Traditional Christmas Dinner

It's been too long since my last post.  The beginning of a new school term means I have to spend a little extra time at work so I have found it hard to find time to build.  Stupid paper work.  Some weeks it can be a real uphill battle just to get a little time to myself to do some quality building.  Poor me!

This is definitely my favourite interior so far.

The black and red is very effective here and I think the wall decorations worked out pretty well.

Next step is building the last sliding rear wall in which I hope to include a medieval toilet.  Even minifigs need somewhere to relieve themselves.

My Kitchen Rules, 15th Century

Preparing breakfast, medieval style.  Years ago Tim Gould gifted me a big bag of 2 x 2 light bluish gray tiles and never have they been so useful.  Thanks Tim!

OK, so the chef's hat might be a little off as far as medieval headware is concerned, but you can't tell me you don't know who the head chef is in this picture.

I wanted to add as many kitchen objects as I could and was fairly conscientious of how the kitchen would work in reality.  Of course I couldn't cover everything.  There is no oven and no way to dispose of waste.  Maybe that's what the pig is for...

Interior 2nd Floor

Flare Michael Bay would be proud of

I wasn't going to include this shot at first, and I definitely won't post this on flickr.  This shot was taken in the same photo shoot as the last post.  At this stage the second floor interior is largely unfinished but it gives you a fair idea of what I have to work with.  It also provides a glimpse at how those windows work as well.  The doorway, although vacant here, already features a brick built door which will feature in a later post.  Check out my next post for details on the completed right hand side.

LEGO Castle Jenga

This is one of those 'I love it when a plan comes together' moments.  I'm often astounded at how much we can hold in out heads, it's incredible.  Up until this point what you see was only an idea, it's such an incredible rush when you actually make an idea real.  I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.  I know it's not like I'm building the Mona Lisa here, but it's great to be at this stage.

The lower level still needs an interior and lacks a rear wall.  Once again I'm facing parts shortages but at least I can concentrate on the interior until I sort out my plastic allowance for this week.

Also, the castle has it's own ghost now, Sir Spookington Mc Boo.

Roofing Issues

Although not exactly what I originally planned I wasn't displeased at all with how the roof came out in the end.  At first I wanted to have the roof slide out as one single piece once the back wall was removed but it proved clunky and a little destructive.  You can see the horizontal slots in earlier pictures of the interior.

I even made the roof section a stud narrower but it didn't do much to alleviate the problem.  The stress was so great I ended up leaving it 1 stud short of the original width, which adds a small design aesthetic that only the creator can truly appreciate.

Intentionally crooked

The above shot really makes me want to work out some kind of lighting solution.  This model would really benefit from a model lighting kit or something.  I still need to work out a better solution for the flagpoles - I'll probably just use some flexitube in the end, a anything else makes them look too segmented and unnatural.

I've already started on the next level which I plan to include a grand balcony, a dinning hall and maybe a medieval loo.  Let's hope I can get at least two of those features in, I already foresee part shortages and even have a Bricklink tab open as we speak.  If only the Australian Dollar was worth anything anymore ... why am I always building when the local economy is going to the dogs?

Progress!

There's finally something worth blogging about.  It's been a difficult couple of weeks.  Work and home life have been a little busier than usual and it's been hard to find the time to build and post.  I've had a couple of part shortages too, most especially 1 x 1 modified bricks with a stud on one side and headlight bricks.  I have tried to keep it down to one order a week so far, and I must admit, I feel guilty typing that out.  But it's mostly been for little things and costs have been relatively low.  And it's not like I didn't realise what I was getting myself into when I fist started.

This is a view from the rear.  The roofing is complete but I'll cover that in more detail in a future post.  The entire rear wall of this section slides up and out to reveal the interior.

I'm still not happy with the flag poles and am likely to change them in the future.  The two roof sections look slightly out of place here but works quite well when the interior is not exposed.

The wall section slides into slots in the rear walls.  It was a lot clunkier than I originally anticipated do to the inherent misalignments in the bricks but actually improved over time and use.  It would be great to get some lighting working in this model, but I am really unsure which method would work best between the 80's lighting kit, yellow, battery powered light bricks, or a custom solution.  If anyone has any suggestions let me know in the comments.

WIP update: Interiors 'Complete' for Upper Level

After a long and frustratingly UN-LEGO week it was great to get back to my project.  I had started on my interior earlier but was waiting on a bricklink order to arrive so I could complete it.  I tinkered a bit here and there and encountered some issues with the roofing - I'll cover that in a later post - and went over some of the interiors I had built in the past to see if I could inspire myself.

