Watchtower - WIP, phase 1
The building process begins with drawing and cutting out templates, then transferring them onto foam using a hobby knife or hot wire. Windows, doors, the general shape of the stonework – everything is slowly carved and assembled. At first I use pins for temporary adjustments, and only when everything fits together does the glue come in.
The square tower was a bit tricky. I wanted the walls to join as seamlessly as possible, which meant cutting the final segment at 45° by hand – not easy for such a long piece - so yes, there were gaps. At first I tried using gypsum as filler, but it was too rigid and cracked off. On the next attempt, I mixed gypsum with PVA glue, which gave it the right elasticity. Probably an acrylic filler would have done the trick, but since I didn’t have one, I had to improvise ;)
This stage requires patience, but for me it’s one of the most rewarding. You finally see the structure grow beyond paper and screen, into something you can hold and even place on a table for a test game. At this point, the tower is still raw and fragile, but the foundations are set – it will be strengthened in the next phase.
