How To Build A Fantasy Peasant House

Ana Polanšćak, 6th August 2020

This article will be depicting the design and build process of one of the types of terrain I made - scratch-built peasant houses.

Click for enlarged picture

Materials:
• polystyrene
• balsa wood (1mm, 2mm)
• DAS clay
• MDF base
• pelt of a teddy bear
• masking tape
• PVA glue
• superglue
• pins
• wooden toothpicks
• wire
• blister pack
• insect net
• water-based acrylic paint

Tools:
• hobby knife
• clippers
• brushes
• sculpting tools
• ruler

The core shape of the house was assembled from polystyrene and toothpicks, and covered with masking tape. It all stands on a flat MDF base. This underlying construction is sturdy and easy to build upon, so it's a good choice if the house is closed, with no built and playable interior. It is deliberately slightly crooked and irregular, with a sagging roof, which all gives character to a fantasy building.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Next, I grabbed 2mm balsa and got started on the wood of the roof. Only the parts of the wooden roof structure that would be visible are important. No need to bother with the rest since it will be covered with thatch. This way you save on both time and material.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Next came the wooden framework of the walls. Also made of 2mm balsa, glued with PVA. This piece represents a house built with wattle and daub method. The framework of the walls is made of wood, and the empty spaces are filled with a woven lattice of wooden stakes and twigs called wattle, which is then daubed with a wet mix of dirt, clay, dung and straw. This is quite good quality and much more affordable than a fully wooden structure. The house can finally be whitewashed to get this neater look.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

A house needs windows. These are an opportunity to add points of interest on the model. Leaded windows are commonly seen on fantasy houses, and they are really not that difficult to make. Insect net, blister pack plastic. I cut the square shapes with scissors, glued net to plastic and then the whole thing to the wall. Built the window frames around the glass because it's easier to make it fit that way. A trick for the window frame pieces to fit better is by cutting them one on top of the other. The angle will then be exactly the same without measuring. Again, to get this crooked feel avoid perfect right angles, and the windows can slightly differ in size. The building process is relaxed, without much measuring and precise cutting. This is how the finished windows look. Other windows will have shutters to add variety.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

The space between the wooden beams was then filled with DAS clay to represent the wattle and daub. I normally do this with my fingers and leave it uneven and messy. Only always make sure not to leave fingerprints behind - having those showing is on the same immersion-killing level as having mould lines on a painted miniature. Simple water helps smooth things out. Before applying the clay, I smear some PVA on the surface for DAS to adhere better. I learnt early on that if your polystyrene has a textured surface, do sand it smooth first. The texture be visible in the overlaying clay after it cures because it shrinks a bit. You can still fix that with another layer of DAS on top, but it's better to prevent it from happening at all.

Click for enlarged picture

While the clay was still wet I added more detail to the overhang of the roof. It's just toothpicks, cut in half, with the pointy end dipped in PVA and pushed into the wall just where it meets the roof. This represents supporting structure.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Doors and shutters are done the same way. First, basic shape and size is cut from 1mm balsa. Then it was marked and cut into vertical planks. Each plank got wood grain engraved with a pointy sculpting tool, and each was distressed around the edges with a knife. Then, the planks are glued into place in the door frame/over the window. The 'empty space' behind the door/shutter was painted black before that, since it would otherwise have been hard to reach. Thinking ahead saves you from frustration later...

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Metal details give the doors and shutters character and interest. Cut up blister packaging, pins, metal rings... These are best fixed with superglue.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

After this I just added texture on the house's base, and it was ready for painting. The whole thing can be primed white, but I did not find that necessary. The walls were already the right colour, and balsa was to be painted darker than its natural colour. I only undercoated the door and windows because they were made of a variety of different-coloured and even transparent materials. Painting it white first offers an equal base, and maybe more importantly it makes it more clearly visible what you've made. You need that when you're painting.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

The painting on this was very loose and fun. A succession of grey and brown glazes on the wood and a bit of light staining on the whitewashed walls. Special attention is given to the doors and windows, as they usually attract the eye. After glazes, they got a lighter overbrush, but only in the direction of the wood grain (so, vertically). This is followed by a layer of mat black on the metal, which is finally rusted up.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

