Sunday 16 August 2020

Jungle House W.I.P.

There is a cruel inevitability to all summer holidays, that realisation that it is coming to an end and the plans and schemes, so carefully considered, have again fallen short.  Last week saw me return to work, preparing for the release of this year's A-Level results and then having to try and make sense of the carnage that was left behind.  Not that I want to get into that here, but suffice to say hobby time was somewhat limited and if truth be told I have found it difficult to get back into the swing of things as the spectre of the new academic year looms into sight.
Fortunately I have one or two items in the bag, so to speak, and plan to share those as I go in search of the illusive mojo.  Some considerable time ago, I expressed an interest to take part in Dave Stone's, 'Summer of Scenery Challenge'.  At the time I was mulling over some ideas for pieces for my Tatooine themed Legion Board, but these fell by the wayside when I stumbled across a 'Sarissa Precision' jungle house on stilts.  I have no recollection when this was bought, or why, possibly as a trading post for the Congo board, but decided that it would prove a useful piece to work on, especially given the current project.
As with all Sarissa products it was relatively easy to put together, but all the time I felt a pang of guilt, this not being a building designed and cut by James! Once constructed I couldn't help but feel that it needed a little more love and attention, especially if I was to enter it into a scenery building challenge so set about the base board with the trusty Dremel, bevelling the edges before adding pumice gel for the groundwork and a few decorative pieces for added interest. 
Using an idea that we had employed in the castle build, fur wool or eyelash yarn was used to represent climbing plants festooning the sides of the stilts.  This, base section, was then undercoated in grey primer, before I turned my attention to the roof section.  The kit has a tile design etched into it, which didn't seem quite right for the sweltering jungles of South East Asian, so went in search for a different approach. 
In the end feathers were used, having sourced a cheap bag from Amazon.  Using PVA glue the feathers were assembled to look like palm leaves, one or two having sections removed along their shaft.  To these were added some fibrous bristles that I had lying around and, when dry, were undercoated to match the base.  As I started to add colour to the base section it was clear that the effect was starting to work, but something didn't feel quite right and so I added so off cuts of veneer and florists' wire to hint at the batons and rope that may have been used in the roof construction.
More unifying undercoat and I was ready to finish the painting...

40 comments:

  1. Great start Michael, some of the Sarissa stuff is really nice, and your extra detailing will no doubt take it to another level, that is a great idea using the feathers as palm fronds by the way!

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Thank you Roger. Pretty sure the feathers idea was borrowed, but can't remember where from.

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    2. Ich möchte DR. AKHERE für die wundervolle Arbeit danken, die er für mich und meine Familie geleistet hat. Ich hatte eine ernsthafte Trennung von meinem Ex, aber als ich ihn um Hilfe bat, brachte er ihn mit seinen historischen Kräften zu mir zurück und half mir auch dabei einen Job zu bekommen, da er mich verzaubert hat, hat es mir wirklich gut getan und seit ich ihn kenne, ist mein Mann mir treu geblieben Hilfe, wenn Sie mit einer Trennung oder einem Eheproblem konfrontiert sind, wenden Sie sich einfach an diesen Mann, um Hilfe zu erhalten. Er wird Ihnen helfen, alles mit seiner Macht zu regeln. Bitte kontaktieren Sie ihn über seine E-Mail: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com oder rufen Sie / whatsapp: +2349057261346 an Ihre Probleme werden gelöst.





































































































































      Ich möchte DR. AKHERE für die wundervolle Arbeit danken, die er für mich und meine Familie geleistet hat. Ich hatte eine ernsthafte Trennung von meinem Ex, aber als ich ihn um Hilfe bat, brachte er ihn mit seinen historischen Kräften zu mir zurück und half mir auch dabei einen Job zu bekommen, da er mich verzaubert hat, hat es mir wirklich gut getan und seit ich ihn kenne, ist mein Mann mir treu geblieben Hilfe, wenn Sie mit einer Trennung oder einem Eheproblem konfrontiert sind, wenden Sie sich einfach an diesen Mann, um Hilfe zu erhalten. Er wird Ihnen helfen, alles mit seiner Macht zu regeln. Bitte kontaktieren Sie ihn über seine E-Mail: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com oder rufen Sie / whatsapp: +2349057261346 an Ihre Probleme werden gelöst

      Delete
  2. Off to a great start on the building Michael, the additional materials added has taken it to another level, and look forward to seeing this progress.
    Hope the real life issues level out soon for you

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    1. Thank you Dave, painting all finished now so hopefully have a post up tomorrow.

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  3. Nice start Michael & would agree on the roof of the kit been totally wrong, I'd would have just gone for thrown some corrugated card on to give it the corrugated iron sheeting look but your way is much better.

    Looking forward to seen the finished piece.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Like the corrugated iron idea too, might have to try that one next time.

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  4. Wow, impressively creative as always, Michael. Bird feathers...who would've thought.

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    1. Thank you Dean, they work well, but a bit delicate and difficult to paint.

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  5. Looking mighty fine so far Sir M!

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    1. Thank you Ray, all done now so hopefully there will be a post up tomorrow.

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  6. A nice little kit there, and your modifications really help it along. I look forward to seeing it all done.

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    1. Thank you A.J. I think I enjoy assembling the kits as much as the painting.

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  7. Very clever work on the roof there

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  8. Good start Michael. I've got that kit ready to assemble on my table, to add to the two huts I already have.

    Nice idea with the feathers. :)

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    1. Thank you Tamsin, lovely kit to work on and the feathers will hopefully give it a well established feel.

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  9. This Nam projetc of yours is looking really promissing, I can't wait to see the completed table...

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    1. You and me both!🤣 I have already been distracted by another idea.

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  10. Really like the extra work on this so far Mike. The feathers are a great representation of palm leaves, I'd never have thought to use them for that.

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    1. Thank you so much Dai. I know that I have seen feathers used somewhere before, but can't remember where?

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  11. Great post Michael loving the feather idea..
    Best wishes
    Stuart

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  12. Never would have thought of feathers, which is a great way to represent the palm fronds. And then you took it to the next level with the battens and other material on top, and now it looks quite splendid. Considering how much time we spend looking at the roof of these sort of models, extra time spent there seems well worth it.

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    1. Thank you so much, I think I rushed the application of the feathers and so they needed something to stop them looking, well like feathers I suppose.

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  13. I agree with Lasgunpacker roofs are the most viewed part of a building and your feather idea looks a better bet than most other options for palm leaves.
    Look forward to the painted building.

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    1. I hadn't really considered that point before, but you are both absolutely correct. More love to rooves in the future.😀

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  14. Really nice start. I like the feather idea for the roof.

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    1. Thank you Rod, wish I knew where I saw them first?

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  15. Great idea to use feathers; I tried to replicate that look using rattan leaves and it didn't quite work out.

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    1. Thank you. The feathers certainly seem to work, but are a little fragile when it comes to the painting.

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  16. Like all MDF buildings, imho, they al need a bit of tlc to bring them to life.
    Interesting idea using feathers, one i'd never seen before. Looking forward to the finished article.

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  17. The amount of work that is going into this is mightily impressive to say the least.

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  18. Wonderful work Michael! The roof turn out beautifully.

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