On the Painting Table: Skullvane Manse

Would you believe I got two of these for Christmas? One from each of my sons.

Though I did take one back and exchange it for that new Warhammer Forge book! 

 

At first I didn’t want this because it’s too unique looking (a common problem with GW scenery). I wanted a more generic piece I could set up on any battlefield.

Then I had the idea that there could be a whole range of these across the Border Princes watching out for invasion from the Badlands!  

I decided to go with the all-stone effect – even on the bricks – reasoning that the stone would have been quarried from a similar source to the rocks.

Here's the alternative tower top by the way. 

As per usual, I painted the roof tiles Dark Flesh and Red Gore so that it would match all my other roofs.

The wood was Scorched Brown | Bestial Brown | Elf Flesh.

I’m most pleased with how the dome came out.

This was Dwarf Bronze | Flesh Wash | Dwarf Bronze | Shining Gold – a combination I haven’t used for years and I love it! 

The lens is Fortress Grey with a light black wash then given a gloss varnish. It really looks like glass.  

(Chuckle)

GW and their skulls.

Don’t get me wrong. I love skulls. But all over every SINGLE building? 

 You can use the tower top AND observatory if you’re feeling a bit daring!

I prefer the dome but most of my friends and family prefer the castle top.

I’m a great fan of the bridge at the front. I love bridges (I plan to make a river-spanning one myself one day).

I gave the whole model my usual light dry brush of Bubonic Brown. This ties together the different aspects and helps it blend into the war board. 

Now GW did a major naughty on this kit. Two of the doors on the tower open out onto nothing!

It’s because the tower is made from duplicated pieces to save trouble for them. This means it looks a bit weird to the purists of us.

So I had to create two new balconies. One I had already, made from plastic, the other I built from balsa wood. When painted, you can’t really tell the difference but it really improves it. 

All in all, I have to say, I like this model now that it's done.

Addendum

(Chuckle)

I just read a White Dwarf article about this thing and I realised I'd stupidly forgotten to add the two pieces that cover up the extraneous doors.

Heh heh.

The joke is certainly on me there. But on the other hand, I like my additional little balconies and I can use the spare pieces on one of my own buildings.

As they say at GW, "You can never have too many skulls!"