13 replies to this topic

[CptMugwash]

As the group march persistantly across the desert, their supplies rapidly diminishing they come across a small oasis, this little gem provides plenty of resources for them to relax and resupply as they go as the crow flies to get home.

I fancied a bit of landscaping this time so I've done a small oasis.







Thanks

C&C welcome as always.
More pics on my Flickr.

[Damaximus]

Really nice oasis!
And excellent work with the camel and the barrel on it!

Is that a spy or one of your own guys at the small hills? :p

[SkaForHire]

Nice little oasis! I am working on one right now too.

I like the "shape" of your oasis, it reminds me of the classic movie / cartoon oasis. It really speaks to our deserts in Kaliphlin, vast and unyielding, the tiniest comforts are treasured dearly.




I wish I had some trees!!!!

[CptMugwash]

DaMaximus Thanks, I would have used a yellow or black elastic band for the rope on the camel but couldn't find any.  I'm not sure who he is, a curious traveller? or a deadly assassin? We'll have to find out later  

SkaForHire That's exactly what I was going for the classic style in a vast desert.  I went on Bricklink and found some trees, I kind of go on look for a piece that I need then see what else that shop has, I sometimes get carried away though.

[NiceMarmot]

CptMugwash, on 29 December 2011 - 10:38 PM, said:

I went on Bricklink and found some trees, I kind of go on look for a piece that I need then see what else that shop has, I sometimes get carried away though.

Oh yeah! I know how that goes. Just went up to BL to order a $0.04 piece or two, and oh-look-what-else-they've-got, and the next thing you know you've spent $130!

[lightningtiger]

Excellent oasis 'CptMugwash', at least there is some water there for those travellers eh ?
Brick On !

[Damaximus]

NiceMarmot, on 30 December 2011 - 11:17 AM, said:

Oh yeah! I know how that goes. Just went up to BL to order a $0.04 piece or two, and oh-look-what-else-they've-got, and the next thing you know you've spent $130!

Just ordered all materials required for my palace (and a loading not necessary bricks (mostly minifigs) ). There goes my legomoney for the next 3 months

I am glad LOTR comes out this summer and not now:D

Edited by DaMaximus, 30 December 2011 - 04:31 PM.

[CptMugwash]

Thing is I don't like ordering just a few cheap pieces but I do limit myself to about £30.00  Sometimes I see something usually shiney and go ooo pwitty *click*, then I get it in the post and go why did I buy this?  I have 3 clear 4x4 half spheres, why? idk, I'm never gonna use them, well I might idk how though   Anyways, I've said I'm not going on BL until January because I'm toing and throwing from places, I usually get my stuff delivered to work because that's where I am through the day.

LT Thanks, after seeing DC's medievil guide I wanted to try and do some water but unfortunately that's all of the clear pieces I have, apart from windscreens and windows but those are no good.

[Basiliscus]

Great little scene CptMugwash!  

I like the foliage and the use of dark tan around the oasis to show the wet sand. The small hill at the back is very nicely done too. Your use of minifigures is good and they are posed well.

One small criticism I would make is that the landscape is a bit...bleak. I know that the desert is fairly flat but using more plates to sculpt the landscape would help.

[CptMugwash]

Totally agree, I thought that but really wasn't sure how I'd go about doing that, even with the lego picker-upper-popper-offer tool the plates are a bugger to get off.  I know Derfel does a frame but I don't know how to do that.  I'll have to give it a go in future mocs.  Thanks.

[Gabe]

Basiliscus, on 01 January 2012 - 12:44 PM, said:

Great little scene CptMugwash!  

I like the foliage and the use of dark tan around the oasis to show the wet sand. The small hill at the back is very nicely done too. Your use of minifigures is good and they are posed well.

One small criticism I would make is that the landscape is a bit...bleak. I know that the desert is fairly flat but using more plates to sculpt the landscape would help.

Agreed on all points!  

CptMugwash, on 01 January 2012 - 04:58 PM, said:

Totally agree, I thought that but really wasn't sure how I'd go about doing that, even with the lego picker-upper-popper-offer tool the plates are a bugger to get off.  I know Derfel does a frame but I don't know how to do that.  I'll have to give it a go in future mocs.  Thanks.

I reckon you've got a good high ground with the back right-hand corner, now you need to get some gentle undulations going with some plates. You already have some areas at one-plate hight, i would suggest you increase the oasis to 2-3 plates hight, going from tan to dark tan to green and possibly recessing the pool a plate as well. Then you could surround the oasis with a few sand dunes in a similar manner - about 2-3 plates high, or maybe a touch higher if you can. Just remember to try to "dither" the edges between layers so that they look less blocky and more organic. (lots of 1x2 plates are great for this) It takes a little bit of working out, but the effort is well worth the trouble.  

If you are struggling with a lack of parts in suitable colours, you can always reduce the overall area of your moc, you do have quite a bit of unused space that you could dispense with. Compressing the detail into a smaller area can give the moc a lively feel that it might not have when it is more spread out.  

I do hear what you are saying about pulling plates away from the baseplate - it can be hard work. The brick seperator tool can struggle with the larger plates, but it should be fine with plates up to 2x8 at least. For the larger plates you can always bend the baseplate away from them to get a initial purchase. Peronally i find tiles harder to get off baseplates - i use a minifig crowbar to jimmey them off, but it's fiddly work. I'm very much looking forward to getting one of those new brick seperators with the tile removing tool!

[CptMugwash]

Thanks for the advice Gabe, I'm definately going to expand my collection and 1x2 plates I'll keep in mind, I'll make sure I get plenty.  When building it I had it in my head about a small little gem in this vast desert but I do understand what you mean and I could have compressed it to just 2 32x32 bps, I should have tried it but I was getting sick of rearanging those plates once I had stuck them down.  With bigger plates I do bend the baseplate but I don't like it.  A new brick seperator? sounds handy will have to get one of those too.
Thanks.

[Si-MOCs]

So did we ever find out who the bloke in the back is? ;)

nicely done.

While I agree with Gabe that you should get a bit more variety - I do like the idea of flat deserts, maybe do a very slow gradient?

[CptMugwash]

SI-mocs, on 24 January 2012 - 03:23 AM, said:

So did we ever find out who the bloke in the back is? ;)

nicely done.

While I agree with Gabe that you should get a bit more variety - I do like the idea of flat deserts, maybe do a very slow gradient?

Hi Si, I haven't thought of a story for the guy yet but he's still in my collection so there's hope.  The oasis was a test of landscaping for me, with my embassy I've progressed quite a bit imo, with help from DC's guide, so I should be done before the deadline and maybes get a WIP pic up.
Cheers.