Sunday 6 November 2016

28mm Terrain: The Greenhouse

Introduction

It's been quite a while since I built and showed any terrain.  Indeed, I'm not a great terrain builder - I tend to prefer to paint figures - but it is necessary for when we play games!


The Greenhouse

Here's a small piece that I finished recently:


The greenhouse kit is produced by Blotz and comes with the outer shell and 2 full-length workbenches.  I've added glazing cut from clear plastic food packaging and a base made from a scrap of MDF.



You can see some interior details through the windows.  As well as a single workbench (I felt it was too full if I used both benches from the kit), this greenhouse contains some seed trays and a large potted plant.


  Since this is a model that I've built for wargames, the greenhouse does come off its base.  As well as allowing you a much better view of the inside, there is also space to place several figures.



For the record, the seed trays are adapted from a Supreme Littleness shallow box, whilst the plant and the plant pot are cheap model railroad products from Chinese companies.


Conclusion

I'm pleased with the way this outbuilding has turned out, though I think it could do with a lot more clutter (sacks of compost, trowels or other tools, a watering can, stacks of unused flower pots and the like).  Of course, there is always a tension between realistic detail and suitability for use in games.  Too much detail and the model will be vulnerable to damage & will probably not have anywhere to place figures.  Too little detail and it won't engage the player's imaginations in the desired way.

No, the real problem here is that I cannot use this piece in isolation.  It cries out to be placed in a realistic setting.  For example, such a greenhouse might be found in the property of a serious amateur horticulturist or as part of a commercial market garden.  And I haven't thought that far ahead & don't have plans to build any of the necessary surroundings...

26 comments:

  1. What a great build, it is the attention to detail that really makes this something special.

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    1. Thanks, Michael. Mind you, there's a whole lot of detail that I could have added to this model, but didn't...

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  2. That looks excellent, C6, and as Michael says, the attention to detail you've taken has really brought the little out building to life.

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    1. Again, thanks! I'm quite pleased with the painting, but it still looks a little sterile to me.

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  3. lovely building, I understand what you mean about context - maybe in the grounds of a large country estate? IHMN campaign or something similar?

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    1. In my case, it's more likely to be ATZ, or possibly 7TV rather than IHMN. But I agree: it would work well in a walled garden or similar adjunct to a stately house.

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  4. Very nice I can see it being very useful in a zombie game... hee hee hee! While I have very limited use for one I want one immensely!

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    1. I think the zombies would see through the glass easily enough, so it might be a bit of a death trap ...

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  5. Very nice. As for placement, could be on an allotment perhaps? My last post showed a very inexpensive way to make a 'muddy' 12" gaming tile, which with some suitable cheap plastic plants, some toothpick ruuner-bean frames, maybe some cold frames and a wheelbarrow, would make a suitable allotment in which you vould place your greenhouse. Hmm, I like that idea - might have a cracking at it myself.

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    1. The greenhouse certainly needs some form of context, doesn't it? An allotment would work, though technically this would be a very grand greenhouse for a public, rented allotment. Still...

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  6. Love the details, they make this really work. Great piece, it could work as part of a survivor camp or in a large estate/yard. Nice job!

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    1. Thanks! Yes, it could work in anything from the garden of a large suburban house through to a more industrial/nursery location.

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  7. It is great to know you are not a 'great' terrain builder, because the piece looks fantastic as it is and I would struggle to find a better term to describe it if it was any better!

    You can (and should) use it in pretty much every modern game!

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    1. Thanks, Mathyoo. What I meant was that I don't build very much terrain, rather than not doing individual pieces fairly well! As such, I have this greenhouse - but nothing else to place near it (house, garden walls, orchard, pergola, fountain or whatever).

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  8. Really nice work. I agree with other sentiments that it looks fantastic. :)

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    1. Again, thanks. I'm very pleased with the paintinh of this model; a bit less so with the composition and general level of clutter/detail. Ah, well...

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  9. Great build C6, I've seen quite a few tables including a greenhouse, but I think this is up thee with the best - it's a lovely model. Good idea leaving out the second bench - having room for figures is always something I'm aware of when building a model.

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    1. Thanks, Joe. I've been aware for decades of the need to compromise between detail and playability; hopefully this one is well balanced between those aspects.

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  10. Fantastic model, I love the weathering of the greenhouse frame.
    If any criticism is due, the "glass" is very clear - most examples I've seen have some of the windows painted with thinned whitewash.
    However balance is requires as anything opaque will obscure the fine internal modelling.

    A modern replacement.
    https://www.promain.co.uk/home-garden-paints-and-stains/glass-shade-paint/coo-var-w454-glass-shading.html

    My grandfather has a greenhouse of approximately this size (Though a modern steel and glass design). I can visualise it near the end of the garden, hehind a terraced London house with a water butt and runner beans behind it. Directly across the garden was a raise vegetable bed which had once been the Anderson shelter.

    The brick and timber design is older, several of the Tobacco Baron's mansions in Pollokshields feature larger versions that double as conservatories.

    I can picture one of this scale attached to a small yet respectable tied dwelling, a small town vicarage, a schoolmaster's house, or a railway stationmaster's house.

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    1. Thanks, Steve. You're right; this is an older (possibly Victorian or Edwardian?) greenhouse rather than a modern plastic & aluminium version.

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  11. Fantastic piece of scenery, with loads of detail. This one has been on my shopping list for a while, but I need a gaming room first.

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  12. Thanks, Paul. Ah, we all have space problems, don't we :-( ? I'd love a gaming room too!

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  13. Beautiful details on this splendid building, congrats!

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  14. The whole piece looks excellent ... very realistic!

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