Kickstarter Zealot Miniatures & Manorhouse Workshop Terrain # 2

Hi to everyone!

We are now continuing to present the new miniatures of Zealot’s Miniatures Kickstarter on our terrain kits.
After showing them on our 3D Bases, we are now presenting them on our Forgotten Halls walls.
We are also using this occasion to show you our definitive version of our dynamic floors.
But we will speak about them in our next article.

Those Zealot Miniatures, like we said in our first article, remember us of the old-school design of the 80’s, but with quite a modern touch.
The following 10 miniatures (pictures taken from the Kickstarter page) indeed remind us a bit about the HeroQuest heroes.

So a dungeon is a perfect set-up to make them shine in their whole splendor.
immagini
Of course, an image is worth more than a thousand words, so give you more images to look at and share to you the link where you will be able to follow the last days of the Zealot Miniatures Kickstarter.

Cheers from Lorenzo & David.

Here we go again!

Hi to everyone.
It’s been nearly a year I didn’t publish anything or give any news.
I must admit 2017 and a good part of 2018 was quite harsh, and I can say, even dramatic, for me.
I don’t want however to bore you with tedious explanations.
Now, we’re at the start of October and I can say that these last 2 years are behind me, with a somewhat positive outcome.
I am not speaking of the overall’s company outcome, but the health one.
I never lost my positive thinking, which allowed me in the past to overcome many difficulties.
So to happy thinking and to excellent surgeons it is!
In this year of silence even the work helped me a lot.
It allowed me to go forward and project a lot of cool stuff we will publish in the future.
Keep your mind busy is the best of medicines, I can assure you.
The next medicine is keep in contact with people.
And indeed the first article we will write again is dedicated to a long-time collaboration which has been going on for years now.
Big thanks to all of you who follow my blog, and to all who were close to me in this last difficult period.

Until next, Lorenzo.

3D bases and Forgotten Halls

How to add herbs and bushes on a “3D Bases”.

Hi everyone!

We are finally now talking about herbs and bushes.
This is the third article about painting/finishing your 3D Bases.
The first article was about “how to repair a 3D Bases”, while the second article was about “how to paint a 3D Bases”.

Now let’s go into this third part.

 

First of all, put a layer of PVA glue (Vinavil), slightly diluted with water, on the parts where you want the herbs to be put.
This layer will allow the herbs to stick better to the 3D Bases.

Then put a generous amount of fiber herbs on the area, don’t hesitate to make the herbs stick well to the glued area by pushing it with your fingers.
You can find this kind of herb in most modellism shops, like the ones for train dioramas.

 

Third step: after a few hours, when the glue will be quite dry, use a brush to remove the excess herb which didn’t stick.

Fourth step: now use a (very) drybrush with a golden/yellow + beige color on all herbs zones.
The beige is for giving a link between the color of the earth, allowing a smooth transition, and to also smooth away the not-very-nice yellow that you will probably put on earth and stones while drybrushing.

Fifth and last step: add the bushes
I prefer myself to use bushes already ready for train dioramas (or you can follow if you prefer this tutorial).
The final result is quick and very nice.
Then cut some pieces of brushes as you deem fit and glue them with the same PVA glue.

With these 5 steps, you’ll have a wonderful result.

Now that the base is completed, I must admit I like very much the result.

In the next article, we’ll show you how to glue a 3D Bases to a wooden or polystyrene panel.

Until next, Lorenzo & David

Update Indiegogo Castle: First Castle sent!

Hi everyone!
This is an important update because we sent last week the first Castle, which is part of the few missing deliveries of our Indiegogo project.
It took way more work than anticipated, and we had issues during these last months: we had planned to send more castles by this date, but production issues made this impossible.
Due to this, we can’t make a definitive schedule because every Castle printed is a tedious process which can create setbacks every week.
We will keep you updated on Indiegogo when the next shipment will be ready, and don’t hesitate to contact me personally for any question or more info on your pledge.

More info about the Castle Production:
This was our first crowdfunding project, and we did some mistakes and learnt from them.
Now that we have the first Castle cast, we know not only in theory, but in reality, what are the challenges connected to such a work, and its real costs.
We are assessing also the production times, and will be able to assess them fully once some more castles will have been produced.

