[Freebuild] Skaldar Port

[Louis of Nutwood]

You could smell it before you could see it. That salty, damp, stench of rancid meat, exposed in the open sea. Fish. As far as the eye could see. Fish hanging from balconies. Fish hanging rom hooks. Fish rotting in boxes and nets. Fish guts, fish fins, fish oil. And everything smelled the same.

Fish. 

Smugglers, wanderers, fugitives, fishermen, sailors, and outlaws, they all came to Skaldar Port looking for an opportunity to star over. And for some reason, dealing fish seemed like a good start. For me, something else was at stake. I wasn’t looking for a new start. I was looking for a man that has been hiding in the shadows for way too long.

The sack of coins tinkled as I walked the narrow streets of Skaldar. Glancing at signs and banners, I tried averting those eyes filled with temptation that arise in the depths of misery, and searched for the place where the dealer said he would be. The Smelly Inn.

Sounded just right.

I had the coin and now a target on my back. I could only hope Res would have the information I craved from the moment I left home.
But I couldn’t help but think... something smelled fishy.

________

Louis of Nutwood. 
Skaldar Port. Probably one of my largest builds so far. Really hope you like it.  
Let me know what you think. 
Skol!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ayrlego]

This is absolutely brilliant! I love how you have successfully portrayed such a large scale scene (multiple buildings and a large section of a town) in such a compact way. I have spent many hours pondering how I could make a dock scene around this size but incorporating a wider scene than my normal single buildings. I shall likely spend a longer time examining this scene!

The way you have build up the height of the scene and the ramshackle and interlocked nature of the stonework and buildings binds the scene together. So much detail! Very well done, excellent work!

[Eyrezer]

Really cool Louis. Great density and depth. Gives a real sense of lots going on and cramped smelly village. How high is the ground at the back compared to the front? Details I like: the red hand as a float; the reeds on the left; the green and black water. I have to say, though, I expected to see more fish in the build given that intro. Extra points for your last line in the story too.   Where is the torso of the woman by waterwheel from?

[jtooker]

Wow! This is awesome!  I cannot wait to look closer when I have more time.

[MKJoshA]

Such a lovely build! Some great details packed in here.

[Garmadon]

Fantastic job indeed - wonderful layout, as Ayrlego said; it all looks so natural, but at the same time it's just perfect to be able to see everything and enjoy all the details without getting lost in the busy-ness!  Your signature sideways stonework is great in the walls here, and the dark green and black looks lovely as the swampy water fades into the border.  Excellent work all around, sir!

[Kai NRG]

I love how there are so many buildings here, but you haven't let it get cluttered.  Like I said somewhere else, the layout really sells it, as it reaches a climax at the back.  Great stuff with the green water, the different minifigure activities, and the curving dock.  This gets pretty close to your pagoda as my favorite of your builds so far!

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 10/9/2021 at 9:02 PM, Ayrlego said:

This is absolutely brilliant! I love how you have successfully portrayed such a large scale scene (multiple buildings and a large section of a town) in such a compact way. I have spent many hours pondering how I could make a dock scene around this size but incorporating a wider scene than my normal single buildings. I shall likely spend a longer time examining this scene!

The way you have build up the height of the scene and the ramshackle and interlocked nature of the stonework and buildings binds the scene together. So much detail! Very well done, excellent work!

Ayrlego, it really means a lot that such a skillful and admired builder like you have enjoyed this MOC. Thanks for mentioning a few of the aspects you like about it. It was a true challenge to pack all those cottages together. The height variation and the triangular shaped footprint were pivotal to make this scene work. Lower structures on the front and side extremities, building up towards the center on the far back. I struggled to find a cohesive look, but I'm happy with the way it turned out. Even happier to know you can analyze, study and have some insights from this. 
From the start I knew I wanted this ramshackle feel, blending with nature, sort of dirty and decaying, and I'm thrilled you caught up to it. Thanks a lot, David. Your support and appraisal means I'm in the right way. Cheers!
 

On 10/9/2021 at 9:34 PM, Eyrezer said:

Really cool Louis. Great density and depth. Gives a real sense of lots going on and cramped smelly village. How high is the ground at the back compared to the front? Details I like: the red hand as a float; the reeds on the left; the green and black water. I have to say, though, I expected to see more fish in the build given that intro. Extra points for your last line in the story too.   Where is the torso of the woman by waterwheel from?

