Hi Guys . this is a short SBS on the making and basing of my latest works .

This idea started in Ingolstadt when I bought the figure and was reinforced with my trip to new York and visit to the museum of metropolitan art where the have a Chinese court garden and not to mention a solid gold Inca crown .
I was fortunate to get into the museum before it opens to the public as my daughter inlaw works there which meant i got down into the armoury as well and could see the restoration works in progress .

I started with a paper pattern of the moon gate which I made by drawing round a suitable sized jam jar . This was then transferred onto a piece of plywood and doubled then cut to shape with a fret saw.
Next I dummied up the joins with milliput painted the whole thing with white glue and shook sharp sand over it to texture it "depending on where you live in this country the sand may be called by a different name ; ie concrete sand or ballast sand " it is a mix of different grades not as fine as building sand .
I made the tilled section from corrugated cardboard again painted with white glue to and glued onto a popsicle stick " Del please forgive the americanism here " as a lot of our overseas friends wouldn't know what a lollipop is
OK back on track , the base was a bit of scrap Mahogany cut to size and the drilled out with an inch dia fosten bit for the water section . this was then lined with garden bark and magic sculpt.





Next rocks were added using the garden bark and the paved area with magic sculpt ,all primmed with the ubiquitous Halfords stuff , dust coated with Tamiya deck tan via the AB then painted with various shades of grey using TIT white and raw umber to make the greys . a bit of root was scavenged from a model I done some twenty years earlier and cut to size plaque was added with M sculpt and the chinese script pushed in with putty knife then the rest of the foliage added .
Still to do the water effect which I am a bit wary of as the last time it never hardened



Figure temporally set in place .

Ron

really nice base and figure! I hope you put water into the pond!

Top quality work throughout. Definitely go for the water.
Only comment is I think you could get away with a lot more foliage.
Partly to break up the 'stone' look but also to use more of the orange brown vines that you've already used.
The ones that are there really compliment the figures colours but I think you could go large

Some valid points there Del , the water is a must not so sure about the extra foliage but it can be put on temporally to see if it works .

PS will be looking for one of your special nameplates for this

Great model making Ron.

Hope you do the water mate.

Paul

Just saw this thread... interesting aproach Ron. Looking forward to see hwo you did the water.

Cheers

Huw

Lots of work but totally worth it!

Very original and impressive bit of model making.

Cheers
Andrew