Vagabonds Viking Village - Beehives Done

[AndrewBeasley]

Excellent result.

Its nice to see grey thatch rather than the 'fresh mown hay' yellow often decorating tables

Are you tempted to add any green moss to it?

[Vagabond]

The settlement is starting to really take shape now.
 

Thanks - currently working on 3 buildings and a structure that I think might be unique, at least I've not seen one on here yet after that I want to do some walkways but I need to decide how I can use them as a dock or wharf as well.

Its nice to see grey thatch rather than the 'fresh mown hay' yellow often decorating tables

Are you tempted to add any green moss to it?

Hi Andy - yes grey is more realistic as the fresh look only lasts about 2 years but I think the fresh looks better, maybe because it's more colourful

Yes I should put some moss on, there is a green wash to simulate it but it doesn't show well in the photo, so I need to be a bit more daring. One of the pieces I am working on is small and there are two identical builds and I had decided to try moss on one and so if it is a fiasco it does not matter so much.

Thanks for the input

[Vagabond]

The Granary is now finished, apart from putting some moss on the roof.

I'm not so sure I like the brown wood colour I've used. I like it on the daub and wattle builds probably because the colour complements the rest of the build but it looks a bit wrong on this. I didn't want to do the grey wood look because it would be too close to the roof colour, what do you think?

This is the 1st time I've used styrene to do stone effect, it's not the best I've seen but I was supprised how easy it was to do. I used the packaging base from a pitza, I think it was Gamer Mac who inspired this bit of madness some while ago. If so - Thanks.





No steps or ladder because I didn't want to put it on a base and I could not think how to secure them to get a big glued surface area. My terrain all goes loose in big boxes and bits get knocked off easily and for me it's wargaming terrain not model standard as some of you guys turn out.

Next up the Grubbhause is almost complete, and the bees are not far behind.

Thanks for looking

[gamer Mac]

Yes I used pizza packaging before for scribing stone work
Lovely job, going on my list of things to build
Maybe a silly question but what is a grubbhause
I have built a couple of bee hives for outside my monestry /church, what are you doing?

[Vagabond]

Maybe a silly question but what is a grubbhause
I have built a couple of bee hives for outside my monestry /church, what are you doing?

I've probably spelt it wrong, the Danes and Germans will be up in arms. You probably know it as a pit house. basically dug into the ground about 2 or 3' with low walls because of this.
I saw alot of reconstructions of these in Denmark and northern Germany. Having said that I was reading some stuff about West Stow the Saxon village and there seems to be some disagreement as to whether they lived in the dug out or if it was boarded over with flooring, if so the building would be higher. Mine is a bit on the big side so fits with either interpretation.

I can't believe you have got bee hives, I've never seen them on the forum and thought I had a first. Bugger

[Argonor]

You probably know it as a pit house. basically dug into the ground about 2 or 3' with low walls because of this.
I saw alot of reconstructions of these in Denmark and northern Germany. Having said that I was reading some stuff about West Stow the Saxon village and there seems to be some disagreement as to whether they lived in the dug out or if it was boarded over with flooring, if so the building would be higher. Mine is a bit on the big side so fits with either interpretation.

I think German would be 'Grubenhaus', Danish 'grubehus'.
I have read somewhere that some archaeologists think that this kind of building was mostly used for storage and especially workshops, not so often actually lived in. Lots of speculation, though.

[Mason]

Another cracking building for the fastest growing settlement in 28mm Norsca.
 

You could always give the wood a very faint drybrush of grey to tie it in with the others.
Just make sure that the brush really is 'dry' before you do it as some will still transfer, you just dont want too much.
 

[Dr. Zombie]

It looks great. I really like your thatch. Both the colors and texture look really good.

[OSHIROmodels]

I think the only thing I would suggest is to have a couple of washes on the wood, it'll help to give it a bit more depth.

Looks good though 

cheers

James

[Vagabond]

OK - here are the bee hives I've been working on, quite please how realistic they turned out.



Only joking,  These are in Ribe Denmark and if you can get there - go to the Viking fair I think it was in May when I went 2015 - it is brilliant if you have the slightest interest in history from that period.

These are mine, not quite as realistic.  



The hives look a bit like loaves of bread, but scale wise they are ok.

This is from the Cloppenberg Museum N Germany I think they were dating it somwhere arround 1800.



And this from 1930's again N Germany, pic from Cloppenberg.



Not much improvement in technology

I think the only thing I would suggest is to have a couple of washes on the wood, it'll help to give it a bit more depth.

I will try this - thanks for the input.
When I put a wash onto the grouting that I used for daube it just soaked in and tinted the colour but didn't settle in the indentations as i expected. I then put a coat of dilute PVA over it and re-washed it and that worked fine. Would you expect the same to happen with wood?

Dr Zed - thanks.

I have seen your charcoal heap which I think is great by the way but wondered if you have done a forge where the charcoal would be used. I have the building done for my forge but need to do the stuff inside.

Mr M - I need to go back to your western buildings and look how it should be done properly.

Gamer M - the beehives are small acorns I found in France, they must grow small oak trees there. How have you done yours? and when will we see them? and what has happened to the church?

[gamer Mac]

I used the string wrapped round a modelling clay cone that was on a thread somewhere for my bee hives
the church is on hold for the BSC

[Vagabond]

Here is my version of a Grubehus, probably a bit on the big side.



And this is my Forge





I would have prefered to do the forge as an open fronted build with a low wattle wall so that there would be maximum light and ventilation but decided for construction strength to go with this.

One thing I did find with all the builds was that because I PVA glued sand to the interior floors and then painted it after a couple of days and there is some distortion, they all have a slight bow to the base, obviously more pronounced on the bigger builds - the bases are all 5mm foamboard.

This is slightly worse on the fields they are 1/8" (3mm) hardboard and, even though with them I painted glue on the bottom of the base to counteract this and used a weight to straighten it. When built the base was flat but later it bowed.

It's not significant but just a bit annoying, maybe I need to get some MDF but I would be suprised if coated with PVA that didn't distort a little, maybe a different glue? Or don't glue and sand the interiors.

[OSHIROmodels]

I will try this - thanks for the input.
When I put a wash onto the grouting that I used for daube it just soaked in and tinted the colour but didn't settle in the indentations as i expected. I then put a coat of dilute PVA over it and re-washed it and that worked fine. Would you expect the same to happen with wood?

It would depend on how 'sealed' the wood is i.e.ho much paint you've put on.

Give it a go in a small area then adjust your technique to fit.

I think the beehives have worked a treat, certainly not something you see on the gaming table which makes it all the more reason to have them 

cheers

James

[Mason]

More wonderful additions.
Vagabondby is coming along really well.
Love the idea and execution of the beehives.
 

[Hitman]

Those buildings and additional village items look awesome!! Nice detail and very user friendly. I bet they will be great fun to use in games. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Hitman