Looking for inspiration - fantasy buildings

[dijit]

Ok, I'm wanting to build some new fantasy buildings, but don't wan to go down the traditional tudor half-timbered houses route as it's been a bit over done. I've looked a dark-age styled buildings, but found them a little too low-tech, considered roman, but the thought of all those tiles gives me nightmares. So, the big question is an ideas for inspiration?

[northtroll]

Well I have long had this awful desire to build a mountaintop castle like those in Germany. The problem being of course is that it has no practical application for wargaming. But it sure would look nice. I have also tinkered around with building some Northern buildings similar to the Gokkstad church.  Maybe some medieval Russian buildings as well.

[Elbows]

I'd get on google and look up fantasy art...as much as you can find.  That'll do the trick.

[dijit]

I've done fantasy art searches, it didn't come up with as much useful as you might think.

However, Stave Churches like Gokstad are a great idea.

[Skrapwelder]

I look in online games a lot. Try googling concept art for various games. The Conan MMO is a good place to look. I'm in the middle of doing a small town for fantasy gaming. I'll try and post some WIP pictures tonight.

[The Gray Ghost]

goodle video games, fairy tales, harry potter buildings and stuff from anime

[OSHIROmodels]

Deviantart is my go to place now although I can end up literally spending hours on there saving hundreds of inspiration pictures

cheers

James

[Steve F]

Cities carved out of solid rock, like Petra?

Circular stone-built complexes, like Skara Brae?

Old Baghdad-style - domes, minarets, romanesque arches?

Villages in the treetops, a la Robin Hood Prince of Thieves?

Angkor Wat?

Or just go to Google Images, type in "old [country name] buildings" and see what comes up.

[fastolfrus]

Choose a style of countryside and see what buildings fit visually?

Hills & mountains, Northern European farmland, tropical jungle, desert.

Find a film that has that backdrop.

Snow White & the Huntsman or Game of Thrones, Star Wars (Naboo architecture looks good as an alternative to Rome).
There are plenty to choose from.

[dampfpanzerwagon]

Try these;

http://performingarts.about.com/od/Costumes/ig/The-Designs-of-Guy-Hendrix-Dyas/

http://www.warrenjasonstreet.com/2011_02_01_archive.html
(Scroll down the page to The Brothers Grimm)

http://www.smart.co.uk/dreams/grimguyd.htm

http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/miniature-wargames-360.html

or http://www.pinterest.com/maxxev/mordheim-terrain/

I hope that these help. I will point out that I am featuring a simpler thatch-Wattle and daub building in my Building Wargame Terrain book Two (More Wargame Terrain).
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/building-wargame-terrain-by-tony-harwood.html

Tony

[Cubs]

Ancient Briton style round huts, made from the card inners from used sticky tape rolls, with thatched roofs made from towelling.

[Dolmot]

Fantasy covers a lot of things, doesn't it? Do you have any particular setting in mind?

While it's always possible to play the "it's fantasy" card to justify anything, I appreciate things making sense somehow, even though they're different from our world. What kind of materials are available there? Do they need heating and insulation? Flat or sloped roofs? Protection against marauders and dragons? Shacks or lavish palaces? Free entrance or heavy doors and barred windows? Small huts? Large meeting halls? Back yards, gardens, fences? Inns, shops, markets, bazaars? Stables, barns, warehouses? Rivers, canals, docks? Workshops, factories, mills? Watchtowers or minarets?

Try thinking about the culture and then figure out what they'd need and do. That's one way to narrow it down.

[Skrapwelder]

This is what I'm working up for a Crom game for a convention later this month

[phreedh]

This is what I'm working up for a Crom game for a convention later this month

Those are right nice looking, Skrappy! Good job!

[dijit]

Those are right nice looking, Skrappy! Good job!

Now, they do look pretty nice.