I intended from the start to include a little porch, but I left it off until the time the door was painted, since it would have been difficult to reach otherwise. Same goes for the charming henhouse that leans on the side of the house. Porch has decoratively carved pillars and roof. All this was done just with a hobby knife and a modeller's file. The henhouse was constructed fully from balsa. As visible in the pictures, some parts were partly painted while it was still being built, again to avoid leaving those difficult to reach areas unpainted.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

After the messiest part of painting is done, the teddy fur thatch can be glued into place. I prefer to do it in this order to avoid fur getting in the way when painting the underlying wood. The fur itself was already the right colour, so did not need to be fully repainted, just fixed a bit. You don't necessarily need to flay a teddy to get your fur; they sell fur by the yard for teddy makers. But that is a more expensive option. The fur thatch is best done by cutting horizontal strips with scissors and pasting them onto the roof, starting from the bottom and with strips slightly overlapping. I used pins to fix it all in place until the glue set. They need to be pulled out afterwards.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

You will notice it looks very fuzzy and not exactly like thatch yet. To make it more like straw, I applied a mix of water, PVA and light brown paint. Used a large stiff brush and brushed this mix on. I only pulled my brush in the downward direction, following the flow of the hairs. This is also how water would normally go down the roof during rainfall.

Click for enlarged picture

After this, the roof will be pretty drenched and it will take some time for it to dry. Best leave it overnight. When it was completely dry, I added the chimney, the wooden ridge, and some planks nailed to the roof. The latter are mostly an aesthetic choice, since they help break up the large, relatively bland surface.

Click for enlarged picture

It's the little extra details that really help sell the scenery piece as a house someone inhabits. An everyday object, such as a simple, rickety ladder can be made from balsa and cut up toothpicks. Or what I put on this house: protective objects nailed to the roof. One is an animal skull, the other an effigy of the household spirit. The skull is a plaster copy of a skull I had previously sculpted in green stuff. The house patron was sculpted directly onto the house with DAS clay, a crude representation of a homunculus shape. The image is framed by a shape of a house, hinting at the spirit's function. One doesn't need to be adept at sculpting to make this happen. Bits leftover from kits, or bits designed for dioramas and basing are a good solution, too.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

The final step is adding some flock and static grass to the base.

Building this kind of house is not complicated and it doesn't require expensive materials nor tools. The more time is spent on it and the more thought and attention given to details, the more spectacular it will be.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Latest articles

  • We attended: Isle of Wonders 2026
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "518"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(3) "104"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(33) "We attended: Isle of Wonders 2026"
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(48) "Nastupili smo na: Isle of Wonders 2026. na Cresu"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(32) "we_attended_isle_of_wonders_2026"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(46) "nastupili_smo_na_isle_of_wonders_2026_na_cresu"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(3139) "

    On June 27-29 we attended the Isle of Wonders convention held on the island of Cres. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    I took part in their miniature painting competition which boasted over 50 works. I'm proud to say I managed to snag a Highly Commended medal!

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(3158) "

    27.-29. lipnja nastupili smo na konvenciji Isle of Wonders koja se održala na otoku Cresu. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Natjecala sam se na njihovom natjecanju u bojanju minijatura. Ukupno je bilo preko 50 radova, a ja sam uspjela osvojiti "highly commended" medalju!

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-07-06 12:50:47" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-07-06 12:50:47" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(3) "104" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["first_name"]=> string(3) "Ili" ["last_name"]=> string(4) "Said" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(3) "ili" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(4) "said" ["username"]=> string(3) "Ili" ["password"]=> string(40) "b08a0b9827a3452ce5b82e0dc97847f4beafd9fa" ["born"]=> string(19) "2006-01-01 00:00:00" ["created"]=> NULL } }
    Ili Said, 6th July 2026
  • We attended: 13. Trofeo San Giusto 2026.
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "517"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(2) "35"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(40) "We attended: 13. Trofeo San Giusto 2026."
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(46) "Nastupili smo na: 13. Trofeju San Giusto 2026."
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(37) "we_attended_13_trofeo_san_giusto_2026"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(43) "nastupili_smo_na_13_trofeju_san_giusto_2026"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(6970) "

