Building the Harem - North African Architecture - Exotic Locations

[carlos marighela]

Fine work indeed!

[marianas_gamer]

Really top notch  I am looking forward to the furure of this project.
LB

[OSHIROmodels]

Corking build Dr M    

One slight comment might to recess the windows for the next one and give them a bit if depth but great nonetheless  

cheers

James

[Dr Mathias]

Since You mentioned that You wanted to do a whole series of oriental buildings, please allow me a few critical remarks:
<snip>

Thanks for the comments, I do appreciate it. The size-reduced nature of wargame terrain does pose a problem, I hope the removable walls helps that a bit.

I will admit that I didn't do enough research on the historical accuracy side, I was somewhat discouraged by my online searching. As seems to be the case with most cultures, searching for houses and architecture seems to bring up the grand and sublime examples, like the Taj Mahal, not the 'everyday'. From your description, Islamic cultures seem to have a lot in common with the houses in New Orleans... pretty plain on the outside, with beautiful courtyards that you're lucky to get a glimpse of. I'd love to have some better pics of 'reality', even if they're boring on the outside

Thanks again!

One slight comment might to recess the windows for the next one and give them a bit if depth but great nonetheless 
James

Thanks! I plan to try a few different things on the next builds and I agree that depth is important. I initially printed two sets of windows, and cut the frame off one and glued it atop the other- but I didn't think that little change was worth the effort in that case and I was tight on time to boot.

Thanks everyone, comments and criticisms are more than welcome.

[magokiron]

  

Thanks for a detailed tut about your building techniques, and for showing the AMAZING complete building.

You make everything sound sooo easy...

But no doubt for us mere mortals things can't be THAT easy... 

Best wishes.

[Dr Mathias]

You make everything sound sooo easy...

The hardest part is probably the design and layout... I mitered the corners for example, and had to do some pretty precise measurements. Ensuring that the crenelations spaced out and end as corners, the main entrance doorways facing the center arcade arch, spacing the gallery, floor elements etc. all take some thought and planning and require spatial thought and design. Really thinking about the project before the pencil hits paper or foamboard is essential.

The cutting and execution really isn't that tough. I hope I'm not making light of that aspect, I know some people are all thumbs... I have some in my classes every semester, and they can't tell a quarter inch from an eighth inch on a ruler. Use sharp blades, measure three times before cutting, and don't freak out if you make a mistake, almost anything can be repaired That said I've used an Xacto and ruler uncounted thousands of times and like anything else practice makes perfect

I'll show details the next time I cut decorative walls, and what tools I use so you get a better idea of what's involved. Frankly, the texturing method used here covers a lot of minor flaws that would otherwise appear pretty sloppy. A great deal of the success of this build comes down to the brush handling on the various layers... 'painting' vs. 'dabbing' vs. 'stippling' and just being aware of the movements and what effect they have.

I love painting though... huge sets for theatrical productions, miniatures, oil paintings, house interiors... it's all the same with minor variations in how the paint handles.

[The Dozing Dragon]

Excellent work. Not sure of my accuracy with a coping saw though...I am good with filler but notoriously bad with cutting....I would probably add the crenellations with a piece of flatwood and then topped with dowel.

[former user]

@Dr Mathias
yes, it is interestingly very roman in concept - the basic principles are privacy and light and heat management.
I understand what You mean, the big mosques come first - if I You want to do a bit of research, I just sent You a few links

[Dr Mathias]

I understand what You mean, the big mosques come first - if I You want to do a bit of research, I just sent You a few links

Thank you very much!

[former user]

and one further remark please:

Your vignette has a very strong narrative because it serves cliches we know from Hollywood movies, and it probably wouldn't have, had the Haram terrace been authentically in an interior courtyard.

sometimes such attempts to make things more accurate (like mine, sorry) can ruin the story.....

[Hammers]

@dr Mathias
Thank You very much for showing how you built the impressive structure we all admired in the LPL.
Also let me congratulate You on skills and ingenuity in execution.
I like Your "Haram"  very much.

Since You mentioned that You wanted to do a whole series of oriental buildings, please allow me a few critical remarks:

Unfortunately, traditional "oriental" architecture is a bit boring for the eye, because from the streets one will see mostly naked walls and screened turkish balconies, and the occasional covered galleries on the ground floors where there is commercial activity. Richer buildings will have the beautifully crenelated enclosures of the roof terraces. This is a plus for the wargamer of course. The whole private life takes place on the inside in courtyards, but this is a problem for wargamers because then you need large enclosed spaces and wargaming buildings tend to be size reduced.
Usually, large windows will show to an interior courtyard. Balconies are always covered as a niche in the so called turkish style and they are the only opening in exterior walls. Galleries are covered and in an interior court, and additionally screened if belonging to a haram, which are always on an upper level if part of a large house. Terraces are usually on top of the uppermost floor in living homes. In garrisson buildings they can be on lower floors, but are then battlements. In very large palaces there are terraces on upper floors, usually as gardens, but then they are completely enclosed by high walls. This general layout poses a dilemma for the wargamer, as moving miniatures in narrow streets is difficult, but mirrors the actual real problems of fighting in oriental cities.


Of course, for Pulp Fiction wargaming, Hollywood style scenery is perfect, since the genre is fictional anyway and represents our western cliches and orientalized view. It is my impression that the oriental movie sets were inspired by the hispanic influenced architecture in California, which does carry a good measure of resemblence to the original.
That said, please show us more of Your wonderful craftsmanship and detailing

I have to chime in with former user and critically point out that the authentic 'haram' is much, much larger. People of an average 175 to 185 cm height would be able to move around in them.

[mikedemana]

Awesome job, Doctor! I'll have to give the Elmer's texturing a try. The process I've been using involves several more steps and is much more labor and time intensive.

I think I would also "punt" on the crenellations and find some Hobby Lobby / Michaels craft store piece to glue atop it. Putting the decorative touches in mold is genius, thoug! I think even I might be able to follow that...

So, what wargame convention will that harem appear at? I might want to make the trip to see (and game on it) in person...!

Mike Demana

[Dr Mathias]

I think I would also "punt" on the crenelations and find some Hobby Lobby / Michael's craft store piece to glue atop it. Putting the decorative touches in mold is genius, thoug! I think even I might be able to follow that...

I'm thinking about sculpting a few that are the width of the foam I use, casting them up with dental plaster, and gluing them on top of a straight cut. I'm not entirely sure that would save time though, and would certainly be more expensive.

So, what wargame convention will that harem appear at? I might want to make the trip to see (and game on it) in person...!

I've run things at NukeCon in Omaha, and Recruits in Kansas City. They're both in the autumn... if I'm going to get a table full of terrain and actually run a game I need to get cracking...

[6milPhil]

Stunningly good work, great level of detail and so wonderfully solid. 

That Gatorfoam looks like an interesting material. I found some basic info on it: http://www.conservation-by-design.co.uk/category.aspx?id=368

[Glitzer]

This simply looks beautifull.