Bridge to the Market - AoM: Store Phase I

[Slegengr]

Spring is finally here after the long winter battles with the Algus.  Stian and Frode pack the extra weapons into the market wagon to take to Falkidalr’s market.

Market day is always extra special in spring, as the chills of the winter are shaken off as a cloak and people from many locations bring wares of all types.  Merchants and farmers bring their goods to offer the people of Falkidalr what they need while turning a profit to produce more goods.

Entertainers are always a welcome presence at the market, and this day proves to have no lack of performers.  As Stian and Frode are crossing the bridge to Falkidalr’s main path, two jesters start their performance early for the market-goers at the bridge.  Doing somersaults and cavorting around, the jesters thrill with an element of danger as they cross the bridge around the smithy wagon by acrobatic feats on the bridge border wall.  Hopefully nobody falls off!

Oh, look!  The goatherds seem to be having some trouble keeping the goats out of the fresh flowers along the path!  Even with the help of a trusty farm dog, goats are difficult to control.

There seems to be traffic congestion at the path intersection!  The Vitrs are crossing the bridge right when a band of travelling minstrels is passing on the main path.  Always ones to please, they play music as they travel.  Their music meshes beautifully with the jesters’ antics, much to everyone’s enjoyment.  The pig farmer should probably pay more attention to his pigs than the performers, though.  He might have been overzealous in thinking he could lead three hogs at once on leashes!  Even the old chicken farmer finds his steps lightened by the music and performance.  The Falkidalr Leidvordr patrol is also excited by market day and the new sights it brings, though their task of guarding the path becomes more difficult with all of the travelers and precious cargo.

Additional Pictures:

The market wagon:

…And the characters posing for pictures on the bridge:

Without figures:

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This build took far longer to complete than I thought it would, mostly due to the elevation on the sides needed to allow for the bridge and stream bank and how to close in the edges.  The inspiring technique for this build was the bridge arches simply made of an arch of bricks not fully engaged.  I have also wanted  to make a stream bank with reeds ever since the medium-flesh spike was introduced to the LEGO world.

Comments and constructive criticism much appreciated!

Thanks for looking,
Slegengr

Pine tree tutorial is added under the historic forum.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Slegengr
Added Pine Tree Tutorial Link

[Garmadon]

Awesome work here, Sleg, you definitely went all out for this AoM build (and just phase I!!  Looking forward to the next one! )  Excellent bridge and riverbank, and all the figs and action really bring the build to life!  Those trees are always great too, and the base, while I think it may be a bit over-studed, is a very innovative approach!  Keep it up! 

[Henjin_Quilones]

That bridge is excellent, and those trees! I'd love to see a tutorial of how you put those together, as they are some of the best pine trees I have seen in LEGO form. I agree with Garmadon about the too-studdy base, but for a build of that size and height I am sure pieces ended up being a bit sparse. It looks fine as it is, but would look better smooth. The path could use a bit more texture, some tiles, maybe, as well as a few more colors, or at least more stones. Overall, though, a very impressive and well-constructed build, with many great features. 

I'm serious about wanting to know about those trees, by the way. 

[TitusV]

Amazing bridge, and though I'm not sure what to think about the base I really love your vegetation (and yes Henji, these trees are awersome indeed!)  

You also used a very unusual colour scheme, but I think I like it. It's refreshing in every case  

Great job overall!

[Muakhah]

This build is a lovely one with a well travelled and maintained road. I am envious of your goats and the lovely passage of different travelers. The stream banks and reeds look nice and busy and the bridge arches look great.

[The Maestro]

Woah, this landscaping is sick. The olive work so well here and the flowers bring it to life. The reeds are also fantastic  Great trees aswell.

[Kai NRG]

Excellent build, one of my favorites from you!  So much lovely SNOT work along the sides and with the banks too!  Those trees look great, of course, and it's awesome how festive the whole scene is!  

[Umbra-Manis]

That is quite a Phase I build!

[Slegengr]

On 5/3/2017 at 9:28 AM, Garmadon said:

Awesome work here, Sleg, you definitely went all out for this AoM build (and just phase I!!  Looking forward to the next one! )  Excellent bridge and riverbank, and all the figs and action really bring the build to life!  Those trees are always great too, and the base, while I think it may be a bit over-studed, is a very innovative approach!  Keep it up! 

