My first Castle MOC in 7 years! (Work in Progress)

[BrianofBrick06]

Well, that is certainly a nice MOC to return with! I love how the smooth wall portions work very well with the corner designs and roofing. The structure is absolutely entrancing somehow, while seeming somewhat simple at the same time. Also, I like how you showed the different stages of your work because it gave me some images to work with in my mind for certain things I did not know how to build. Well done...

[DARKspawn]

Nice work, Dan. Love the SNOT work on the walls and the "doll house" style access to teh interrior. I don't normally post on WiP threads but it's just great to see you building castle Can't wait for the finished result

[Lord Lego 436]

Seeing the new BrickArms' Claymore prototypes on Flickr inspired me to take on a Scottish keep as my first castle MOC and custom kit in 7 years. I'm about 75% finished and plan to display the finished model at BrickCon. Here are some WIP pictures so far:


The front entrance. The technic pin holes are to connect this with a modular wall system for future expansion.


Of course this opens up for maximum playability. The lower room has a well while the upper has a fire place. The walls of this side wing are a relatively thin 3-studs wide.


Here is the main tower open. The finished keep will be three stories high and have a peaked roof of dark blay tiles.


Close up detail of the main entry way. The door can be easily secured and every window has shutters on the inside. The walls of the main tower are 4-studs wide.


The stairways are embedded in the walls.

Larger images are on my Flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brickmania ... 417772366/

I hope to have updated pictures posted as soon as more parts arrive in the mail!

Comments, criticism, etc. welcome.

Thanks for looking!

Dan

Love it. The corners are magnificient. The interior is awesome too.

[Dan]

Thanks for all the great comments and I apologize for my own lack of response: This project was interrupted by a visit to BrickCon. I brought the model there but I was not able to add any significant details due to other commitments soaking up my time. I'm now working on putting it back together (it traveled in my suitcase!) and will finish the interior this week. Teddy had the most questions so I'll answer his first...

Have you considered using 1x1 round bricks to run along the top slit in the roof?
To round off the top of the roof.

I didn't consider it, but it sounds like a technique worth checking out.

Have you contemplated using different shades of grey for the walls?
If so, why did you choose to stick with this color scheme?

No, I wanted it to have a clean & uniform appearance. There's no reason to believe that this castle would be made from multiple rock sources or would be in an unkempt in appearance. It's still a military installation and should look appropriately spotless in appearance. I chose the color scheme based on "stone gray" walls and a "slate gray" roof. Based on photos of actual Scottish castles, my choices for the walls would be either light gray or tan. Since I have to be able to reproduce this model in kit for, I chose light blay because it is more common and cheaper than tan.

Are you contemplating some landscaping around your MOC?
Or is it ment for a bigger display?

This is a stand-alone model AND part of a modular system. Landscaping could be added for sure, but that is not what was intended here. I will be making further modules to be connected to this tower and of course plan a landscaped diorama to put it in for display purposes.

Given the overhang of the battlements, would I be correct in assuming that the castle does not open 180 degrees like your earlier sets which were hinged along the chimney(s)?

It only opens 90 degrees. My original plan was to skip the overhanging battlements, but it just looked too plain without them.

I'm also wondering if there are there any plans to add a splash of colour to the exterior (flags, banners, coloured 1x1 cylinders on the chimneys etc.)? The only real critique I could offer is that the exterior is a bit too monochromatic. While this may be very authentic to the castles of the time, it makes the set appear a tad dull.

I have no plans to add an further exterior details other than 1 or 2 banners. The idea is to make a stark and imposing fortress that dominates and tames the chaos all around it. When all is said and done there will be plenty of color to contrast with the tower and I'm not going to add any more just to make it less dull. We're all about business here and this business is war. Happy time in Classic Castle is over.

[The Wolfpack Boss]

This is one of my favorite MOCs in recent memory.

The whole package is what appeals to me. It's sizable, but it's not so outrageously large that it seems impractical (from a builder and an MOC Scottish Lord's POV). The accuracy and indestructibility of the thick walls appeals to me - and the walls being thick as they are doesn't actually infringe on the play areas inside like they would in theory. The place still seems quite roomy. The slate is very nice as well.

I like the monotone walls - for sure, as a small house, most of the stone would come from the same quarry, but also ... there's plenty of ways to "liven" it up with a few well placed banners (I think I'd go with greens and blues) and the landscape around it. Now, you've mentioned that you're not exactly setting this on top of an elaborate highland hilltop complete with rock and grass landscaping - but however the walls are laid out, the surrounding houses, and most importantly - the trees - will do wonders to allay peoples' dislike of the plain grayness of the place. Perhaps even a proper hedge row.

I'm also impressed with the speed of the build.

And, while you've already admitted that the kilts weren't your idea ... this is the first time I've seen them, and I'm about to go steal the idea myself, maybe with green and dark blue as a hunting tartan. I think dark red and dark green could look quite nice as well.

[the_Rascal_King]

So, when will this be available as a Shop At Home Exclusive?
In seriousness, brilliant work befitting your legacy, and what a great way to return to it!
Welcome back!

[Albatross_Viking]

What a great castle! it looks very realistically. Its beautifull and something massive,that sort of says "Nobody unwellcome gets in here!" at the same time, which i really like.

A_V

[Dan]

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!

I've done a lot of work on the interior models and changed the time period to purely medieval (rather than renaissance). Here goes...




http://www.brickmania.com/images/004_Recital400.jpg
http://www.brickmania.com/images/005_Catnap400.jpg
http://www.brickmania.com/images/006_Breakfast400.jpg
http://www.brickmania.com/images/007_Rooms400.jpg
http://www.brickmania.com/images/008_Ro ... rse400.jpg
http://www.brickmania.com/images/009_Piper_Co400.jpg
http://www.brickmania.com/images/010_Furnishings400.jpg
http://www.brickmania.com/images/011_Castle_Open400.jpg
http://www.brickmania.com/images/012_Castle400.jpg

Images changed to links by admin. Please post 2-3 images in a post and provide a link to the rest. Thanks.

If you want to see higher resolution pictures go to my Castle pages on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brickmania ... 417772366/

[The Blue Knight]

Great job on the furniture, Dan. Do you have any closer upper pix of them? I love the bagpipes and spinning wheel. You have a great eye for detail. The big gray walls are imposing and "boring" on purpose in such castles. They project power, permanence and say "look how tough we are." This is one of the best fully realized castles in some time. The only thing missing is landscaping; water, hills, trees. A minor nit to pick really, isn't it?

Richard

[NewRight]

Excellent work on this it turned out gorgeous!

[Dan]

Great job on the furniture, Dan. Do you have any closer upper pix of them? I love the bagpipes and spinning wheel. You have a great eye for detail. The big gray walls are imposing and "boring" on purpose in such castles. They project power, permanence and say "look how tough we are." This is one of the best fully realized castles in some time. The only thing missing is landscaping; water, hills, trees. A minor nit to pick really, isn't it?

Richard

If you click the link under the pix it will take you to my "Castle" set on Flickr, where 1000 x 1000px images can be found. You can see a lot more detail in those...

Yes, this does need the "rest" of the castle, courtyard, town, landscape, etc. I plan to have this all sorted by Brickworld 2010!

[printer6]

Ok, that bag pipe design is simply genius.

[medieval_total_lego]

great interior design dan

[BiggerJim]

wow

[Gumby]

I absolutely love the furniture...