About the production times:
The production isn’t done directly by MHW but by a third party, due to the very complex “double-print” resin casts which requires specific technology and machines, which also adds to the production and waiting time and brings us to the situation where MHW is able to produce and send products unrelated to the Indiegogo campaign, but has backers here, on Indiegogo, who are still waiting for the Castle.

All the best. Lorenzo

Indiegogo Update: Last Deliveries

Hi to all backers!
It’s been a long time I didn’t write an update on this first Indiegogo crowdfunding project done by MHW and I apologize for this long delay.
I’ve been during this last period in contact with most of you privately, but I realize that a public announcement is often more important than private communications to backers.
I should have been more present on the Indiegogo page and the update section on this project.
It’s time to change on the matter, and with this update, and in the future, I’ll keep you updated very frequently on any news on the matter.
So let’s make a sum-up of the situation nowadays.
This Indiegogo project suffered a lot of setbacks and delays, once successfully funded, due to the complexity of the project in itself.
If I would have to redo the project from the start, I would divide it into 3 different crowdfunding campaigns. Like I said, it was my first crowdfunding experience, and my enthusiasm about it pushed me to underestimate the issues and complexities.
One of the main issues I faced was the production of such complex resins pieces, especially because I am very attentive and nitpicking about the quality (all those who received their goods can attest to that).
The biggest obstacle immediately proved to be the Castle.
It is very complex. Thankfully, I finally overcame that obstacle recently, so I have already started sending the missing Castles to backers
The Castle’s complexity can be shown better in pictures, that you can see now in this same update. Those pictures show you how another version of the Castle (even more complex) will be presented in MHW catalog very soon. Some of you already saw the pictures by private mail.

As you can see, it is very complex, and in my humble opinion it’s the most rich and packed modular castle you can find on the market nowadays.
Soon, missing Castles will be sent to the last 10 backers who waited for it for 2 years. A very long wait, but thankfully for a great product.
The castle was a very complex piece, but the Watermill, the Arengario, and the whole Village weren’t simple either.
The whole production was and is still quite complex and time consuming, especially by keeping the production (quality) standards of MHW. The moulds are quite elaborated and precise, and we use a higher quality of resin to achieve such results, to prevent bubble of air and other imperfections.
This doesn’t want to be an excuse towards the backers who are still waiting to receive the product.
But it shows, on the contrary, what mistakes I did on my first Crownfunding project. Be it on the delivery time, be it on the project’s complexity, and on the process of production of the pieces.
I learned a lot with this first Indiegogo project, and of course I won’t repeat the same mistakes on any other MHW crowdfunding projects.

What will happen next:

Production and deliveries:
During the next weeks I will send all the missing products to the last backers.

Communication and updates :
I will keep you updated here of any news, and I will also contact privately all those backers about informations of their delivery.

Thank you for your infinite patience, let us know as soon as you receive the products, and if you are one of those backers and don’t receive a mail from me, don’t hesitate to contact me immediately.

All the best. Lorenzo

Update #15 – Underground Project

Salve a tutti.
Primi passi nel mondo digitale. Trasformare un oggetto reale in formato digitale.

Hello everyone,
First steps in the digital world. Transforming a real object in a digital format.

Particolare della trasformazione. Paragone tra il master creato a mano e i primi risultati del processo di lavorazione per ottenere un file adatto alla preparazione degli stampi in acciaio. Ma mantenendo sempre una texture che sia il più naturale possibile, onde evitare un risultato artificiale e plasticoso.

Some details of the process. The comparison between a hand made master and the first results of the process. This to obtain a file suitable for the steel molding. But maintaining a natural texture. This to avoid an artificial and plastic like look.

Stay tuned. Lorenzo

 

Update #14 – Underground Project

Salve a tutti.
Continuiamo a presentare nuove immagini di possibili composizioni che si possono ottenere con il nostro nuovo set di Pareti e pavimenti modulari.
Oggi ci “alziamo”… nel vero senso del termine.
Le nostre pareti possono essere s0vrapposte una sull’altra ottenendo così degli interni con pareti molto alte.

Hi everyone.
We continue to present new images of possible compositions that you can get with our new set of modular walls and floors.
Today we “we raise” … in the true sense of the term.
Our walls can be overlapped on each other
thereby obtaining the interiors with very high walls.

