WIP modular castle

[DarthPineapple]

Wow, this must be the, if not, one of the best Castles I've ever seen! Amazing work!

[Teddy]

Dear Captain Zuloo and DarthPineapple,

thanks for the compliments on the MOC.

This past weekend I've been redoing the complete scenery.

I tried to save what I thought was good and redid what I did not like.

Most stricking evidence of my overhaul ( ) is that I elavated the entire sceneray with at least one brick height.

I could explain, but here are the pics.

Kind regards,

Teddy

<Edit: I forgot to mention I put in additional dark bley plates in the walls>

Edited October 28, 2008 by Teddy

[Teddy]

Dear all,

I updated the scenery with some additional plant life.

Since this is my first (although many times updated) scenery, any feedback is highly appriciated.

Kind regards,

Teddy

[Guss]

there is a lost soldier on the right^^ I like it , really looks nice with it new walls and all these plants !

[Captain Zuloo]

I just thought of something that would give this MOC sooooo much more character. Did you consider having some people fishing from the riverbank or a boat in the river? Or is it a mote? Or is that moat? Anyway, I think adding more minifigs involved in different activities would make this tonnes better. (Not that there is anything wrong with it now!)

I hope this helps!

[Teddy]

there is a lost soldier on the right^^ I like it , really looks nice with it new walls and all these plants !

Dear Guss,

thanks for the compliment!

Poor soldier.... Hopefully he can find his way back to the castle.

I just thought of something that would give this MOC sooooo much more character. Did you consider having some people fishing from the riverbank or a boat in the river? Or is it a mote? Or is that moat? Anyway, I think adding more minifigs involved in different activities would make this tonnes better. (Not that there is anything wrong with it now!)

I hope this helps!

Dear Captain Zuloo,

thanks for the idea! There are already some 60+ minifigs in there. But they are mainly inside the castle walls and towers.

I could bring some of them outside the castle gate to do some outdoor actoivities.

Maybe also something for the community castle build:

I was thinking to attach a baseplate 48x48 with a small village to the road to the castle and maybe some small woodcutter hut on a 16x16 baseplate in the woods.

I ran out of table space so I can only "expand" with seperate modules...

I tried to convince my girlfriend to give up her desk space to me, but she hasn't caved in... yet.

Well, I don't know yet. I think I'll concentrate on making the back of the castle first.

Kind regards,

Teddy

[AL FREDDO]

awesome caste, teddy !love the landscape!

[Matteo Kenobi]

Wow...that is...wow

I have to say my favorite part of this thing is that how the castle has a real interior, there are buildings inside the castle walls. That is how it really should be and to say you nailed that would be a complete understatement. This is flawless, that is the fact of it. Well done, this isn't an attempt, it's a master peice!

[Teddy]

Dear Al Freddo and Matteo Kenobi,

thanks for your kind words.

I've lowered the forest path one plate below the surrounding grass.

Personally, I think this gives it a more realistic feel.

Any comments and feedback is welcome.

Kind regards,

Teddy

Edited October 30, 2008 by Teddy

[posades]

Teddy,

I was just wondering around how many flat blue plates you used for the water? I was thinking about buying some (1x4 and 1x2) to make a MOC but wasn't sure how many I should get.

[blueandwhite]

Teddy,

I was just wondering around how many flat blue plates you used for the water? I was thinking about buying some (1x4 and 1x2) to make a MOC but wasn't sure how many I should get.

I'm pretty sure that he didn't use any tiles (flat plates) for the water. Look carefully at the water and you will see that they are in fact everyday bricks.

A popular trend for castle builders these days is to use a sheet of 1x2 or 2x2 bricks as water. Essentially the builder creates a giant blue wall and lies it on its side building the landscape around it. It's a popular technique because it offers a cheaper way to make a studless surface.

[posades]

I'm pretty sure that he didn't use any tiles (flat plates) for the water. Look carefully at the water and you will see that they are in fact everyday bricks.

A popular trend for castle builders these days is to use a sheet of 1x2 or 2x2 bricks as water. Essentially the builder creates a giant blue wall and lies it on its side building the landscape around it. It's a popular technique because it offers a cheaper way to make a studless surface.

