Hi guys!
Here's what's been taking my time at the workbench lately--Jenn's Christmas present; Castle Neischwanstein. This was our "Dream Vacation" which we took in 2007. Here we are at the castle.
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/neuschwanstein91.jpg)
And here's the kit, from DOYUSHA, a 1/220 scale model that I scored off eBay for about $35.00--a deal, really!
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model.jpg)
and here's what you get in the box--you even get ground material!
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model2.jpg)
The base:
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model10.jpg)
Construction starts by clamping together the walls of the main house...
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model11.jpg)
and then adding the rest of the buldings in their cradles--best to do it this way to avaoid fit issues later...
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model26.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model28.jpg)
The base has some molding sinkholes that have to be tamed; accomplished here witha micro-chisel from MicroMark. What a handy tool!
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model23.jpg)
I also textured it a bit more with Mr Surfacer 500 to give it a more "rocky" appearance...
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model39.jpg)
I started painting it by airbrushing a Tamiya mixture of light gray, and then, by adding some brown, making a shadow shading color to simukate ground material which would cover the crags and valleys...
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model48.jpg)
and a somewhat darker gray for even deeper shadows.
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model55.jpg)
The gatehouse is some bright plastic!
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model57.jpg)
Here's the building pieces, individually.
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model67.jpg)
and here they are assembled on the base.
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model69.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model76.jpg)
Painting of the pieces starts by painting the interior black, with brush and cheap craft paints..
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model83.jpg)
And then all get a coat of Tamiya WHite primer, followed by a coat of Tamiya Flat white...
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model89.jpg)
The gate house is given a coat of "Pennsylvania Clay", and then some other colors stippled on to provide the illusion of "bricks".
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model97.jpg)
Certain parts of the castle are a tan color--here's the painted pieces...
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model96.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model103.jpg)
The castle towers flanking the gatehouse are made of darker tellow and tan blocks. I simulated this by just "swishing" an appropriately-colored oil of White+RawUmber+Yellow+Orange onto the towers.
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model104.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model106.jpg)
The interior gatehouse is a lighter golden coor--I used an acrylic base coat, and oil stippling on this as well.
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model110.jpg)
The roofs got a dark grey coat...
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model112.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model115.jpg)
And I've applied some pin washes to the seams, windows, and crannies.
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model2-1.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model24.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model25.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model21.jpg)
![](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u244/heydoog/neuschwanstein/model22.jpg)
There are still more details to be painted and cleaned up, and the roofs have to be weathered. Then the base still needs a lot of work...but that's where I am so far....
Questions or comments welcomed!