yup. But with 5000 mostly castle pieces, you should still be able to do a
decent-sized castle - maybe about half the size of Strombrachter? (Pawel - how
many pieces are in there, anyway?)
As a reference:
This was done with only a few castle sets (maybe 10-15, at a guess), and a few
brick tubs.
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/mm1.jpg
This one is done with about twice as many sets, hardly any bricks from tubs
(mostly black bricks from several tubs, but hardly anything else), and (trying
to remember) about 15-20 5145 (grey bricks service pack).
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/mm2.jpg
My current project (photo badly out of date, and I do mean *badly*) is bigger
by a factor. Around 40-50 sets, quite a bit of red (couple tubs worth), the
equivalent of about 100 5144 (black bricks service pack), mostly from tubs,
and around 200-250 5145's.
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/const.jpg
James
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/
| | | | | | |
