Hirst Arts Castle and diorama done in 60mm. (3 Viewers)

[kogu]

Mike,
this whole thread is absolutely fascinating. Being guided through the trials and errors, the success and pleasure of a determined and enthusiastic modeller is entertaining and also very much encouraging. It makes one want to start and build something.
I very much appreciate your sharing of this experience and looking forward to the grand finale with the total view.
By seeing your detailed castle interior now I can only imagine the beauty of the total setup.
Great work, Mike, and your Crusaders and Saracenes will do anything to own this place
Konrad

 

[mestell]

Very nicely done Michael. Please share some pics of your castle's ramparts and the finished tower.

Mike

 

[mikemiller1955]

More Interior of Castle.

I put in a couple of Del Prado and K&C crusaders to give you an idea of the scale.

When my diorama is fully set up, the Saracens will inhabit the castle.

K&C and Del Prado are both 60mm just to show scale size.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Just a couple of more of the interior.

The gallows, the oven are both Hirstarts

The large wooden table, doors, shutters, metal hinges and benches I made.

The rug is Hudson Allen.

The small table, farmyard set and oasis is K&C.

The food on the table is Hobby Lobby.

 

[mikemiller1955]

These may be repeats.

I’m tired, I want some coffee and I need to finish my terrain.

I may post some of the exterior castle tomorrow.

I’ll do some bridge and river photos after a coffee break.

That’s enough of the interior, so many pictures, I’m confused on what I’ve downloaded.

Mike, here’s just one of the castle, I want to set up the battle before I show it.

You’ve been so nice to me, it’s hard to deny you.

Here is a couple of a tower next to a JG Miniature tower.

Be right back.

 

[mikemiller1955]

The tower.

The tower is 5 1/2”s x 5 ½”s, the JG Miniature is 3”s x 3 ½”s.

It’s 19”s tall, the JG is 10”s.

I put them side by side to show the difference.

I want to make it clear right now, I think JG is a fantastic company and makes a great castle. I own a lot of their stuff and it’s all top quality. JG Miniatures is the best on the shelf product I have seen.

I put some steps inside the window room with a hatch to the top, and the top tower is remove able.

You can make it any size you want. Tall or wide, whatever you want.

My coffee is ready, I’m taking a break.

 

[kilted vampire]

Yea, I got a real good grip on what a lintel is now, I'm just not sure where he is suggesting I put them.

I did mean over the windows and any other opening really. I am sorry for not making that clear.

In regards the butress. Ever seen Notre Dame? The flying buttresses are way cool.

I am afraid that I must echo all the great comments about this thread. Mike you continue to impress me with your skills.

 

[mikemiller1955]

River Section with Bridge.

This bridge is a Hirstarts product.

It was my first build with his molds. It’s mold #53, Bridge Mold.

I knew there were some flaws in my work, but the closeups with a camera really magnify them.

I know I could do a better job if I tried again. I’m sure anyone could have. You learn by your mistakes.

It was painted the same as the castle.

I put a couple of K&C figures on the bridge to show the scale size comparison.

The base underneath is styroprene, the river gouged out with a spoon, a layer of Celluclay, the river painted with a mixture of blue/green paint and then twice dry brushed with a mixture of the same colors only lightened each time.

The rocks were made with Plaster of Paris, using Woodland Scenic’s molds. The small rubble and grass sprouts are Woodland Scenic.

The inside of the river was twice pored with Woodland Scenic’s Realistic Water, with a 24 hour cure time.

I was hired by Hirstarts to promote their product, I just want to show you the possibilities and fun i had playing with it.

That’s it for tonight, I have a golf game tomorrow and I’m tired.

Thanks for the views.

 

[1879fanatic]

Mike,
Simply Gorgeous! A phenom job! I missed how you made the metalworks for the doors and windows, this is just great! "My practise is exhaustive so that my execution is flawless" (Paul Sorvino on Sculpting, and Acting) Flawless, Mike

Lovin' it...
Mike

 

[mikemiller1955]

Mike,
Simply Gorgeous! A phenom job! I missed how you made the metalworks for the doors and windows, this is just great! "My practise is exhaustive so that my execution is flawless" (Paul Sorvino on Sculpting, and Acting) Flawless, Mike

Lovin' it...
Mike

Mike, the metalwork on the doors and window are hard plasic squares I cut out, painted silver and glued on. The round handle is soldering iron wire wrapped around a pen or pencil to make it round. The rivets are the heads of brad nails, clipped from the nail, painted black and glued on.

Thanks for the views,

Michael

 

[mikemiller1955]

I did mean over the windows and any other opening really. I am sorry for not making that clear.

In regards the butress. Ever seen Notre Dame? The flying buttresses are way cool.

I am afraid that I must echo all the great comments about this thread. Mike you continue to impress me with your skills.

Thanks KV, coming from you, I'm very flattered, I've seen your work, I particularly like your Spartans.