La modularità dei delle pareti permette di creare fantasiose ed elaborate soluzioni architettoniche come quella che vedete qui sotto.

The modular design of the walls allows creating imaginative and elaborate architectural solutions, such as the one you see below.

Ma, anche un semplice corridoio di un sotterraneo o di un castello… crea delle atmosfere ricche di pathos.

But, even a simple corridor of an underground or of a castle… creates atmospheres rich in pathos.

Inoltre, non dimentichiamo le potenzialità delle pareti “dinamiche”, che rendono gli ambienti sempre diversi e con tantissimi passaggi segreti sempre pronti da scoprire…

Also, do not forget you the potential of the walls “dynamic”, which make the rooms always different and with many secret passages always ready to discover…

Stay Tuned. Lorenzo

Update #12 – Underground Project

Salve a tutti.
Vi presentiamo un ulteriore possibile utilizzo delle nostre nuove pareti e pavimenti. Perchè limitarci solo ai sotterranei e alle fogne… quando aggiungendo un ricco mobilio e una fontana, otteniamo dei corridoi e delle splendide stanze di un castello.

Hi everyone
We present a further possible use of our new walls and floors. Because limit ourselves only to the dungeons and sewers… when adding a rich furniture and a fountain, we get of the corridors and of splendid rooms of a castle.

L’impatto visivo è notevole. La modularità delle nostre pareti permette di creare sempre nuove opzioni per corridoi e stanze grandi o piccole.

The visual impact is considerable. The modularity of our walls allows you to create new options for corridors and rooms large or small.

Stay tuned. Lorenzo

Update #10 – Underground Project

Salve a tutti.
Mancano pochi giorni a Natale. Siamo nel periodo dei regali. Quindi vogliamo  regalarvi delle anteprime sul nostro nuovo progetto “Undergound”. Sono le prime sezioni 10×10 cm. delle “fogne” e dei “sotterranei”

Sezione curva 10×10 cm. della fogna.

Hi everyone.
Just a few days at Christmas. We are in the period of gifts. So we want to give previews of our new project “Underground”. They are the first sections 10×10 cm. of the “sewer” and “underground”

Curved section 10×10 cm. sewer.

Sezione diritta 10×10 cm. sempre della fogna.

Straight section 10×10 cm. always of the sewer

Sezione 10×10 sotterraneo

Section 10×10 underground

Come potete vedere dalle immagini le pareti hanno delle sezioni dinamiche che posso essere rimosse e sostituite come meglio si vuole.
Ne creeremo molte altre per fornire valide soluzioni da utilizzare in un dungeon che si rispetti. Come passaggi segreti, porte, sezioni in materiali diversi come legno, pietra, metallo…
L’anno nuovo ci vedrà impegnati nella realizzazione di questo abbizioso progetto. Ma non solo in questo.

Seguiteci e vedrete molto altro. Lorenzo

As you can see from the images of the walls have dynamic sections that can be removed and replaced as best you want.
We will create many other, to provide valid solutions for use in a dungeon that respects.How secret passages, doors, sections in different materials such as wood, stone, metal …
The new year will see us engaged in the realization of this project abbizioso. But, not only in this.

Stay tuned. Lorenzo

The towers of the Castle

Salve a tutti.
Abbiamo i prototipi delle torri d’angolo del castello e della torre di guardia chiusa.
La torre d’angolo del castello: la base e completa della seconda sezione con merli e un aggetto.

Hi everyone.
We have the prototypes of the corner towers of the castle and The Watchtower closed.
The corner tower of the castle: the base and the second section completed with battlements and an overhang.

La torre di guardia con parte superiore completamente “chiusa”.

The Watchtower with the top completely “closed

Le due combinazioni di torri di guardia sia chiusa che con le porte assieme alle torri d’angolo e il Barbacane, formano l’ossatura del castello.
Ora stiamo preparando gli stampi della base del barbacane e le mura fortificate.
Ultimi 2 kits del progetto.

The two combinations of the watchtowers no doors and with doors, along with corner towers and the Barbacane, form the backbone of the castle.
We are now preparing the molds of the base of the Barbacane and fortified walls.
Last 2 kits of the project.

Stay tuned. Lorenzo