Thanks, Garmadon!  That over-studded base is the result of spending way too long on the top of the build and just wanting to get it done.  I had some ideas other than this to deal with the difficulty of a raised terrain, but I decided to take the simple route for this border so I could move on to other builds before this one collects too much dust.

On 5/3/2017 at 9:44 AM, Henjin_Quilones said:

That bridge is excellent, and those trees! I'd love to see a tutorial of how you put those together, as they are some of the best pine trees I have seen in LEGO form. I agree with Garmadon about the too-studdy base, but for a build of that size and height I am sure pieces ended up being a bit sparse. It looks fine as it is, but would look better smooth. The path could use a bit more texture, some tiles, maybe, as well as a few more colors, or at least more stones. Overall, though, a very impressive and well-constructed build, with many great features. 

I'm serious about wanting to know about those trees, by the way. 

Thanks, Henjin!  Pieces were not too sparse, but my interest in finding techniques for this build might have been at that point, as the brown border was the last section built.  I will have to remember on future builds to complete the understructure before building the fun bits and adding minifigures .  I had intended for the path to be a plain and well-worn path, but I see what you mean with some color variation and texture changes.

I will try to get some tutorial pictures of the trees this weekend.

On 5/3/2017 at 10:11 AM, TitusV said:

Amazing bridge, and though I'm not sure what to think about the base I really love your vegetation (and yes Henji, these trees are awersome indeed!)  

You also used a very unusual colour scheme, but I think I like it. It's refreshing in every case  

Great job overall!

Thanks, Titus!  I have been wanting to use sand green grass base ever since I bought the sand green 1x2 plates in bulk.

On 5/3/2017 at 2:08 PM, Muakhah said:

This build is a lovely one with a well travelled and maintained road. I am envious of your goats and the lovely passage of different travelers. The stream banks and reeds look nice and busy and the bridge arches look great.

Thanks, Muakhah!  The bridge and the stream and reeds were definitely the focal points of this build for me, though I did enjoy designing the cart as well.

On 5/3/2017 at 2:22 PM, The Maestro said:

Woah, this landscaping is sick. The olive work so well here and the flowers bring it to life. The reeds are also fantastic  Great trees aswell.

Thanks Maestro!  I do love building landscapes and foliage.

On 5/3/2017 at 8:16 PM, Kai NRG said:

Excellent build, one of my favorites from you!  So much lovely SNOT work along the sides and with the banks too!  Those trees look great, of course, and it's awesome how festive the whole scene is!  

Thanks, Kai!  This scene is just the preparations for the festivities.  Hopefully I will find the time someday to build the actual market scene!

21 hours ago, Umbra-Manis said:

That is quite a Phase I build!

Thanks, Umbra-Manis!

[Slegengr]

Here is the pine tree tutorial, added under the historic forum. @Henjin_Quilones

Edited May 8, 2017 by Slegengr

[en_zoo]

awesom build, Sleg. lovely landscape and bridge, cool wagon (so jelly of those cows.. !), but hey, the reeded bank steals the show! oh and I love that brick-build lyre!

nice to see the tutorial for your pine trees too, I've silently been waiting for it!

[Grover]

The bridge is great!  The brickwork looks fantastic.  The trees, however, are what really sticks out to me.  I don't know where you got all those vines, but they look great!  I wish I had enough vines to do something like that!  I also really like the reeds you built down by the river.  Excellent work!

[soccerkid6]

Great to see you return with another Mitgardian build! Especially such a gorgeous one I rather like the studs out banks myself, especially along the front side. It gives a neat cutaway look that isn't just standard bricks

Tremendous bridge and river, the reeds along the edges are a great detail So much fun minifigure activity too!

[mrcp6d]

Wow.  There's some great non-typical landscaping here Slegengar!    The contrast between the studdy & stem-element landscape and the studless bridge is great, those big trees are epic, and the attention you gave to the minifigs is fantastic--I particularly am enjoying the four-member band!

Awesome work all around. 

[Gunman]

Happy and colorful landscaping Slegen... Nice one... Now I have to get myself out of my inactivity too... 

[dathil]

this is amazing man! love the trees and such

[Leonardo da Bricki]

Beautiful scene! The trees are excellent, and the bridge is nice, though some light bley tiles or foliage to break up the dark gray block might be nice.

[Mpyromaxos]

Beautiful bridge! Loved the colours you use to the texture and of course the amaizing trees!