Wizards Tower Pen/Pencil Holder

A small build that I am making trying to get some of my more artistic students (I'm actually their English teacher!) to try their hand at modelling and model making.

My original Idea was just to make some jazzed up pencil holders, but a fellow forum goer on another site convinced me to start up Mordheim again - I though I would merge the two and make a fantasy Wizards Tower than is also a Pencil Holder.

First up - most of the materials I'll be using - a tube of potato crisps (a Pringles copy), some cereal packet card and a little 3mm Artboard. The mini you can see is an Empire Militia figure (although, this one has been converted for Necro - but, the head, body and legs are all Empire, so is exactly right for Mordheim.

Next, used some 3mm artboard and cut out a door, but even at only 3mm, it was too thick, so I sliced it through the middle, leaving 2 doors at about 1.5mm each (use the other for a future tower) I also did the same with the windows, 2 became 4.

Next up, some brick work.

Cut many (MANY!) 10mm x 5mm (ish) rectangles, before gluing to the surface, I rolled them around a pencil to make them a little curved rather then just flat. The larger white brick, is the inner part of the window that I sliced in half for a few bolder bricks that stick out in places.

I actually found this part very relaxing, the below picture is about 45minutes work.

Finished the bricks (you can see below) and glued to a CD base (as it'll need to be wide at the bottom...

Next up the roof.

Of all my various bits of modelling kit at home, I don't have a Compass (the circle drawing kind), so I used my hands to give me an idea of the angle of roof, then found a bowl that was similar in size and drew round that.

I will also utilize the lid to help with the roof - the center of the plastic lid was cut out, so that any larger pens/pencils can just use the real estate in the roof as well.

Circle cut out, folded around to make a cone, used masking tape and copious amounts of PVA to hold it in place with the original plastic top edge inside to act as the lid and to ensure that the cone is still round.

The ramshackle slates were made the same as the bricks - same cereal card (a bit larger and cut more randomly) again, curved before gluing down.

The very top of the roof is wrong here, It will be amended further down (don't worry)

Very nice. Can be a game piece that holds your pencils for the game. You know.... If you make a second style roof like a thatched roof or a flat roof with battlements on it... Then it would be a perfect entry for the convertible terrain comp. Just sayin.

cprljohnivey said:

Very nice. Can be a game piece that holds your pencils for the game. You know.... If you make a second style roof like a thatched roof or a flat roof with battlements on it... Then it would be a perfect entry for the convertible terrain comp. Just sayin.

That's actually a reasonable idea - I did have some ideas for that comp, but time restraints and school got in the way, so rather than start and not finish, I just didn't enter.

This build is definitely Dual Purpose (seen a few of those comps before!) but hadn;t thought about making extra roofs...hmmm...I'll have a think about that

Ok, roof fixed - I had no idea how to do it, but someone I know sent me a few pics (*DOH* ) so it looks much better now.

Started work on the door as well - just some card with two horizontal strips and a bit diagonally.

Oh, it was added earlier, but neglected to mention it, under the door is a small bit of artboard that I have cut and gouged lumps out of to make it look like a well used step.

Model with door and new roof.

C&Cs welcome (and appreciated!)

Started work on the base - a mix of crushed blackboard chalk with PVA and a little water. ( I call it BaseGoo) It's the same stuff I used for my recent Necro Comp builds.

Takes a couple of hours to dry completely - obviously, the more and longer you crush the chalk, the finer the grain will be.

C&Cs welcome as always!

Started painting - after a black spray prime - work began on the roof. Using a bright red Artist acrylic, and did a heavy drybrush.

Next up, the bricks themselves - again, using heavy drybrushing, this time with a grey that I have mixed up.

C&Cs welcome (and appreciated!)

Base painted grey and the door painted brown (this is the same brown I use in my rusty items!)

Door and base given a black wash.

Next up - a rather unusual picture I'm sure you will agree - it is the thin plastic backing to a disposable gel-pack (the ones you put on your forehead if you have headache/temperature etc) - I've given this a very light white dry-brush (there was still a tiny amount of red on the brush though, so it's actually a very off white/pink )
I previously used this stuff on my very first Competition entry (Rusty Necromunda Walkway in the "From A to B" Comp.

"But, there's no rusty walkway here!?" I hear you say... All will be revealed below

C&Cs welcome (and appreciated)

Base highlighted (it matches my Necro Scenery and all my mini bases!) - also see the start of an old vine climbing up the side of the tower.

Showing where the plastic gel backing was used - as old window panes. The plastic was measured and cut to fit each window individually.

Last pic showing the full vine climbing up the side of the tower.

Not a big update - just added some paint to the vine - made to look dry and dead - Agrax and bone highlight. Also added a semi buried knights shield with my school logo on it - see if the students can spot it!

I'll be adding some dry static grass to a few places around the base as well as a few mushrooms.