    On June 20-21 we attended 13th Trofeo San Giusto in Trieste, Italy. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    It was held in Palazzo Vivante in the heart of Trieste and gathered miniature painters from Spain, Italy, France, England, Germany, Austria and I was the only participant in the miniature painting part of the competition from Croatia

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    As always we awarded the best of show prize as voted by our members. This time the prize went to Mr Alessandro Baialardo from Italy. And I managed to walk away with a gold, a silver and four bronze medals in Standard categories.

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(7180) "

    20. i 21. lipnja nastupili smo na 13. Trofeo San Giusto u Trstu u Italiji. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Natjecanje se održavalo u predivnoj palači Vivante u samom centru Trsta i okupilo je minijaturiste iz Španjolse, Italije, Francuske, Engleske, Njemačke, Austrije, a ja sam bio jedini na minijaturističkom dijelu natjecanja koji je branio boje Hrvatske. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Kao i uvijek na velikim natjecanjima, pripala mi je čast da dodijelim Best of Show nagradu po izboru članova UMS Agram. Ovoga puta, nagrada je otišla u ruke g. Alessandra Baialarda iz Italije koji je dobio naš ekskluzivni trofej Crne kraljice, monografiju o Udruzi te bocu Teranina. Na kraju uspio sam osvojiti zlato, srebro i četiri bronce u Standardnim kategorijama. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-07-06 10:37:44" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-07-06 10:37:44" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(2) "35" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "1" ["first_name"]=> string(5) "Marko" ["last_name"]=> string(9) "Paunović" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(5) "marko" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(8) "paunovic" ["username"]=> string(5) "marko" ["password"]=> string(40) "3bd37b326d19d1880d3b93a4b32e8fb3a90fa122" ["born"]=> string(19) "2033-03-07 20:35:00" ["created"]=> string(19) "2009-06-02 20:37:03" } }
    Marko Paunović, 6th July 2026
  • We attended: Zagreb Scale Model Show 2026
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "516"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(3) "100"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(41) "We attended: Zagreb Scale Model Show 2026"
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(46) "Nastupili smo na: Zagreb Scale Model Show 2026"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(40) "we_attended_zagreb_scale_model_show_2026"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(45) "nastupili_smo_na_zagreb_scale_model_show_2026"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(3835) "

    On June 6-7 we attended Zagreb Scale Model Show 2026. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    It was held in Zagreb's Family Mall and we organized our Back to Basics Miniature Painting Workshops.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    As always we awarded the best of show prize as voted by our members. This time the prize went to Mr Tihomir Bregar.

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(3945) "

    6. i 7. lipnja nastupili smo na Zagreb Scale Model Showu 2026. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    Ove godine održao se kroz dva dana u zagrebačkom Family Mallu. Tijekom oba dana održavali smo naše Back to Basics radionice bojanja minijatura.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Kao i uvijek, na većim natjecanjima dodijelili smo Best of Show nagradu po izboru naših članova, a ovaj put ona je otišla u ruke Tihomira Bregara. 

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-07-06 10:20:45" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-07-10 11:26:10" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(3) "100" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["first_name"]=> string(5) "Mario" ["last_name"]=> string(7) "Grgurev" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(5) "mario" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(7) "grgurev" ["username"]=> string(9) "lepimario" ["password"]=> string(40) "11e0b1ecc2c467637dfa513774d2426f3b925264" ["born"]=> string(19) "2045-01-21 09:02:00" ["created"]=> string(19) "2022-01-21 09:02:32" } }
    Mario Grgurev, 6th July 2026
  • Making of MUMMY dioramas
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "515"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(3) "102"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(25) "Making of MUMMY dioramas "
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(21) "Izrada diorama mumije"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(24) "making_of_mummy_dioramas"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(21) "izrada_diorama_mumije"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(8860) "

    I recently was approached by the Historical Museum of Oslo to make three miniature dioramas for their exhibition MUMMY - a display of ancient Egyptian artefacts and mummies. Their requirements were that each of the three dioramas would portray a part of the life of one of the mummies from the exhibition, Dismut, a temple guardian’s daughter. Her Life, her Death and her Afterlife. In addition, they gave the maximum size of the display. This left me a lot of freedom for interpretation and to make the dioramas in my own way and style. In this article I’ll take you through part of my process for developing the three concepts. For a more detailed breakdown of the steps it took to complete the dioramas, see the videos.

    Click for enlarged picture

    My first focus was on the miniatures required. I searched online 3D-file shops to see what was already available. I knew this would be one of my limitations as there was no time or budget to 3D design all objects and characters required for all three dioramas. I found a pack of ancient Egyptian field workers, and so the Life diorama was created with this pack in mind - a tranquil scene by the Nile River, with workers harvesting wheat as Dismut observes from a higher vantage point. This diorama was also an opportunity to include some of the animals featured in the exhibition, so I found a cat and a mouse STL (and later a crocodile as well). As Dismut is not a famous pharaoh, there were obviously no STLs available of her, so I commissioned two 3D sculpts of her, giving me the chance to have her in the exact positions I needed for Life and Afterlife. In Death she would only appear as a mummified figure, easily available online.

    Click for enlarged picture

    I wanted the diorama to read from left to right, as the three dioramas would be displayed one next to the other, so as well as reading the specific Life diorama from left to right, I also wanted the entire display of all three dioramas to lead from left to right. I decided that from left to right the dioramas would also go from light to dark, Life being the lightest in tone and colour and Afterlife the darkest, reflecting the dioramas’ subjects. I decided on the scale for the entire display, around 50mm for humans, as this would be small enough to fit all the elements I needed, but large enough to fill up the dioramas with the amount of elements I found as STL’s and save me some time on not having to paint too many tiny details. I adjusted all STL’s to this scale, and found some realistic wheat plants online at the correct scale as well. And so the concept sketch for the Life diorama came together.

    Click for enlarged picture

    I knew that the Death diorama would be a burial ritual underground. I found a STL pack of several of the objects found in Tutankhamun’s grave, a burial ritual STL pack with two workers carrying a mummy and an ancient Egyptian priest. This would give me the scene. As the dioramas were going to have to be made as cubes, closed on all sides with walls, except for the front, as opposed to the open dioramas on display bases that we are used to, a part of planning each scene was also figuring out how to make the two sides and back panel a natural part of the dioramas. In Life this was an impossible task as no outdoor area is a cube, but I decided on making each side a rocky cliff and hoping the illusion of the scene would make the unaturally geometrical shape of the landscape become less visible. For Death my solution was a roller with Egyptian hieroglyphs. With this I could fill out each wall with historically accurate symbols and this way create interest in the surroundings of the scene as well. And for Afterlife, as this is already a “supernatural” scene, the walls would be bricks, extending the typical art found in Egyptian tombs portraying the Egyptian afterlife of Duat, into a 3D space. Generally I found a lot of inspiration and direction for this entire project from ancient Egyptian art and wall paintings.

    Click for enlarged picture

    The Afterlife diorama would have to have an Osiris character, the Egyptian God of the Dead, overseeing Dismut’s journey to Duat. As all STLs I could find of him had warrior poses, I instead commissioned a seated Osiris figure, as well as the scale that would measure Dismut’s heart against a feather, and thus if she is worthy of the Afterlife. I found a STL of Thoth, taking notes, and thought it suitable for the God judging the dead - in this case Dismut.

    After the concepts were approved by the museum, so started a several months long process of getting the MDF walls for the cubes, cutting, carving and gluing XPS foam at the correct angles, sizes and shapes, painting around 40 miniature characters and objects, with airbrush and brush, creating and painting the landscapes, pouring epoxy resin for the Nile River as well as many other smaller and larger tasks. Of the many ideas that came during the making of the dioramas (not reflected in the concept sketches), one that I think especially contributed to the overall look of the final display, was the fact that I decided that each diorama would have its own main colour. Yellow for Life, sun and desert, Red for Death, underground an earthy, and Blue for Afterlife, cold and melancholic. This would differentiate the dioramas from each other even when being viewed from a distance, as well as give a natural progression from warm to cold, another way to add contrast and make the dioramas read in my preferred direction, from left to right. This was achieved most obviously through the choice of oil colours used to shade the three dioramas. Apart from that, the acrylic paints chosen are the same for all three dioramas, giving a cohesion of colour as well as being based on the available pigments they would have had at the time in Ancient Egypt - mineral pigments like lapis lazuli, red and ochre, soot for black, copper compounds for blue and green and synthetic pigments like Egyptian blue.

