Project: Victorian Baronial building

[Captain Blood]

Of course this may be different in Sweden.  

In Sweden, they use the bodies of their enemies as floorboards 

[Hammers]

Someone asked about the contents in a Zvezda square gate tower kit. Here is a piccy:



I recently received this kit to which I ordered to complete an external spiral staircase of Col. Stone Hall. It is not the same as the hanging turrets case I already had but they have the same diameter. Teh rooof of the hanging turret is less romantic/fantastic and thus better.



Fitting the turret I am not entirely happy witht he result and would appreciate your opinion. The building suddenly look all unbalanced.



Compare with a piccy of the building sans turret.



I am contemplating moving the turret to the cross diagonal corner of the St Mattias tower, thus making it poke through the roof. More discrete and balanced that way.

Also, a piccy of the main stairs, made from strip styrene, pearls, Miliput, brass wire and foam board. Will look better primed and painted.

[Cory]

It does look a little unbalanced - try reducing the turret's height to less than that of the tower or simply move it towards the opposite corner of the tower. One of the principles (as much as there was a logic) to this type of structure is an attempt to inspire a mountain like sillouette which is why the tall corner turret looks out of place.

[carlos marighela]

Wow! This really is an impressive build.

Re turrets and balance I think it looks fine.  Maybe if you are worried about balance then add something on the other side. Personally I'd opt for the taller, more elongated turret roof, it seems more in keeping with the style than the squat round one in the last pic.

Fantastic job. Looking forward to the completed item.

BTW thanks for sharing the Zvezda pack codes.

[marianas_gamer]

I was thinking the same as Cory that reducing the turret by one level would improve the balance. Plus, this is a building not a fortification so there is real need to have constant access to the roof.  A trap door and ladder should do the trick.
LB

[OSHIROmodels]

Keep it as it is mate and add an extra wing on the other side

Buildings of this nature are never built for complete practicality and a lot if it is for cosmetic purposes (look at Bodium castle for instance).

Loving what you've done so far 

cheers

James

[FramFramson]

It also looks out of place because it's a dominant cylinder, when you have no other cylinders at all.

[Pappa Midnight]

I am really enjoying following this thread.
Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

Regards
PM

[Chairface]

I like the turret. I don't think that it unbalances it at all. Those old manors tend to not be cohesive at all.

[carlos marighela]

What I'm really looking forward to is seeing  Hammers make god knows how many scale sets of curtains to adorn those all those windows, replete with curtain rings, rods and cords.

 

[Hammers]

What I'm really looking forward to is seeing  Hammers make god knows how many scale sets of curtains to adorn those all those windows, replete with curtain rings, rods and cords.

 

You know, you are not wide of the mark. I think, now that I put the thing together, heavy curtains is one of the things which will make the thing look Neo-Gothic rather than medieval. If I can make it practical, I will add them.

[gamer Mac]

Looking really good
As for the tower hight should it not finish about the same height as the square tower. If it is meant to be a stairway up to the tower there is no need for the extra height above the wall level. Is there going to be a door leading from the round tower to the battlement on top of the square tower? If so finish the height of the round tower just above the door height. The door would also be very small to help with defence I believe. On a real castle that is. Not so sure about a castle styled house.

[Hammers]

Looking really good
As for the tower hight should it not finish about the same height as the square tower. If it is meant to be a stairway up to the tower there is no need for the extra height above the wall level. Is there going to be a door leading from the round tower to the battlement on top of the square tower? If so finish the height of the round tower just above the door height. The door would also be very small to help with defence I believe. On a real castle that is. Not so sure about a castle styled house.

The point with Baronial style, and any neo-gothic or neo-anything style is to applying a look of a practical building. This is supposed to be a romanticised version. Large, framed windows is another departure from the true function of a medieval castle.

If you look at the piccy of St Leonards in the first post in this thread you'll see that that an external staircase enclosed in a turret styled construction is emblematic for a building like this.

The turret does stop just above door height (which I actually modelled yesterday, I am currently doing the doors.

[Hammers]

This is how things turned out when I moved the turret/staircase to the back of the tower. More discrete, I think, but still adding a little je ne c'est quoi. Like all parts of the building it is quite messy because of the Milliput I've used to fill all gaps and arrow slots. Milliput is less than ideal  since it dries hard and the plastic is slightly flexible. I prefer styrene model putty but my tube had gone off and I have not found a source for it. Anyone of you chaps know of a purveyor of said stuff?

By the by, you can see that I've modeled a four chimney smoke stack onto the gable.



A birds eye view of the top of S:t Mattias tower. The turret kit comes with a door piece but since it is 1/72 scale I had to model a new from a Tichy Train door frame, some scrap wall pieces and a large patty of Milliput. There is also a roof extension made from plasticard and tin foil. Even not painted I think it looks eerie with that hoodlum waiting to throw someone over the crenelation. 

[twrchtrwyth]

This is a brilliant build.