S.H.I.V.A Board (Finished!!! 28/3)

[FramFramson]

A separate sub pen seems like a great idea, because he could use it standalone for entirely separate scenarios and games.

[Captain Blood]

Well whatever the problems Andy, it's looking bloody marvellous as usual. Love the head. No, actually, I adore it.

[Commander Roj]

If you are leaving the entrance as a "thoroughfare", i.e. open to both sides rather than just being a blind, you could add the sub-pen as a separate module. If Karl intends to use the submarine I think he is going to use, a 1/3-size board of 8x24" could be enough with a quay of maybe 3" width. A bit tighter than what you planned, but it could still work, but if it won't fit the box, then you'll probably have to bow to necessity.

I must say, though, that the concept for the cliff-face in your last post looks awesome. I recently re-watched "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad", and this design here has JUST that certain "combination-of-stage-props and-matte-paintings" flair that worked so well back in the day. I'll prefer that to shabby CGI anytime.

Great film - one of my favourites. Carolyn Munroe too, whats not to like? Shame about the sub pen though. Reminiscent of "The Spy Who Loved Me"...with more Carolyn Munroe. I miss the '70's! 

[pocoloco]

Another terrain masterpiece in the making! 

That vine on the tree, as the whole tree, looks bloody marvelous 

[Arlequín]

A separate sub pen seems like a great idea, because he could use it standalone for entirely separate scenarios and games.

Indeed, by having whatever lies behind the entrance a separate entity, it could be the entrance to the sub pen, or a secret base or laboratory, or even a 'lost city'... pretty much anything in fact.

Sets were re-used over and over back then and appeared in various genres. IIRC Star Trek used the set of 'The Andy Griffith Show' for one of its episodes and there were bound to be numerous others. Keep things modular!

   

[Andym]

I must say, though, that the concept for the cliff-face in your last post looks awesome. I recently re-watched "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad", and this design here has JUST that certain "combination-of-stage-props and-matte-paintings" flair that worked so well back in the day. I'll prefer that to shabby CGI anytime.

Don't get me started on CGI! I'm liable to get my soap box out!! It was the original Star Wars, knowing all the space ships where hand built, got me into model making! I remember one pic in particular, where they built the side of a star destroyer along one wall of a room! I think it was used in the Empire Strikes Back as a backdrop for the Millenium Falcon to fly along! Oh... And don't get me started on Jar-Jar Binks!!

I think a certain person needs to get a bigger loft door  

Love the work on the face and the tree kind of works for me, I don't think you'll need a canopy on it after all.

For the 'Ultra modern white door' tm it looks like it's spheroid so will it turn on a central axis?

cheers

James

I'm going to have the door on the model fully removable so can insert a more ancient door in its place. This will let them use it for 7th Voyage as well. As for the hi tech door itself, I'm going to try and make it look like it slides into the cliff face.

I wasn't planning on leaving the canopy undone, I just wanted to try and get it right. I've been struggling with clump(I'm sure there's a cream for that!) This is the stuff I got from Hobbycraft....



My problem is it seems quite heavy and wouldn't stick using PVA glue!! I've had to use a lighter, not quite as nice, green scatter stuff I've got.

I tried to work out how to make these trees. I found some arts and crafts mini Pom-poms and figure I could use them to bulk out the tree. I then spray painted it green and used water down PVA to soak the pom-poms. Once dry, they're pretty solid. I then used un-watered down PVA and tried to stick my clump on...









I think the bigger clump would have been better!!

[Mason]

Looks good to me, mate.
 

If it is solid now it has absorbed the glue, try giving it a light drybrush.
That should add some more depth, if that is what you are looking for.
 

[Captain Blood]

Looking good Andy.

I've always had to use superglue to stick the clump foliage onto the branches of my trees. PVA just doesn't work to stick it on. Not strong enough.

Once you've got a good base of clump firmly stuck onto the armature, then you can add smaller bits and pieces of scatter using neat PVA. Then give the whole thing a dousing with heavily diluted PVA (like 10% PVA, 90% water), which is exactly the same as Woodland Scenics so-called scenic cement. It looks awful for an hour or two, but once it goes off, it dries matt, and should help the whole thing stick together.

[OSHIROmodels]

Don't get me started on CGI! I'm liable to get my soap box out!! It was the original Star Wars, knowing all the space ships where hand built, got me into model making! I remember one pic in particular, where they built the side of a star destroyer along one wall of a room! I think it was used in the Empire Strikes Back as a backdrop for the Millenium Falcon to fly along! Oh... And don't get me started on Jar-Jar Binks!!

Me too, me too! 

I must admit, I'm not 100% convinced by the canopy. I think it needs to be airier so that the tropical light can pleasantly dapple the ground underneath (that sounds to much like a Timotei advert  ).

Thinking on it though, as it's for a demo board it'll do just fine  best not to lavish hours and hours of work for it to be knocked off by an eager gamer.

cheers

James

[grant]

Innovative work on that tree. Coincidentally I just bought a bag of those pom poms (but in white for 6mm explosions and smoke...)

[Andym]

Thanks Mason and Mr Blood! I can always count on the LAF boys for help! Mason, I'll give that a go with this one. Capt, I'll try the superglue technique on the next tree bud!

Jim-I think it's possible to spend too long in trees. It's one of those things, you could spend AGES placing every leaf to get a perfect tree, but it is only a wargaming piece. I was hoping the thicker clump would be that perfect compromise between time/effort!

Cheers Grant. That's THREE bags of those pompoms!!

[Mason]

Glad to be of some use, mate, as you are an inspiration to us all, I reckon.
Not just with your finished work, but for posting your WIP and revealing your thought processes as well.

As the good Captain says, superglue is your friend when it comes to foliage.
I always use it to stick stuff on at the begining.
It makes everything dry hard as nails, so is great for drybrush.
PVA does work and is absorbed by the foilage to dry to a hardness too, it just takes a little longer, but certainly cheaper in the long run, as you can use a lot of superglue on absorbent foliage.

Superglue and then PVA is best, as the man said.
 

[Dewbakuk]

If you don't want to use superglue for foliage, PVA does work with some assistance. The problem is PVA takes way too long to dry and clump foliage is a bit on the heavy side.

There are two ways to do it (that I've used), either lie the tree on it's side and work on one side of the canopy, leave it for a day and then come back and do the other side, leave it for a day and then stand it up and add more foliage to blend the hemispheres. It works...... but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are wanting to really sculpt the canopy, it's just too much time/work.

What I do for pieces like that is get some thin garden wire (which is covered in a dark green plastic, so hides itself in the foliage) and wrap it around the branches with the ends pointing up or out with an upward curve at the end to make spikes/hooks/supports. These will take the weight of the foliage allowing the PVA to dry.

[Andym]

Aww shucks Paul! I'm all embarrassed now!!!

Sorry for a double post today. I've started work on the temple that'll sit in the corner. It won't dominate the board the way it does in the sketch, it'll maybe be about a third-half the length of the board! Now I need ten of these .....

[YPU]

Sorry for a double post today.

Really now at this quality I would prefer double posts every day from you.