    The final result is displayed here and will also be on display at Oslo’s Historical Museum for the foreseeable future. If you visit the city, make sure to stop by and have a look at the final display.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(8826) "

    Nedavno me kontaktirao Povijesni muzej u Oslu da izradim tri minijaturne diorame za njihovu izložbu MUMIJA - prikaz drevnih egipatskih artefakata i mumija. Njihovi zahtjevi bili su da svaka od tri diorame prikazuje dio života jedne od mumija s izložbe, Dismut, kćeri čuvara hrama. Njezin život, smrt i zagrobni život. Osim toga, dali su maksimalnu veličinu prikaza. To mi je ostavilo puno slobode za interpretaciju i izradu diorama na moj vlastiti način i stil. U ovom članku provest ću vas kroz dio svog procesa razvoja triju koncepata. Za detaljniji pregled koraka potrebnih za dovršetak diorama pogledajte videozapise.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Moj prvi fokus bio je na potrebnim minijaturama. Pretražio sam online trgovine s 3D datotekama kako bih vidio što je već dostupno. Znao sam da će to biti jedno od mojih ograničenja jer nije bilo vremena ni proračuna za 3D dizajn svih predmeta i likova potrebnih za sve tri diorame. Pronašao sam skupinu drevnih egipatskih poljskih radnika, pa je diorama Život nastala imajući tu skupinu na umu - mirna scena uz rijeku Nil, s radnicima koji žanju pšenicu dok Dismut promatra s više točke. Ova diorama bila je i prilika za uključivanje nekih životinja predstavljenih na izložbi, pa sam pronašao mačku i miša u STL-u (a kasnije i krokodila). Budući da Dismut nije poznati faraon, očito nije bilo dostupnih STL-ova za nju, pa sam naručio dvije 3D skulpture, što mi je dalo priliku da je imam u točnim položajima koji su mi bili potrebni za Život i Zagrobni život. U Smrti bi se pojavila samo kao mumificirana figura, lako dostupna online.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Želio sam da se diorama čita slijeva nadesno, budući da bi se tri diorame prikazale jedna pored druge, pa sam, osim što se specifična diorama Života čita slijeva nadesno, također želio da cijeli prikaz sve tri diorame ide slijeva nadesno. Odlučio sam da će diorame slijeva nadesno ići od svijetlog prema tamnom, pri čemu će Život biti najsvjetliji po tonu i boji, a Zagrobni život najtamniji, odražavajući subjekte diorama. Odlučio sam se za mjerilo za cijeli prikaz, oko 50 mm za ljude, jer bi to bilo dovoljno malo da stanu svi potrebni elementi, ali dovoljno veliko da ispuni diorame količinom elemenata koje sam pronašao kao STL-ove i uštedi mi vrijeme jer ne bih morao slikati previše sitnih detalja. Prilagodio sam sve STL-ove ovom mjerilu i pronašao sam neke realistične biljke pšenice na internetu u ispravnom mjerilu. I tako je nastala konceptualna skica za dioramu Života.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Znao sam da će diorama Smrt biti pogrebni ritual pod zemljom. Pronašao sam STL paket nekoliko predmeta pronađenih u Tutankamonovoj grobnici, STL paket pogrebnog rituala s dva radnika koji nose mumiju i drevnim egipatskim svećenikom. To bi mi dalo scenu. Budući da su diorame morale biti izrađene kao kocke, zatvorene sa svih strana zidovima, osim sprijeda, za razliku od otvorenih diorama na izložbenim postoljima na koje smo navikli, dio planiranja svake scene bio je i smišljanje kako učiniti dvije strane i stražnju ploču prirodnim dijelom diorama. U filmu Život to je bio nemoguć zadatak jer nijedno vanjsko područje nije kocka, ali odlučio sam svaku stranu napraviti kao stjenovitu liticu i nadao se da će iluzija scene učiniti neprirodno geometrijski oblik krajolika manje vidljivim. Za Smrt moje rješenje bio je valjak s egipatskim hijeroglifima. S tim sam mogao ispuniti svaki zid povijesno točnim simbolima i na taj način stvoriti interes i za okolinu scene. A za Zagrobni život, budući da je ovo već „natprirodna“ scena, zidovi bi bili od cigli, proširujući tipičnu umjetnost pronađenu u egipatskim grobnicama koje prikazuju egipatski zagrobni život Duata u 3D prostor. Općenito sam pronašao mnogo inspiracije i smjernica za cijeli ovaj projekt u drevnoj egipatskoj umjetnosti i zidnim slikama.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Diorama zagrobnog života morala bi imati lik Ozirisa, egipatskog boga mrtvih, koji nadgleda Dismutovo putovanje u Duat. Budući da su svi STL-ovi koje sam mogao pronaći o njemu imali ratničke poze, umjesto toga sam naručio sjedeću figuru Ozirisa, kao i vagu koja bi mjerila Dismutovo srce u odnosu na pero, te time utvrdila je li dostojna zagrobnog života. Pronašao sam STL Thotha, bilježio i smatrao sam da je prikladan za Boga koji sudi mrtvima - u ovom slučaju Dismuta.