That actually makes sense, hadn't thought of that before. If it comes down to it that's probably what I'll end up doing since I have a fair amount of blue bricks. Thanks blueandwhite!

[Teddy]

Dear Posades and blueandwhite,

the water is indeed a blue wall of bricks turned sideways.

Kind regards,

Teddy

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear all,

I've started work on the first half of the "Keep" of the castle.

I tried to maintain a coherent style with the other courtyard buildings.

I still have to put in arrow slits colored plates and an interior.

Any comments and feedback is highly appriciated.

Kind regards,

Teddy

Here are pictures of the first part of the modular keep as a corner piece:

With a wall section:

Other side

Nice empty space for a throne room.

Edited November 24, 2008 by Teddy

[metalandi]

Wow, that's stunning. I can't wait to see the finished castle, it shall be awesome!

[Cakeman]

Ohh, a keep! I'm looking forward to how it will turn out - the exterior of the part you have shown looks good, though if you plan on making it a throne room shouldn't the front door be on top of a small stair (just two steps?) and bigger? Maybe dual? Just a thought, otherwise I'm very much looking forward to see the next part and haow it fits in with the rest of the castle.

/Cakeman

[blueandwhite]

I have a few suggestions. Please bear in mind that I think your work thus far is absolutely stunning.

The arches above the windows really need to be tan. Even a plain tan brick would probably be preferable to the grey arches. Having what appear to be stone arches suspended by a timber frame looks a bit odd IMO. Similarily; the stone work above the timber framed great hall doesn't quite work. I'm not sure but I don't think I've ever seen a timber structure that supports a stone wall.

Think of it this way; a cottage with a stone foundation and a timbered second floor looks natural. A timbered first floor with a second floor made of stone would probably look a bit strange. Half-timbered interiors weren't particularly unusual on castles however they probably couldn't support the load of a stone wall. I suggest that you either replace the tudor wall with a stone one, or in the alternative you could redesign the roof.

I really love your castle this far. Moreover, your willingness to invite suggestions has made this one of the most impressive castle projects I've ever seen. Good work so far .

[Teddy]

Dear cakeman and metalandi,

thanks for your replies! I will think about the entry to the throne room when I build the second half of the keep.

Now i have envisioned a kitchen at the bottom and the throne room above. the entry will be on the second half of the keep.

Kins regards,

Teddy

I have a few suggestions. Please bear in mind that I think your work thus far is absolutely stunning.

The arches above the windows really need to be tan. Even a plain tan brick would probably be preferable to the grey arches. Having what appear to be stone arches suspended by a timber frame looks a bit odd IMO. Similarily; the stone work above the timber framed great hall doesn't quite work. I'm not sure but I don't think I've ever seen a timber structure that supports a stone wall.

Think of it this way; a cottage with a stone foundation and a timbered second floor looks natural. A timbered first floor with a second floor made of stone would probably look a bit strange. Half-timbered interiors weren't particularly unusual on castles however they probably couldn't support the load of a stone wall. I suggest that you either replace the tudor wall with a stone one, or in the alternative you could redesign the roof.

I really love your castle this far. Moreover, your willingness to invite suggestions has made this one of the most impressive castle projects I've ever seen. Good work so far .

Dear Blueandwhite,

thank you for your eleborate reply!

I will look into your ideas about the stone walls on top of the timber work.

I'm not sure if I would want to replace the timber work with a wall or redo the roof.

I'll have to think about it a bit.

Kind regards,

Teddy

Dear all,

Recently I've also made a wooden floor in the courtyard buildings.

any feedback and comments are welcome!

Kind regards,

Teddy

The courtyard buildings now have a wooden floor:

[Teddy]

Dear Blueandwhite,

Your comments got me thinking and I did a complete redesign.

I also put in the arrow slits and colored bricks.

The only part missing now is the interior.

Kind regards,

Teddy

A redesign after usefull comments of blueandwhite:

With a wall section:

Other side

With a wall section:

Nice empty space for a throne room.

