The Castle of El Katar *UPDATE*

Jacob C. · Post by **Jacob C.** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:25 am

I finally finished photographing my castle and editing through the pics. (I started out with around 140 pics and ended up with about 60)

So here it is, El Katar Castle:

Shurtugal · Post by **Shurtugal** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:58 am

Wow! That is one sweet castle! I really love the whole atmoshpere of the MOC, there's a lot going on, but it's obviously peacetime, and the castle seems like a place that ships would dock, maybe take a bit of shore leave.....

My one suggestion is that you cap all the tops with black plates.

Other than that, amazing!

The dark tide · Post by **The dark tide** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:00 am

Very well done. I love the castle on the beach idea, there is something about castle near the ocean that is very interesting. The Majisto pic made me crack up

wunztwice · Post by **wunztwice** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:25 am

Awsome! I love the shape of it and the sand piled up against the walls. Another crusader castle, wow! The red really accents the castle well. (I spy a certain ship...)

Remyth · Post by **Remyth** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:34 am

The dark tide wrote:The Majisto pic made me crack up

Me too!

Anywhossle, a very good castle! I like all of the details you included. THere are many more things, but it would take too long to mention all of them. Great job all around!!

In Chirst,

The Wolfpack Boss · Post by **The Wolfpack Boss** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 5:48 am

That really is a sweet looking castle.

Aside from the fact that I love seeing Crusaders lording it over some Jerusalem-esque locale because Crusaders should be crusading, it's really aesthetically pleasing.

Plain gray castles sometimes seem monotone. A lot of people have come up with great ideas to mottle different shades in with the gray, etc ... Some are still a little plain, even with red roofs to break them up. Not this one. Because the ground around the castle is covered in a color not often seen (but thankfully showing up more and more!) tan sand and dark gray rocks, it offsets the light gray perfectly. The green of the palm trees as foliage always does, adds color, but it's really the yellow details of the various decorative trimming (in old Crusader standards) that really makes it perfect. Those banners, flags, shields, add just the right amount of decadent flavor to really give this place some character. Those little bits of blue puddles - leftover pools from high tide, no doubt - add a great feeling of activeness (realism?), like this place always has something going on - even if it's just the ocean tides.

The cross windows add that touch of religious zealotry that I too associate with the Crusaders. The dark and light gray tiles on the walkways are used perfectly, and the pillars used on the corners of the keep's precipice are something I haven't seen pulled off this well, and are great. The more sheer slopes of sand on the castle's right side give another bit of realism - the wind and waves must pile sand up under the high walls.

The long stairway onto the high walls, and the one from the courtyard up to the outer walls are really cool. Good strategically too. (They actually remind me of the shallow steps in Helm's Deep in The Two Towers - you could get horses up them onto the walls).

And then of course, classic Crusader guards and a really slick looking medieval ship are the icing on the "holy soldiers in a foreign land" feeling.

10/10 in my book. I'd love to play with this thing.

Also - I see hinge pieces on the outer walls of those keeps - interiors? I'd love to see them. More Crusader flavor and armories and the likes ... what's the scoop?

DARKspawn · Post by **DARKspawn** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:32 am

Incredible stuff! This would certainly do extremely well in the misc entry in CCCIV. The mix of grey & red is really effective. I also like the higher arrow slits & the way you have set the banners in the archway - nice touch. The "jetty" looks really cool & the setting really makes it stand out. Oh & lol at Majisto

Very well done

Denix · Post by **Denix** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 10:04 am

Woowwwww ! Really impressive. A lot of very good ideas, details and styles. I found it on brickshelf and spent an hour viewing it.
How did you make such castle ? Did you make a blue print before ?

I really love it !

Denix

P.S : Are they interiors ?

pj_bosman · Post by **pj_bosman** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:18 pm

that's a very different setting than the ones I've seen before. The beach-like surrounding adds to a mediterranian atmosphere - well done!

supernova · Post by **supernova** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:05 pm

This castle looks really unique due to its surroundings.. on a beach/sand rather than on green hills

I really like the red accents on the windows and I think the colour combination is superb!
Was just wondering how long you took to build the castle, and whether you built an interior for it (which probably would be amazing as well

)
And I think the trading vessel would make a great CCCIV entry

Post by **Bruce N H** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:12 pm

supernova wrote: And I think the trading vessel would make a great CCCIV entry

Jacob's grand cog was posted before November 1, and so would be ineligible (probably good news to anyone entering that category, as that would be very stiff competition). However, pictures of the castle without the boat at the dock would be eligible in the miscelaneous category. Will this be a CCC entry, Jacob?

Bruce

brody · Post by **brody** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:30 pm

Spectacular! Amazing how the setting/landscape can define the character and atmosphere of a MOC. I particularly like the latticed window treatment you have created for the upper windows of your keep, and the small oasis' near the outer walls. I also like the colour scheme you are working in, it has a very "classic" feel.

I finally finished photographing my castle and editing through the pics. (I started out with around 140 pics and ended up with about 60)

Sometimes it seems like shooting, editing, and then uploading pics takes as long as it does to build the MOC in the first place!

Cheers,
Brody

CAI · Post by **CAI** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 10:21 pm

Excellent style and landscaping. Majisto was pretty funny good stuff.

Jacob C. · Post by **Jacob C.** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 11:12 pm

Thanks for all the compliments guys!

Will this be a CCC entry, Jacob?

I won't be entering this moc in the contest. I already posted pics of the Ship and the Keep before Nov 1st. Though if I have time, I might build something for the Bridge or Miscellaneous category.

P.S : Are they interiors ?

The Keep has an interior:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=207084
I posted a thread on the keep a month or two ago.

Sometimes it seems like shooting, editing, and then uploading pics takes as long as it does to build the MOC in the first place!

Oh, I know that too well!
But my photography and photo editing skills have improved since my return to lego 2 years ago, so I am grateful for that.

Thanks again for the compliments guys!

kelderic · Post by **kelderic** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 1:18 am

Wonderful! I really like the drawbridge on the back, with the upper supports. ANd the interior works is great too. Thanks for sharing it.

Kelderic

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The Castle of El Katar UPDATE

The Castle of El Katar UPDATE

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