Looking back at some of my older castle themed builds I noticed the interiors were often added as an afterthought, and always added at the very end.  I remember there was often a sense of rush when I was adding these details - the exterior was done and I was keen to get it posted, mostly because I believed my building defined my participation within the community.  If I wasn't building and posting then I wasn't part of the game.  And let's face it, few people will follow the links to the more detailed pictures, it's very much about that first image.  My last few builds - the medieval village - has no interiors at all.

Well, no rushing this time round.  I have limited time as it is so I was determined to take it easy and make this right.  I have tried to put as much effort into these two rooms as I would a creation that was solely an interior diorama without an exterior.  Originally I wasn't to make the scene into a mini vignette just for this shoot but I was so creatively drained I couldn't think of a thing!  Of course once the shoot was finished multiple comic scenarios occurred to me but by then it was too late. 

Fighting that creativity drain can be hard.  I currently work as a music and guitar teacher so I am playing music and flexing my creative muscle all the time.  Sometimes my brain muscle is just too exhausted to think beyond my previous planning.  It's weird to explain, mostly the inspiration just flows, but in times like these I feel like my head is empty.  It's like you can hear the wind whistling through my ears.  Stupid wind's too loud, it won't let me think!  I think next time I'll put it off for twenty four hours and approach it with a fresh head.

Still it's not like the interior didn't work out!  It's just not as funny as it could have been - which was totally hilarious I assure you.  Maybe next time...

Inspiration, imitation, or how I stole Luis' chair

Medieval Ikea!

The more you involve yourself in the LEGO community, the more you're going to be exposed to everyone's work.  This is ultimately a good thing as it allows you to explore so many different ideas and varying approaches to the same problem.  Your fellow builders can be an endless source of inspiration.  Don't be afraid to borrow ideas from your contacts, just don't forget to give them credit either.  I mean, that's why we share our creations right? To share ideas and inspire overs?  Well, that and obviously to feed our fragile egos.  Even when a picture of mine is blatantly stolen I can't help but to take it as some kind of misguided compliment.

While building my interior I was lucky enough to stumble on this vignette by talented 0937 Lug member Luis Baixinho and instantly knew I had to make something similar.  Luis' use of classic robot arms and rods inspired me to come up with my own version.  When I find something that really inspires me like this I like to try to make my own without looking at their picture as a reference.  This forces me to come up with my own ideas and solutions while still retaining the genius of the original.  That being said, mine didn't prove to be too different from Luis' in the end so full credit to him.  I did manage to come up with a nifty little bench by myself though.  I think it's cute!

Here's the bench from above with the top hinged up
to show it's inner workings

On my way!

There's no going back now!

The top level walls are now completed!  It's been a while since my last update, but only because I've been spending my free time building.  There's still a bit more to do yet on this section, but at this point I have a pretty clear idea what to expect with the next level and how the keep will look as a whole.  There's really a lot of challenges to overcome here and a lot of important details to work out.  Not least of all is the shape.  I chose octagonal towers, this causes a slight offset so that the corner is not perfectly square.  It's still quite workable but has been annoying to work around.

The battlements are such an important feature of a castle, it's undoubtedly one of the defining architectural features of the genre.  I tried to add as much detail as possible, utalising SNOT tiling and offset stonework on the crenels to frame the merlons.  Confusing?  Merlons are basically the part of the battlements that are higher than the wall which provide cover for defenders.  The crenel, or embrasure, is the open space between the merlons.  Oh and crenallation is just another word for battlements.  Most of the confusion stems from the fact that there are two words for most castle features, an Old English word and a Norman word.

The arrowslits look awesome, but aren't actually my design.  I pretty much copied them from brickshelf user RabbitSpook, Jacob C on Classic Castle.

To avoid "Big Gray Wall" issues I used tiles to make the brickwork look a little more interesting, especially as I have decided to stay away from mottling.  The battlements on the tower tops took the most time, I must have rebuilt them at least four times trying to get the right scale, shape, and feel.  In the end I think they look a little thin but I'm not unhappy with them.  I may yet rebuilt these again to give them some more depth.

As with many of my creations I used 1 x 1 round bricks to round out the corners on the towers.  I have used this technique so many times but it is easily the best way to finsh the corners on any tower that has more than four and works perfectly with an octogon. 

As I said before the octagonal turrets posed a few challenges, not least of which was the flexibility of the hinges which caused the entire structure to suffer from structurally.  Because of the inprecise nature of the shape I used this brace constructed from technic axels to help keep the tower sturdy.  It was a relatively late revalation as I had simply used bricks to brace my towers before.  I may yet add another to the bottom level of this section at a different angle to reinforce it further.  I'll definately use two in the next level.

There's so much to do next; a sliding panel, an interior for this level, or even starting on the next level.  This is a great stage to be in with a build like this, there is so much to do it's hard to get bored.  If one thing holds me up due to construction difficulties or cost I can simply move to a differnet task until the other resilves itself.