Hey, Eyrezer! Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I'm thrilled you liked this MOC to the point of mentioning some details you enjoyed about it. It was a struggle to pack everything together, but I'm happy with the result. 
As to your questions:
- From water to the tip of the cliff there's a 3 brick height. From the base of the cliff to the far end of the dirt road there's a height difference of 15 to 18 plates (so 5 to 6 bricks) variation. Now that I think about it, it turned out to be smooth and natural for a considerably high variation, right?
- That torso is from the "Warrior Woman" CMF series 10. 
- For the amount of fish, I honestly thought my huge collection of 10 fishes would be enough to build up a scene. But as is the case for most of the time, it fell a little short. :) (Always happens with DBG slopes, headlight bricks, leaves, and we are forced to adapt). Well, let's head to bricklink!
Finally, really happy you had the time to read through and caught my last sentence pun. 
Cheers, bud! Thanks again for your support. 

 

On 10/9/2021 at 10:38 PM, jtooker said:

Wow! This is awesome!  I cannot wait to look closer when I have more time.

Thanks, sire Tooker. Really happy you liked it. Come by, anytime. 

 

On 10/10/2021 at 11:23 PM, MKJoshA said:

Such a lovely build! Some great details packed in here.

Such a lovely comment. Thanks, sire MK! I'm thrilled you liked this humble build. Cheers, lad. 

 

On 10/11/2021 at 1:37 PM, Garmadon said:

Fantastic job indeed - wonderful layout, as Ayrlego said; it all looks so natural, but at the same time it's just perfect to be able to see everything and enjoy all the details without getting lost in the busy-ness!  Your signature sideways stonework is great in the walls here, and the dark green and black looks lovely as the swampy water fades into the border.  Excellent work all around, sir!

Really glad to hear you liked it, sir Garmadon! It was indeed a struggle to build up a cramped scene without getting over-cramped. Height variation was key to making this work. As I've been trying to apply in my latest builds, these height layers build a way for the eye to wander, still giving visibility to different sections. I'm happy you liked it, mate.
But it's a delight to know you feel I have a ~signature style~. For years I've accompanied phenomenal builders in this community, and after a while, upon the first glance, I could say who was the builder behind that MOC. Ayrlego is a great example, as is Brother Steven, Mark of Falworth, Kai and Sir Isaac Snyder. I wouldn't put myself next to those beasts of masterbuilders, but it's great to know I'm building up a personal style. 
Thanks for the heartwarming comment, Lord Garmadon! I salute you. 

 

On 10/11/2021 at 9:36 PM, Kai NRG said:

I love how there are so many buildings here, but you haven't let it get cluttered.  Like I said somewhere else, the layout really sells it, as it reaches a climax at the back.  Great stuff with the green water, the different minifigure activities, and the curving dock.  This gets pretty close to your pagoda as my favorite of your builds so far!

Really a thrill to read through your comment, Kai. I'm humbled by your review, as I can't put in words how much I admire you as a builder. From the beginning I forced myself to build in this footprint, envisioning a cramped city with a centered climax at the far end of the build. I know you have an eye for detail and a very distinct technical approach to photography, so I couldn't be happier you caught it in this build as well. 
Glad to know Skaldar Port reaches close to Toro Nagashi Temple, as both are personal favorites of mine, too. The temple reaches a higher ranking for me, maybe because of the snow. Haha. Really glad you liked it, Kai. Thanks for the support, brother. 

[NOD]

Very beautiful diorama! There is a lot of interesting things to see. I like the rocky coast with the jetty, the mill wheel and the vegetation. It's really great how the different houses were built on the hill. The different minifigures make the Port lively.

[Eyrezer]

Thanks @Louis of Nutwood, quite the elevation!

[Zilmrud]

A really nice build! The whole composition of the build is the best about it I think. It gives me the feeling that you hot when goming to a new village in a video game, like AC Valhalla that I play alot now. 

I also like the building techniques of the houses and that they all have the same style. It makes the village look more planned. Like the feeling you got in remote locations where men have built a town in the middle of nowhere.

A little suprising maybe, but my favourite detail is the boulders in the water. I have tried to use those pieces a few times but I haven't found a setting where they look good. But in the water it looks really good. I might use that later if it's ok?

//Peter

[Grover]

Wow!  This build is awesome.  I love how you were able to put so much into it without making it crowded by using varied elevation (something not particularly easy to make look natural for anyone who has not tried it).  The stonework looks great, the roofing is uniform, and the whole village scene has a cohesive feel to it.  The only part that I find confusing is the two layered dark green/black border since it appears to be water throughout.  Great use of some minifig parts and the eye-level photography throughout!

[zoth33]

Very nice build.  I like the rock work and stone work.  Some nice texturing throughout the build.  Some nice details here like the mill wheel, the cat chasing the mouse, the dog licking the fish.  It just looks like a smelly fish port, well done.  

