SarahJoy

Lord Dama, you're killing me! I have a herald, but it wasn't meant to be revealed for another few builds! But, with the threat of orange-purple flags, I suppose I'd better offer the herald instead.

Again, thank you all for your kind welcome! Marvelous! I'm afraid you're a few steps ahead of me! Here's what I'm thinking so far: I haven't yet finalized any characteristic Ruadhi accessories -- I still need to order some parts and see how they actually look, and it'll probably be a few weeks at least until I reach that point in my builds. Right now, I'm leaning towards the BrickWarriors City Watch Tassets in red (which could look like a sort of work apron.) The BrickForge gunbelt in red (with a paintbrush tucked in the holster) is also a possibility I'm considering. I've looked at using specific minifig pieces, but I don't want to be limited to using only male or only female artists. In general, Ruadhi favor work clothes, rather than formal wear. Think peasants, blacksmiths, etc. -- something you can get dirty in. (But not too ragged -- we're not slobs!) Tools include palette and brush for painters, and hammer and chisel for sculptors. Finally, Ruadhi artists are often accompanied by their Belville Mastiffs, an ancient breed of dogs who serve as companions, protectors, and pack animals. I was going to save this one for a surprise, but the mastiffs are probably the easiest way to identify a Ruadhi! I'm open to feedback and suggestions as far as wardrobing.

Brilliant concept!

I'm sure this could be better answered by more experienced Historicans, but I'll give it a go. Here's the thing: while many cities establish a reputation for a particular skill or product, they still need a broad set of skills in order for the community to thrive. For example, while Ruadh may be famed for the skill of its artists, we also have stone-cutters, farmers, and other tradesmen who live in the settlement -- without them, our community would collapse. This is a good thread that describes some of the things necessary to have a viable city. So, while your city might be famed for metalworking, you'd still get to (and be somewhat expected to) have a variety of other types of tradesmen and their MOCs in your city. Thank you gendren_y! Indeed, Nestlands pigments are unrivaled, and we of Ruadh are pleased to work with such fine materials, and such good trading partners!

Yep, absolutely! In fact, it's very likely that there are several Ruadhi working in a city as large and wealthy as Barqa.

Thank you all for the warm welcome! That's a good question! To some extent, yes, as much as any artists are settled. The artists of Ruadh come from all over the kingdom to train at Atelier Ruadh, and after training, they leave to seek their fortune. Traditionally, artists of this time period often lead a somewhat nomadic existence: They'll be hired by a wealthy family to create one our more pieces of art. When the commission(s) are complete, the artist will leave to seek a new patron. One might work for a family (or city, religious leader, or anyone else looking to hire them) for as little as one month, or be kept on retainer for several years. Many Ruadhic artists will return to Ruadh between patrons, to catch up on kingdom-wide gossip, share and learn new techniques, and stock up on materials, as well spend a bit of time teaching at the Atelier. (Then there's the family Ruadh, some of whom are nomadic artists, and some of whom live in Ruadh full-time, engaged in other occupations.) tl:dr Yes, kind of. :)

Greetings, Kaliphlin! Please allow me to humbly introduce myself. My name is Siedna Ruadh, acclaimed artist and founder of both the settlement of Ruath, and Atelier Ruadh, Historica's most reputable artists' workshop. After some years of traveling the width and breadth of Historica, building my reputation as the kingdom's preeminent portraitist, I decided to establish a settlement of my own, and create an artist's commune. The settlement of Ruadh was founded with three specific goals in mind: provide a home community for the traveling artists throughout the kingdom, where they could rest, relax, and engage with like-minded folk, in between working for patrons throughout the lands. establish a formal workshop, in which fledgling artists could hone their craft, and trade secrets could be passed on to future generations. offer a centralized location for travelers with distinguished tastes to buy a variety of the finest artisan goods available. Over time, Ruadh has become renowned for the spirited community and exceptional artisan marketplace. The reputation and quality of the fine arts education at Atelier Ruadh ensures that graduating journeymen are sought after, even in the farthest reaches of our explored world. Despite the Kaliphlin heat, Ruadh has even built a bit of a reputation as a resort town for those looking to spend a bit of gold in a more bohemian, laissez-faire location. Ruadh, as I'm sure you all know, is located on the Oil Road just west of Petraea. ---- Again, greetings, Kaliphlin! I'm a new AFOL, interested in becoming a better builder. I'm attracted to Historica, and Kaliphlin in particular, for the dedication to improving LEGO building skills through specific constructive criticism and encouragement. The quality of the builds here serves both as inspiration and goals. Over time, I intend to show the early founding and establishment of my settlement of Ruadh, and how my settlement has grown and continues to grow. I hope my small portion of Historica, as an artists' community, will provide interest and richness to the Historica tapestry. My plan is to start small and then build to larger MOCs, as my bricks and skills will allow. I intend to use AoM as a loose inspiration, and work to establish recognition of my settlement through the Royal Cartographer's Guild of Albion. As my skills improve, I hope to earn credits through the University of Petraea. I'm looking forward to improving my build skills and creating an interesting settlement/story-line with the Historica community.

I really enjoy the color and texture variation on the wall. The double tusks on the elephant are pretty cool, too.

Very nice! I enjoy the clean lines of the castle and the irregular base shape.