Cover Up!

The shame!

Dust.  The natural enemy of LEGO. 

The bigger your creation is, the longer it will take to build, and the longer it's going to be exposed to dust.  Anyone who has photographed LEGO under a bright light will know that there is nothing more distracting than that curiously reflective, tiny hair that has somehow sneaked into shot, smack on the nose of your build.  With a project this large it won't take long before you're wiping your finger across the top of your carefully constructed crenelations to expose a clean streak amidst the wasteland of dust.  Dust that you didn't even know was there a second ago.  Grey and white brick hide dust the best, that is until you open your pics in photoshop and you realise you have to do the whole shoot all over again. 

To try to reduce the ravages of dust it's a good idea to find a pillow case, or a tea towel, and eventually even a bed sheet to cover your creation while you're not building.  I also keep a number of unused easel brushes to help keep my build dust free.  Small brushes are great as you can maneuver them into difficult places with a high level of accuracy. 

Other builders I have spoken to over the years have suggested pressurized cans of air or mini squeeze dusters, especially for really dusty models.

Whichever you choose I bet you never envisioned house cleaning when you first took up this hobby.

Now to start building!

 

 

Where to start?  Home in on what you think is the most important part of the structure.  Usually it will be either the central keep or the gatehouse, possibly a tower.  This is where you need to make the next big decision - what building style are you going to use for your castle?  Is the creation going to be primarily studs up or out?  Do you want a more traditional look with large, bleak stone walls, or a mottled look?  I drew on my strengths here.  I've never been particularly good at colour mottling and to tell you the truth, in spite of the skill required, I don't really like the look of mottling in most cases.  Personally I find it both distracting and it limits your options when it comes to architectural features.  So I reverted to what I know best, Gothic architecture with Roman arches and plenty of SNOT features.  

You should now have a pretty good idea how you want your castle to look.  The next big decision is whether or not you want an interior.  Interiors can be difficult for a number of reasons.  Firstly you are going to have to determine how these areas are going to be accessible or at least viewable.  The most common solution is to use hinges to create a dollhouse-like design where either a wall, a large section, or even an entire half of the structure swings open to reveal the inside of the MOC.  Another option is to make your structure come apart at every floor level or even using sliding panels.  In the end any kind of opening is going to require some form of compromise between your original vision and the mechanisms required to open your creation. It's a good idea to try to implement these features right from the beginning, otherwise you're going to have a lot of rebuilding to do later down the track.

The second consideration is time.  Building an interior obviously adds considerably to your workload and increases the demands on your collection.  Only a small percentage of people are likely to view more than one image of your creation so if you do decide to take the time to build an interior it will largely be for your own sense of completion.  But really, if you're not building for yourself, the you're doing it wrong.  Outside of a commission, of course.

That being said, I'm going to ignore my own advice and build an interior.  I intend to use a combination of separating floors and sliding panels.  Wish me luck.

If you have a feature in mind that you want to get into your creation don't try to fit it in, it's better to build that feature and let it help you determine the scale of the overall project.  In this situation I built a window with surrounding arches that I wanted to include in the central keep.  The windows themselves feature old school black fences placed sideways and required a little jiggery pokery to meet perfectly.  Once completed I simply replicated the design and connected them together.  

After I had the facade of the top level constructed I could better judge the size of the connecting towers and I added one to the model.  At this stage I have a working prototype which will serve as a basis for the scale of everything else that follows.

At this early stage I am very willing to pull things apart and rebuild them to ensure I get things right.  It's important that things aren't simply tacked on to your creation unless it's absolutely necessary.  Structures of this size tend to be really heavy and structural integrity is important.  So unless you enjoy seeing your efforts irreparably collapse in upon itself try to keep both the walls and floors as strong as possible.

Are you going to spend money?

The eigth wonder of the world

This is as much of an important decision as any other in the process.  I would consider my collection to be large by AFOL standards but I still find myself making compromises due to the limitations of my collection.  To build at this scale you are going to need literally hundreds of each element you're planning on using in your castle design.  At some point you will be confronted with a decision to either change your design to accomadate your collection or to spend money obtaining the elements you need.  Unless you have spent an insane amount of time on LDD planning your creation first and have an accurate database detailing every single element you own I garentee you will find your collection lacking in some unforseen area at some point.  At least once.  Nobody likes compromise, especially if you're working towards completing a major project.  Where do you go to by hundreds of the same element without speding a ludricous amount of money on sets?  Bricklink - undoubtably the best place online to easily source your requirements.