    Nakon što je muzej odobrio koncepte, započeo je višemjesečni proces nabave MDF zidova za kocke, rezanja, rezbarenja i lijepljenja XPS pjene pod ispravnim kutovima, veličinama i oblicima, oslikavanja oko 40 minijaturnih likova i predmeta airbrushom i kistom, stvaranja i oslikavanja pejzaža, izlijevanja epoksidne smole za rijeku Nil, kao i mnogih drugih manjih i većih zadataka. Od mnogih ideja koje su se pojavile tijekom izrade diorama (koje nisu odražene u skicama koncepta), jedna za koju mislim da je posebno doprinijela ukupnom izgledu konačnog prikaza bila je činjenica da sam odlučio da će svaka diorama imati svoju glavnu boju. Žuta za život, sunce i pustinju, crvena za smrt, podzemlje i zemljanost, a plava za zagrobni život, hladnu i melankoličnu. To bi razlikovalo diorame jednu od druge čak i kada se gledaju iz daljine, kao i dalo prirodan prijelaz od toplog prema hladnom, još jedan način dodavanja kontrasta i da se diorame čitaju u mom željenom smjeru, slijeva nadesno. To je najočitije postignuto odabirom uljanih boja korištenih za sjenčanje triju diorama. Osim toga, akrilne boje odabrane su iste za sve tri diorame, što daje koheziju boja, a ujedno se temelji na dostupnim pigmentima koje su imali u to vrijeme u drevnom Egiptu - mineralni pigmenti poput lapis lazulija, crvene i oker boje, čađa za crnu, spojevi bakra za plavu i zelenu te sintetički pigmenti poput egipatske plave.

    Konačni rezultat je ovdje izložen i bit će izložen u Povijesnom muzeju u Oslu u doglednoj budućnosti. Ako posjetite grad, svakako navratite i pogledajte konačni postav.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-06-17 08:34:19" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-06-17 08:34:19" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(3) "102" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["first_name"]=> string(9) "Sebastian" ["last_name"]=> string(8) "Søgård" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(9) "sebastian" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(4) "sgrd" ["username"]=> string(5) "norge" ["password"]=> string(40) "4dea770e7045a97695c7dc529698e85f5dadbded" ["born"]=> string(19) "2003-01-21 09:03:00" ["created"]=> string(19) "2022-01-21 09:03:12" } }
    Sebastian Søgård, 17th June 2026
  • Miniature Painting Workshop - 75mm Dwarf
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "514"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(3) "107"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(40) "Miniature Painting Workshop - 75mm Dwarf"
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(44) "Radionica bojanja minijatura - 75mm patuljak"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(40) "miniature_painting_workshop_-_75mm_dwarf"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(44) "radionica_bojanja_minijatura_-_75mm_patuljak"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(14418) "

    On 09-10.05.2026. we held a new weekend miniature painting workshop. This time it was the turn of a dwarf in 75mm scale.

