Petworth Miniatures

THE CASTLE EXPERIMENT

Sometimes it feels like some sort of cosmic connection is at work. Small and Small group started talking about doing a castle challenge and I just had to laugh . This is what was sitting on my drawing board waiting for me to get started.

It is turning out to be a big project and I thought you might like to see how it develops. There has been a lot of re-cutting and changes as it goes along and i will try to keep this up to date as I go.

Once I decided on the basic style of the castle it needed to be sized and configured. If I did it to anything close to the scale of most RL castles , even in 1/4 scale, it would take over my house. So the challenge is to work it into a size that is reasonable but still gives the feel of a soaring majestic building. or as close as I can get to it.

I really like the one photo I found of a castle on a rocky cliff. That will give me a chance to play with paper clay and make rocks. I love doing that! It also meant I could design it with an undercroft or basement area. If I make it with peep holes through the cliffs that should be fun. There is something about looking through little openings into another world that is a big part of the fascination of miniatures.

The foot print also had to be smaller than 12 x 12. If this ever becomes a kit it has to fit into a shipping box. :)

I couldn't do it. So I divided the base into 2 parts. Now that works.

The lower level will have a big kitchen and what may turn out to be an armory or maybe a stable. There are 2 smaller rooms that I think will be a wine cellar and a dining room for guards and staff.

The large openings on the outer walls are the peep holes and all the sides will eventually be made into cliff walls.

Before I can build up I have to do the interior wall treatment or I will never be able to get in there to decorate. The next floor sits on top with tabs so I can remove it and work in the basement but I want to do some of the finishing because I can't wait to see what it looks like.

It will only be seen through the peep holes so I decided to just use printed stone walls and floor rather than scribe the stone into a plaster coating. I also have to get the stairs figured out. Those are always a problem and theses have to fit with the ground floor above and the next flight up to the 2nd floor.

It took awhile but I think this is a good start. I'm going to add lighting eventually and some ceiling vaults in the smaller room bit I can't do that until the ground floor is ready to install on top.