[Exetrius]

This is the type of build that makes my heart skip a beat when I see it in my Flickr feed for the first time!  With my eyes I wander from one interesting spot to the next; what a gorgeous piece of village!  As others have said, great composition and a coherent style between the houses. All the more impressive that there is actually plenty of variation going on with the roofs and their orientation! Also, I think the bars you have on top of the roofs add quite a bit of visual interest. One other particular part use that is nice is the V-angle plates that make up part of the scaffolding at the water. Oh and I really like the pathway leading down to the shore, surrounded by a health amount of vegetation. All in all, this really has that sleepy remote village atmosphere. 

Btw, the irregular base is neat! However, it's also a bit enigmatic: what is the layer of dark green exactly? It would work for water because it's very smooth, but then what is the black? And finally: I suppose this is a bit south in Mitgardia and maybe not too far from the see, judging by the gull? 

Keep rocking, sir Louis! 

 

[jtooker]

On 10/9/2021 at 2:19 PM, Louis of Nutwood said:

Really hope you like it. 

Every bit of it!

Big picture - it is framed wonderfully with the tallest buildings in back sloping down to the waterfront.  The wooden dock is well done and chaotic - good use of the a-frame pieces.  You've also done a great job squeezing in details without making the scene too busy - I'm sure the large size helps in this respect - I'd really love to see it in person.

The lanterns are novel and tie the different buildings together, alone with the same rough stone and roof techniques.

 

[mrcp6d]

Best castle diorama I've seen in a while!  

I really like how the whole thing continuously gains height moving up the hill from the water to the tower in the back, and how you've sort of framed the whole thing with the buildings.  The waterwheel design is particularly slick.  

[Maxim I]

What a wonderfull MOC! So many things to enjoy. The way the houses, roads, rocks, harbor, are coming together is absolutely well done!

The watermill is very nice :D

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 10/15/2021 at 12:19 AM, NOD said:

Very beautiful diorama! There is a lot of interesting things to see. I like the rocky coast with the jetty, the mill wheel and the vegetation. It's really great how the different houses were built on the hill. The different minifigures make the Port lively.

So glad you liked it, NOD! Thank you so much for your support, bud.

 

On 10/16/2021 at 5:35 AM, Zilmrud said:

A really nice build! The whole composition of the build is the best about it I think. It gives me the feeling that you hot when goming to a new village in a video game, like AC Valhalla that I play alot now. 

I also like the building techniques of the houses and that they all have the same style. It makes the village look more planned. Like the feeling you got in remote locations where men have built a town in the middle of nowhere.

A little suprising maybe, but my favourite detail is the boulders in the water. I have tried to use those pieces a few times but I haven't found a setting where they look good. But in the water it looks really good. I might use that later if it's ok?

//Peter

Hey, Peter! I'm thrilled you liked it, bud. I'm glad it looks kind of planned, as it took me some time to plan it :) 
About the boulders, they are yours to use! Would love to see you push yourself even harder. Cheers, man!
 

 

On 10/17/2021 at 6:35 PM, Grover said:

Wow!  This build is awesome.  I love how you were able to put so much into it without making it crowded by using varied elevation (something not particularly easy to make look natural for anyone who has not tried it).  The stonework looks great, the roofing is uniform, and the whole village scene has a cohesive feel to it.  The only part that I find confusing is the two layered dark green/black border since it appears to be water throughout.  Great use of some minifig parts and the eye-level photography throughout!

I'm thrilled you liked it, Grover! This beast was a challenge to shoot, but I'm happy with the final result. I was unsure about adding the black frame, as I can understand how it works both as base and deeperwater. Still, glad with the way it turned out. Cheers, Grover! Always a pleasure. 
 

 

On 10/17/2021 at 6:46 PM, zoth33 said:

Very nice build.  I like the rock work and stone work.  Some nice texturing throughout the build.  Some nice details here like the mill wheel, the cat chasing the mouse, the dog licking the fish.  It just looks like a smelly fish port, well done.  

I'm happy you mentioned a few scenes scattered across the build, Zoth. The cat-and-mouse, the fish-liking-dog... really glad you liked it, brother! Thanks for the support. 

 

On 10/18/2021 at 6:59 AM, Exetrius said:

This is the type of build that makes my heart skip a beat when I see it in my Flickr feed for the first time!  With my eyes I wander from one interesting spot to the next; what a gorgeous piece of village!  As others have said, great composition and a coherent style between the houses. All the more impressive that there is actually plenty of variation going on with the roofs and their orientation! Also, I think the bars you have on top of the roofs add quite a bit of visual interest. One other particular part use that is nice is the V-angle plates that make up part of the scaffolding at the water. Oh and I really like the pathway leading down to the shore, surrounded by a health amount of vegetation. All in all, this really has that sleepy remote village atmosphere. 