[Josh]

Oh my god (picks jaw off the floor)!This is such a cool project you are working on I dont know where to start!The work you have put in on this behomoth is incredible to say the least let alone all the redoing you have done to get it exactly how you feel is right!Do you have a brick estimate for this monster or am I asking to much now LOL!Eagerly waiting for you to get that extra table space you need,if you havent done so already! This is trluy a work of art as some already have said!Keep up the fantastic work my friend you truly are a legend in my book when it comes to MOC'S!!I dont know why I havent joined this site sooner having seen all the wonderful lego creations I have been missing out on all these years DOH!!

[DJ Force]

While the wooden appearance added a lot to the wonderful look of your castle, I agree that the stonewall makes much more sense. Just don´t get rid of the wooden idea and implement it somewhere else in your design.

Just one more thing while seeing your empty space for the throne room... Those walls are really high! If they don´t get enough support, they are easy to collapse. Maybe you can add some supporting collumns here and there?

By the way... I especially like the mixture of old grey and bley. This texture makes the castle look so much more authentic than just one color all around.

Edited November 25, 2008 by DJ Force

[blueandwhite]

Great work!

I love timbered buildings, but the stone great hall makes perfect sense and looks fantastic as well. I really like the developments your making. This is easily one of the best thought-out LEGO projects I've seen. I can't wait to see what you've got in store for the interior.

[Teddy]

Oh my god (picks jaw off the floor)!This is such a cool project you are working on I dont know where to start!The work you have put in on this behomoth is incredible to say the least let alone all the redoing you have done to get it exactly how you feel is right!Do you have a brick estimate for this monster or am I asking to much now LOL!Eagerly waiting for you to get that extra table space you need,if you havent done so already! This is trluy a work of art as some already have said!Keep up the fantastic work my friend you truly are a legend in my book when it comes to MOC'S!!I dont know why I havent joined this site sooner having seen all the wonderful lego creations I have been missing out on all these years DOH!!

Dear Josh,

thanks for your complements! You're too kind.

And welcome to EB!

kind regards,

teddy

While the wooden appearance added a lot to the wonderful look of your castle, I agree that the stonewall makes much more sense. Just don´t get rid of the wooden idea and implement it somewhere else in your design.

Just one more thing while seeing your empty space for the throne room... Those walls are really high! If they don´t get enough support, they are easy to collapse. Maybe you can add some supporting collumns here and there?

By the way... I especially like the mixture of old grey and bley. This texture makes the castle look so much more authentic than just one color all around.

Dear DJ Force,

I'm planning to make a wooden interior support like is done in St George hall in Windsor castle. Of course more to the scale of this castle.

The fourth corner tower on the back left might have some living quarters with wooden support as well.

Kind regards,

Teddy

Great work!

I love timbered buildings, but the stone great hall makes perfect sense and looks fantastic as well. I really like the developments your making. This is easily one of the best thought-out LEGO projects I've seen. I can't wait to see what you've got in store for the interior.

Dear Blueandwhite,

thanks for the compliment! That means a lot coming from such a great builder!

Your Brickmoor castle has been a source of inspiration which got me started on this castle.

I really love how you made the interior and made the interior very accessible.

Kind regards,

Teddy

[Teddy]

Dear all,

after a chat session with Captain Green Hair I decided to redo the windows of the Keep entirely.

Hopefully you like the "Keep" I've designed.

Any comments and feedback is highly appriciated.

Kind regards,

Teddy

All current wall sections combined without the landscape:

Third version of the Keep design WIP which goes at the "right back" corner.

A redesign version 2 was after usefull comments of blueandwhite.

After a chat session with Captain Green Hair I desided to redo the windows again.

The windows:

The keep:

With a wall section:

Other side

With a wall section:

Nice empty space for a throne room.

[Guss]

you want a comment : omfg wtf amazing !

here is my comment!!!

man I wish I had your castle, so nice! so amazing so !!! so!! cool !

I can't wait to see it, one day , finished with a lot of minifig in it, with all the details of all the rooms! I'll sure keep watching at your next improvement!

[Teddy]

you want a comment : omfg wtf amazing !

here is my comment!!!

man I wish I had your castle, so nice! so amazing so !!! so!! cool !

I can't wait to see it, one day , finished with a lot of minifig in it, with all the details of all the rooms! I'll sure keep watching at your next improvement!

Haha

thanks Guss, thats a real nice compliment!

Kind regards,

Teddy