Sue and I have recently returned from a visit back 'home' to Swansea. While visiting my mother, uncle and aunt I was telling them about the model of a Glastonbury Chapel that had appeared in Miniature Wargames issue 509 - for more information see this link. I was asked how I went about modelling the chapel and in particular where I got the inspiration from. Although a lot of this information can be found in MW issue 509 I thought that some additional information and images might be worth posting.
The chapel is based on St Patrick's chapel which is based just within the walls of Glastonbury Abbey but before you enter the Abbey through the main charged-for entrance.
Here are some photographs I took while visiting.
Always try to include at least one image with something to scale up the building, in this case a couple of innocent passers-by.....
From these images and some on-site sketches I produced these detailed drawings.
The core of the model chapel was constructed from corrugated cardboard, foamboard and modelling foam. I have used a mixture of PVA glue and my hot glue gun to construct the model.
DAS modelling clay, ready-mixed filler and more foam were used to both refine the shape and build up the groundwork which was built over a rough oval of 3mm thick plastic card. Note how I have 'blended' the base of the walls into the groundwork.
Moving on quite a bit I have added both texture and detail to the base and constructed the bell tower and cross from foam and plastic card. In this image I have begun to paint the walls a dull putty colour as seen in the original images.
The roof is a combination of WILL's tiles plastic roof sheets (designed for HO-OO model railways) and card (the lower edges).
More detail painting and the chapel is nearing completion. Note how the damp discolouration is climbing the lower wall base and the strong contrast between the tiled and slated roof materials.
The final two images show the finished chapel with dyed sawdust and ground foam added to the groundwork.
This is the first time I have added such a detailed description and included additional images of a model that has appeared in MW and if it proves of interest to my readers and followers I will try to produce more.
Miniature Wargames issue 509 is still available to order from the MW web pages.
Tony