Michael

 

[mestell]

I believe you are way to critical of your work Michael. I think the river and bridge area turned out just great. After seeing the outside portion of your castle with the towers and ramparts I believe I am hooked and now will have to buy some molds. I really like the detail of the stair case in the tower. The design possibilities of this product is as endless as one's imagination. You certainly have me thinking real hard on this. Congrats on a job well done.

Mike

 

[thebritfarmer]

I believe you are way to critical of your work Michael. I think the river and bridge area turned out just great. After seeing the outside portion of your castle with the towers and ramparts I believe I am hooked and now will have to buy some molds. I really like the detail of the stair case in the tower. The design possibilities of this product is as endless as one's imagination. You certainly have me thinking real hard on this. Congrats on a job well done.

Mike

I have to agree with Mike on this one. This certainly looks like something I may have to try also, perhaps build a nice wall and gates for the upcoming Durbar. Or I may have a stab at recreating some sort of palace to display my ceremonial items.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Mike,

On a scale of 1 to 10 this castle and diorama are about a 476!!!! You should have been an architect. That is far and away the most impressive scratch built castle I have ever seen! All I can say is WOW!!!!!!

 

[mikemiller1955]

Front Towers.

The two front towers are massive. The front of the castle is immense. I showed you a picture earlier in this thread of one of the rear towers with the observation area, windows and steps. That tower was taller, but more narrow.

This is one of the front towers by the gate.

It’s 15”s tall, 7”s wide and 7”s deep.

I put a single JG tower next to it and on top of it, and also photographed two JG towers on top of it to show you the scale.

The entire tower, except for the flat area where they are standing was made with single bricks. The flat are where they are standing was made with wall sections. It is extremely sturdy.

This photo shows two JG towers on top of it.

Keep in mind, the molds cost $103 and the Hydrostone is only $16 a bag, Even after all my mistakes, 3 discarded towers, extra buildings, a bridge, an oven and tons of leftover bricks, I have only used 2 ½ bags. This is a cheap, cheap cheap, very affordable sturdy castle.

 

[aujj65]

Front Towers.

The two front towers are massive. The front of the castle is immense. I showed you a picture earlier in this thread of one of the rear towers with the observation area, windows and steps. That tower was taller, but more narrow.

This is one of the front towers by the gate.

It’s 15”s tall, 7”s wide and 7”s deep.

I put a single JG tower next to it and on top of it, and also photographed two JG towers on top of it to show you the scale.

The entire tower, except for the flat area where they are standing was made with single bricks. The flat are where they are standing was made with wall sections. It is extremely sturdy.

This photo shows two JG towers on top of it.

Keep in mind, the molds cost $103 and the Hydrostone is only $16 a bag, Even after all my mistakes, 3 discarded towers, extra buildings, a bridge, an oven and tons of leftover bricks, I have only used 2 ½ bags. This is a cheap, cheap cheap, very affordable sturdy castle.

Not so sure about the cheap, cheap, cheap?........should be WOW, WOW, WOW! This is one of the neatest looking projects I have seen in a while and there have been a few on this forum.

Jeff

 

[mikemiller1955]

Top of a Front Tower.

The floor was built with Hirst Arts wall sections.

It’s 7”s by 7”s wide.

I placed 14 Saracens on top to show you how big it is. There is still room for more.

I made it big so I could stage a good battle there.

You can make it any size you want.

In retrospect, I really wish I hade made it even bigger, maybe 9”s by 9”s now.

I’m not picking on the JG Miniatures Crusader castle, I think it is a great product. I think all there products are fantastic. They are just a little expensive and everybody uses them. I was looking for something different, something that was unique.

I bought the Ancient City Gates myself and loved it. I even stole the gate doors off it and used it for my gate doors. I just wanted something different than everybody else.

This stuff is so cheap and so much fun, where can you build a castle this big for less than $200?

 

[mikemiller1955]

Not so sure about the cheap, cheap, cheap?........should be WOW, WOW, WOW! This is one of the neatest looking projects I have seen in a while and there have been a few on this forum.

Jeff

Jeff, all three molds together only cost $103.

They were $34, $34 and $29 plus shipping for $103.

Only $103 for all three molds.

The Hydrostone (50 pound bags) are $16 each.

I have bought 3 bags for a total of $48 and have tons of leftover bricks.

That's an investment of only $151 for the entire castle and all the other buildings I made.

That's about the cost of just one JG Miniature tower with shipping.

That's pretty cheap.

That's real cheap.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Mike the materials are remarkably inexpensive, but how much sweat equity do you have in that castle (i.e how many hours of work to build one)? I suspect that if you paid yourself minimum wage for the amount of hours you invested in the project, that would be one expensive castle!

 

[mikemiller1955]

Mike the materials are remarkably inexpensive, but how much sweat equity do you have in that castle (i.e how many hours of work to build one)? I suspect that if you paid yourself minimum wage for the amount of hours you invested in the project, that would be one expensive castle!

I have no arguement there.

It was addictive to me, I got hooked on it.

At a $1 an hour, I would be a rich man.

Lets just call it a "labor of love".