I really had a great time designing the large compounds for the Tabula Rasa: Desert buildings range, they are very playable pieces of terrain and HUGE! I maxed out the dimensions according to the standard size sheets we use for large models, so this kit has a footprint that is almost A3 in size, 425x290mm to be precise.
Like I do with all my desert terrain, I like to take a little extra time (something I am not really known for, I’m a very impatient person with an attention span equivalent to … um, someone with a very short attention span!) and round off the edges and corners and apply some texture. I’ve got several videos on my YouTube channel about various methods I’ve used for creating a rendered type texture but I’m always trying new things and experimenting. Each technique has it’s pros/cons and each provides a different look, but I’m really please with how this model turned out in the end.
This time I’m working on the Large Compound 1 model and the first step is to assemble the model. With these kits, in the style that I want to do them there is no need to paint things in parts, especially given I’ll be texturing the model the whole kit can be fully assembled.
Once the model is assembled it’s simply a matter of using some course grade sandpaper to round off all the edges and corners, I used 80 grit sandpaper. I like to use a cork sanding block as it helps to make things easier. I’d recommend wearing some kind of protective mask during this process as the fine dust created whilst sanding can cause irritation to some people, and in general it’s not fantastic stuff to breath even if you aren’t particularly sensitive. In the image below I’m working on the top floor of the Large Compound 2 kit as I forgot to take a picture whilst working on the Large Compound 1.
I don’t round off the top edges of the model where there is a another floor sitting above that wall. I only round off the edges and corners that ‘show’.
Once you’re done with rounding off the edges, you can either move straight to texturing but in my case, I wanted to add working doors to my kits so I used the Tabula Rasa: Working Door kit to add doors to the external doors only … I didn’t bother adding internal doors, but those can be added later if I feel I really need them. They could be cool to have in case I want to play clearing missions where busting into each room is required.
The working door kit really helps add so much to the models. They work fine with just an opening (I’ve been building models for years our of foam core with just a cut out for doors!), but once the doors are in place it “changes” the model somehow, I guess it looks more ‘real’.
If you decide to install working doors on your model, make sure you pay attention to where the little hole in the door frame is located. For this particular door, I wanted it to open to the left (so that the door opens against the wall), so when putting in the bottom plate I made sure the hole was on the left
TO BE CONTINUED!!!