Btw, the irregular base is neat! However, it's also a bit enigmatic: what is the layer of dark green exactly? It would work for water because it's very smooth, but then what is the black? And finally: I suppose this is a bit south in Mitgardia and maybe not too far from the see, judging by the gull? 

Keep rocking, sir Louis! 

Always a thrill to read through your comments, Exetrius! You sure have an eye for spotting details. Hah! I'm super happy you liked it, man, and that you mentioned a few aspects that make you happy about it. I went for a sleepy atmosphere, and I'm glad you perceived it. 
As for the green-black base, I figured the green would resembled a swampy water, and the black, only the deeper shades of the water. And yeah! I figure.. south of Mitgardia, still protected from all the frost and snow.
Cheers, lad! Thanks for the support, brother. 

[Blufiji]

The buildings remind me alot of a build SK did back in the day with the various textures. I enjoy the sense of community I get from the build, with the tight-knit buildings, the little details (such as the cat on the roof), and the overall business of it. Well done sir. 

[Sympatik Brick]

Really lively Moc. I love especially the rounded docks and the water-mill (it was my first Moc project for GoH, but I didn’t figure how to do this. I’ll probably try later, now I have a really nice model)

Almost everything is perfect on this build, so many clever use of parts.

The only little imperfection in my opinion: Do you have seven minifigs’ hooks to hang the fishes? It would be more realistic and beautiful.

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 10/19/2021 at 10:50 PM, jtooker said:

Every bit of it!

Big picture - it is framed wonderfully with the tallest buildings in back sloping down to the waterfront.  The wooden dock is well done and chaotic - good use of the a-frame pieces.  You've also done a great job squeezing in details without making the scene too busy - I'm sure the large size helps in this respect - I'd really love to see it in person.

The lanterns are novel and tie the different buildings together, alone with the same rough stone and roof techniques.

I'm really happy you liked it, sir Tooker. I'm honored and flattered. Glad you pointed a few aspects of the build I struggled to perfect: the docks using A frames, the lanterns I always try to include in my builds... Thanks for the comment, fellow traveler. I hope someday our stories cross when the fresh winds of Avalonia and frigid blows of Mitgardia meet. 
Cheers, lad.
 

On 10/26/2021 at 2:43 AM, mrcp6d said:

Best castle diorama I've seen in a while!  

I really like how the whole thing continuously gains height moving up the hill from the water to the tower in the back, and how you've sort of framed the whole thing with the buildings.  The waterwheel design is particularly slick.  

Naah, now that's an appraisal! Thank you so much for the heartwarming comment, MRCP6D. I'm glad you mentioned the height-gaining design. It was something I tried to implement from the start. And the waterwheel felt like a rush of creativity that came out together pretty nicely. Really glad you liked it, bud. Thanks for the support!
 

On 10/26/2021 at 10:16 AM, Maxim I said:

What a wonderfull MOC! So many things to enjoy. The way the houses, roads, rocks, harbor, are coming together is absolutely well done!

The watermill is very nice :D

Aaah, your words make me blush, Maxim. Really glad you liked it. I did put a lot of work and planning into it, so I'm happy it pays off by inspiring other builders. Thanks for the support, mate. Cheers!

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 12/16/2021 at 8:26 PM, Blufiji said:

The buildings remind me alot of a build SK did back in the day with the various textures. I enjoy the sense of community I get from the build, with the tight-knit buildings, the little details (such as the cat on the roof), and the overall business of it. Well done sir. 

Such an honor, Sir Blufiji. 
You humble me with your kind words. 
It means a lot you liked it and felt the community sense of the build.
Really glad you liked it, mate. 
Skol!

On 12/16/2021 at 10:17 PM, Sympatik Brick said:

Really lively Moc. I love especially the rounded docks and the water-mill (it was my first Moc project for GoH, but I didn’t figure how to do this. I’ll probably try later, now I have a really nice model)

Almost everything is perfect on this build, so many clever use of parts.

The only little imperfection in my opinion: Do you have seven minifigs’ hooks to hang the fishes? It would be more realistic and beautiful.

I'm truly happy you liked this little build, Sympatik. It sure was a challenge to put together, but heck of a fun time!
Those hooks? They would work perfectly! But, yeah.. I only have one of them. Couldn't agree more, though. Well, but we gotta work with what we have. 
Still, I'm satisfied with the final result and glad you liked it, sir. 
Thanks for the support, brother. 
Skol!