Inspiration and Design

Burg Rheinestein by Pedelecs (creative commons)

Now the inspirationy bit.  As I said before you need to have a good idea what you're attempting before you start building.  Having even just a basic idea gives you a gist of the approximate size of your project and gives you a place to start.  Pictures of real castles is an awesome place to draw inspiration from.  Look at tower and battlement designs,  the positioning of the keep and walls, and how the terrain compliments the castle both strategically and aesthetically.

This is where you are going to make you're first real important decision - are you going to attempt to make an exact copy of a real life castle (pretty much impossible), create your very own design (potentially equal parts brilliant or stupid), or something in between the two.  

I chose the last option.  As this is my first real castle MOC I wanted to build something that looked a little different than the normal concentric squares of big grey walls that make up most castles, but still sensible enough strategically to serve as a real world defensive structure.

To Europe!  European castles tend to be more elaborate than those found on the British Isles and often marry pleasing architecture with real defensive qualities.  Ideally, I draw the most inspiration from structures that are interesting to look at.  Try to find something that is a little asymmetrical, possibly with an interesting configuration of walls and towers.  Other features can also make a castle stand out, motes, auxiliary buildings, even the surrounding landscape can make a creation stand out.  And with so many talented builders making castles you will really want yours to be noticed.

Now I wouldn't normally give away where I drew my inspiration from.  I would much prefer that everyone thought I was simply brilliantly imaginative.  But what's the point in writing this blog unless I share everything?

I chose Burg Rheinstein.  Now I just want to reiterate that I am not creating a copy of this castle, just heavily borrowing from its design.  It's a fairly obscure castle so it's unlikely anyone will recognize it, especially once I pimp out those featureless grey walls with a heavy application of Gothic arch work.  It's important to keep in mind that although I will heavily model my castle from this design I have no idea exactly what the end product will be.  It may yet look vastly different.

The next step is to find your castle's "footprint".  Think of a footprint as a basic map of the castle's ground floor, it should clearly show tower and wall placement and the basic layout of the structure.  This should give you a basic idea of the final size of the model.  Even if it's too big or small you can modify the scale to better suit the space available and your collection.  It can be a good idea to layout some bricks to try and outline the castle's basic shape to get a better idea of how it is going to be executed.  But there are other ways to determine scale.

You may want to make a sketch of some important features.  Remember that you are building with LEGO so try to stay away from curves.  Mostly all the LEGO structures I have seen with tight curves need to make some sort of aesthetic sacrifice to pull off a round shape.

Space

Paradise!

No, not SPACE!  Actual physical space.  Want to build big?  Then you're going to need a big space to put the finished product and an even bigger space in which to store the bricks to build it.  LEGO rooms are optimal, you can dedicate space to cater all you're needs without being an inconvenience to those who live with you.  For a castle you're going to need a decent sized table too, unless you want to build on the ground, and unless you're under 30 let me tell you the floor is no place for a grown man, not unless you happen to be friends with a good physiotherapist.  

Of course, I don't have a LEGO room, not anymore.  Not since the birth of my son, Aidan.  Also pretty much the reason why I've hardly built in the last three years.  I decided this wasn't going to stop me.  Weeks beforehand I started dropping hints.  Subtle ones at first, pining for my lost LEGO room, lamenting the inconvenience of my hobby being packed away into a corner to gather dust.  Then picking up momentum with comments like, 'I guess I could do a little building on the kitchen table, right?  Hon?'  Maybe do a little sorting to stake your claim. Don't push it too far.  Ease them into the idea by starting small and slowly raising he anti with comments like, 'you know, I've never built an actual castle?  I guess I won't get the chance to now...'  Pathetic, I know.  But keep in mind I'm playing the long game here.  Then one day, BOOM, the entire table is covered in drawers and baggies and trays full of light bluish grey brick.  The table is mine.  I've laid the ground work, set the tone, adjusted the pretense.  

 

There's no going back short of a dinner party with my boss.

Watch Me Build A Castle, or 'how to fail at LEGO'

It's fantasy, plastic me!

I have never built a castle.  I've built tower houses and fortified bridges and even micro castles, but never an actual, real, minifig scale castle.  Which is kind of odd, because if there's any theme I would be known for, it would be castle.  For a castle builder it is, unsurprisingly, what everyone aspires to build.  Along with building a SHIP it is perhaps the biggest boiler plate project an AFOL can achieve.  A culmination of carefully honed techniques and the sheer size of ones collection.

But before I even laid a single brick there were decisions that needed to be made.  Planning for a creation this large is so important.  Like many other people I love to design on the fly, building and rebuilding, working the brick until a pleasing form emerges.  But with something this big you need to have a idea of a few factors before you begin.

I hope the following notes and future entries will give some insight into what's required to build a project of this size.  And for those who have already built a similar project I guarantee there will be plenty of laughs at my own expense.