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32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 8:42 pm
by Karrde
My first answer to this year's challenge:

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In the early fifth century the Roman Empire was under pressure, harsh winters across Europe meant that more and more Barbarians were crossing the Rhine into the Empire. Emperor Constantine was forced to withdraw troops from Britain in order to combat these attacks, leaving Britain open to invasions of Angles, Jutes and Saxons. The Romans had given Britain an infrastructure and population levels that would not be rivalled again until the Medieval period, but all this soon began to crumble as Britain entered the Dark Ages.

I know I said I didn't have enough bricks for a primary colour castle, but then this came to me - inspired by one of my favourite Anglo-Saxon poems, the Ruin:

"Roofs are fallen, ruinous towers,
the frosty gate with frost on cement is ravaged,
chipped roofs are torn, fallen,
undermined by old age."

Thanks for looking! :)

Re: 32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 8:52 pm
by nanuck95
The ruins look great, the snow is the perfect touch which really sets the mood for this. Awesome job!

Re: 32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:39 pm
by Blego7
Wow brilliant idea! I love all the creations with random colors that are coming out now. Crazy. Love the roof.

Re: 32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:41 pm
by Tycho McKorley
I would have never thought of a red castle in a snow ruin. To my surprise, it turned out really well. Nice work!

Re: 32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:08 pm
by OverLoad
I really like the roof covered with snow on the top of the ruins. Looks quite realistic.

Good job. :)

Re: 32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:06 pm
by Karrde
Thank-you everyone for your kind compliments! :D
Tycho McKorley wrote: To my surprise, it turned out really well.
I think it provides a good contrast in colours, which makes it more eye-catching.

Re: 32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:45 pm
by Ye Olde Republic
The snow is a brilliant way to quiet down the red of this. Some have said that the ruin is a bit too symmetrical and I might agree with that but then I think "why was it ruined in the first place?" Was it attacked and abandoned? Has it slowly been picked apart for the stone? Has age simply left it to crumble on it's own?
If a large boulder were to have hit it at the correct angle, it would most certainly be an even hole in the wall. If it were constructed in a symmetric manner, it stands to reason that had the locals been taking stones from it they would take them in a systematic manner so as not to knock it down on themselves. Or perhaps through the ages many a weary traveller, such as this fellow, have bedded down for the cold night. Many strong fires in one corner of the tower have weakened and damaged the mortar holding the corner together and it just crumbled on it's own in the following rain storms.

Re: 32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 5:00 pm
by H3LLB0Y3
Fantastic work! some of the most natural looking snow ive seen yet.

Re: 32X32 challenge: red

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:51 pm
by Karrde
Ye Olde Republic wrote:If a large boulder were to have hit it at the correct angle, it would most certainly be an even hole in the wall. If it were constructed in a symmetric manner, it stands to reason that had the locals been taking stones from it they would take them in a systematic manner so as not to knock it down on themselves. Or perhaps through the ages many a weary traveller, such as this fellow, have bedded down for the cold night. Many strong fires in one corner of the tower have weakened and damaged the mortar holding the corner together and it just crumbled on it's own in the following rain storms.
Hmm, gap in the wall was the gateway which could have been destroyed in an attack and the hole in the tower would have been the doorway, both bound to be weak-spots once the ravages of time set to work + all your reasons. I can't explain the symmetry really, but I don't think it hurts the aesthetic anyway :lol: