#wizard's castle

[retrocgads]

USA 1986

[sherokutakari]

Finally watching Howl's Moving Castle again after reading and rereading the book umpteen million times, and aside from the two obvious big changes just

Th

The speed at which we're going through the plot jesus christ

I'm gonna get whiplash

[tanista]

Dragon’s Rest Castle- Finished at last!

So at long last here it is, the completed castle with adjoining greenhouse. Decades in the making (20 years’ worth of collecting!) and 5 months to build the shell.

Which was entered this past weekend at the Portland Miniature Show, along with nine other exhibits (some of which were my mom’s). Thanks to some forethought we thought to provide battery-operated lights, so folks could see better inside the rooms.

To my complete surprise it won Best of Show and garnered a lot of compliments, from experienced hobbyists as well as newbies of all ages. Feels good to have all that hard work pay off in this fashion, I have to admit.  

Here’s a closeup of the chimney side, with a little greenery and a woodshed added:

And the adjoining greenhouse and garden shed on the opposite side (more detail in a later post):

Lastly the back side of the castle, with an added vine running up the center. Stones were placed along the bottom to help ground the scene:

Just like in writing, there are no limits to the imagination and creativity that can be expressed through this hobby. 

Detailed pictures forthcoming, along with another chapter in my ongoing epic crossover story.

[tanista]

Dragon’s Rest, Part 4

So my mother- to whom I’m eternally grateful for all her assistance on this project- had this cool idea for the large window in the back wall of the castle kit. The inside wasn’t much to look at, but the outside had some nice detail, though admittedly still pretty pain: 

It was my mother’s idea- and all her own work- to embellish both sides of the window thusly:

The interior side, with walnut trim, acetate “glass”, and laser-cut wooden embellishments.

The exterior side, with laser-cut wooden embellishments painted light gray and surrounded by egg carton “stones”.

Pretty cool, huh?

[tanista]

Dragon’s Rest, Introduction

Anyone out there remember this bookcase from my postings last fall?

I’ve finally had the wherewithal- and a specific deadline- to indulge in my other hobby, dollhouse miniatures. So I’ve taken some time off from Language of Love to work on what was originally a wizard’s tower and became a full-fledged castle, with the invaluable help of my family. The following posts more-or-less chronicle its construction before the big reveal of my castle, Dragon’s Rest.

This has been a project decades in the making. For over twenty years I’ve been collecting furniture and accessories for this. What a relief to have it all come together.

Though I usually don’t like including dolls in my miniature scenes, I ought to introduce the inhabitants first, an elderly wizard and his wife:

The witch I purchased at a miniature show at least ten years ago (artisan unknown) and the wizard was found on Ebay last year (artisan also unknown). Dragon’s Rest is their retirement home; his hobby is astronomy and hers is gardening (an adjoining greenhouse, currently in progress).

On to Part 1: In the beginning...

[tanista]

Dragon’s Rest, Part 7

Here’s the completed castle, unfurnished. 

Castle kit (right side): 14″ L x 14″ W by 31 7/8“ H.

Addition (left side): 18 1/2″ L x 14″ W x 30″ H.

Total measurements: 32 1/2″ L x 14″ W x 32 1/2″ H.

This doesn’t include the posts with the finials or the center post with the weather vane, which added an extra 9 9/16″ to the height. Nor does it include the chimney, whose total length is 37 5/8″.

From the front (the room side):

The posts on both sections were carried all the way up to the top floors- essentially terraces- and capped with Tim Holtz wooden finials, painted gold.

More of the walnut strips were used to face the front edges, except for the bottom level where more “stones” were attached on the right and left sides to give the foundation some depth.

Note the chimney top on the left side- the pots are also from an egg carton (the 18-count variety), painted dark gray. Here’s what it looks like from the side: 

To finish it off the parapets on top are actually pieces of architectural mouldings from a local home improvement store, painted medium gray. Dentil mouldings were placed back to back and glued to the top of the buildings, while fluted mouldings were fastened on either side of the outer walls. 

And here’s the back side:

More “stones” were added to the two back corners, adding to the castle look.

Though the height differences between the sections was intentional, a 36″ long center post was added to cover an unexpected gap showing between the kit and the addition, stained dark walnut and topped with a black wrought iron weather vane from Spain, bought in 1998 at the Chicago International Miniature Show. 

Next up, the furnishings!

[tanista]

Dragon’s Rest Pictures

A while back I promised more pictures of my 1:12 scale wizard’s castle, Dragon’s Rest. There were too many to upload comfortably to this blog so I have saved them instead to this gallery on DeviantArt, along with pictures of other miniature roombox projects.

Please take a look. I hope you enjoy!

[forkimified]

Leather Uppers - Wizard’s Castle

W, freaks are welcome.

I, I’ll be there.

Z, It’s a zoo.

A, but it’s alright.

R, for rock and roll.

D for dungeon on a Saturday night.

I saw this band open for whatever Jon Spencer’s recent band was called, and I have to say they were probably the most memorable part of the night. Although Jon Spencer doing a cover of Syd Barret’s Vegetable Man was an unexpected surprise!

[ @bisexualcryptkeeper - tagging you seeing as you seem to be an enthusiast of wizard-related things ]