    Click for enlarged picture

    The workshop was held over two days (a whole weekend) and the participants painted a 75mm miniature dwarf. The focus of these lectures was painting various textures - metal, human skin, textiles and leather. Water-based acrylic paints were used in the workshop. For this purpose, the workshop leader, Ivan Knezović, chose a 75mm miniature dwarf from Durgin Paint Forge, sculpted by Carlos Perez Bugedo. The lectures were adapted so that the leader devotes equal time to all participants and can be adapted to all categories of miniaturists (from beginners to slightly more advanced).

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    The workshop took place as follows:
    First, the lecturer sits at his desk and explains and demonstrates each step in painting a miniature/model on his specimen. His work is displayed on a screen via a camera and projector, which the participants listen to, watch, and ask questions about.
    Then, the participants sit at their desks and apply the knowledge they have gained. The facilitator circulates among the participants and checks how each participant is doing. This way, he or she can adapt to each participant individually.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    The workshop will include the following thematic units:
    1. NMM (Non metallic metal)
    2. Reflections of ambient colors on metal
    3. Steel / gold
    4. Face painting (male)
    5. Adding vibrancy to the face (filters)
    6. Extracting textures from fabric, metal and leather

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    POWERED BY: Carta MagicaFireball FigurinesDurgin Paint ForgePlaysupport

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(14428) "

    09-10.05.2026. smo održali novu vikend Radionicu bojanja minijatura. Ovoga puta na redu je bio patuljak u 75mm mjerilu.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Radionica se provodila kroz dva dana (cijeli vikend) i polaznici su bojali 75mm minijaturu patuljka. Fokus ovih predavanja bilo je bojenje raznih tekstura – od metala, ljudske kože, tekstila i kože (leather). U sklopu radionice korištene su akrilne boje na bazi vode. U tu svrhu, voditelj radionice, Ivan Knezović, izabrao je 75 mm minijaturu patuljka tvrtke Durgin Paint Forge, koju je sculptao Carlos Perez Bugedo. Predavanja su prilagođena tako da voditelj posveti jednako vrijeme svim polaznicima i može se prilagoditi svim kategorijama minijaturista (od početnika do malo naprednijih).

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Radionica se odvijala na sljedeći način:
    Prvo, predavač sjedi za svojim stolom te objašnjava i demonstrira pojedini korak u bojanju minijature/makete na svojem primjerku. Njegov rad se preko kamere i projektora prikazuje na platnu što polaznici slušaju, gledaju, ali i postavljaju pitanja.
    Potom, polaznici sjedaju za svoje stolove i primjenjuju stečeno znanje. Voditelj kruži između polaznika i provjerava kako svakom polazniku ide. Na taj način, može se prilagoditi svakom polazniku ponaosob.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Radionica će uključivati sljedeće tematske cjeline:
    1. NMM (Non metallic metal)
    2. Refleksije boja iz okoline na metalu
    3. Čelik / zlato
    4. Bojanje lica (muškog)
    5. Dodavanje živosti na lice (filteri)
    6. Izvlačenje tekstura tkanine, metala i kože (leather)

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    POWERED BY: Carta MagicaFireball FigurinesDurgin Paint ForgePlaysupport

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-05-26 11:39:00" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-05-26 11:41:50" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(3) "107" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["first_name"]=> string(5) "Ivan " ["last_name"]=> string(9) "Knezović" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(4) "ivan" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(8) "knezovic" ["username"]=> string(8) "IvanKlan" ["password"]=> string(40) "94527877845e989fe51bd34849504967876063aa" ["born"]=> string(19) "2006-01-01 00:00:00" ["created"]=> NULL } }
    Ivan Knezović, 26th May 2026

All articles

Latest battle-reports

All battle-reports