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How to build: Medieval. [Advanced]

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CGBrothers's Avatar CGBrothers
Level 53 : Grandmaster Lego Builder
61
Hello my friends. As some of you, if any of you, know I have been gone I am here to tell why. Over the past few months and such I have been concentrating upon my building skill, working with builders and building on my own. I have not been active on PMC because of this, and I am truly sorry. But here I am to present a new type of blog: How to build within the medieval style. Without further ado, let us begin.

This is intended for an advanced building audience. You ought to be familiar with medieval style. You can build medieval houses, and are looking to expand your size. This design would be a design to use in a medieval manor. Enjoy.


Detail in medieval designs:

Detail is great due to the presence of depth in medieval styled builds. It really allows you to put a whole range of blocks within the build to make it pop out, attract the eye, and basically make the viewers head explode. If you want to work on detail, here is the challenge I will give you to help you improve. Make a building that uses ALL of these blocks (if its wood or something, just use any type of wood): Wood planks, Wood slabs, Logs, Wood Stairs, Stone brick, stone brick slabs, stone brick stairs, hoppers, fences, cobblestone walls, glass, stone/wood button, torches, and some colored wool/stained clay. 

Depth in medieval designs:


Depth within medieval styles is amazing. I love medieval because it needs to be big, thick, and heavy, which allows the builder to have so much space to allow for depth. Depth is what makes a build look amazing, detail is what finishes it and makes it fantastic. In this design I use a 5 layered (So 5 blocks deep) design. It really makes the wall segment pop out and look fortifying. You intermediate builders probably have not used such a deep design, but try and replicate this. After that, try and make a build with a minimum of 3 layers, to help you understand the depth concept. Play around with it, see what makes things look best when they are put outwards (Towards the viewer) or inwards (Away from the viewer).

The basics:

Most people believe that medieval style builds all start with a wall. Then they build off of this wall to get their finished product. This is wrong. To achieve the most realistic looking design, we will simply follow the normal procedure to how architects would construct such a build. Of course, since minecraft has next to no physics, we can cut a few corners (We dont need to build scaffolds and such, and we can create preposterously unsupported decorative blocks).

To start, we will want supports. Medieval builds are based completely around supports. These two (not necessarily two, but for this instructional blog we will use two) supports will control everything about your wall segment: height, and width. Also, as a side note, most medieval builds are repeated wall-segment designs that will be the exterior. The interior is the main 'improv' part, as in it has no or very few repeated segments.

So, here are my supports:
How to build: Medieval. [Advanced]

For this, I have decided to use two supports that are both 6 blocks high and 7 blocks apart. I have always preferred using a odd number of blocks inbetween the two supports so I have a definite middle.

Now, following what I said before, we need to make this realistic. How can I support my two main poles (Remember that in the finished version there will be things to the left and right, and the interior will worry about behind: Just make sure they are supported from falling forward, or falling towards one another[If minecraft had actual physics which it doesn't]).

So, here are my supports adding strength to my main foundations. Also, I used these particular "designs" as you would call it because these are my favorite. I love the fence and hopper combination and I love the stone brick stair with another stone brick stair upside down right above it look. Over time, as you build more, you will find more and more of these "designs" that are your favorite. Using these designs and also other tricks will help you create your own building style.

How to build: Medieval. [Advanced]

Now we have an extremely strong foundation, and medieval builds are all about strength. Finally, we have a strong base to build a wall upon and to hold windows for us. Lets start to add a wall. Now we can finally play with the outcome and depth of the build. After adding some walls and windows, I quickly started to realize I actually wanted to try something new: to add a inlaid foundational log that would help me add more depth. 
Heres what I ended up with:
How to build: Medieval. [Advanced]

Now I want you to realize what just happened, how I followed the "realistic" path. I started with my foundation. I build up that foundation. I then added my walls and windows, but quickly discovered they needed more support and so I added a third foundation in the middle, except set back. In the final version of this you will see why I inlaid the third foundation. This right now is all fine and dandy, we have a solid wall! But now, lets make it pretty. First of all, I dislike all of that dirt upon my windowsill, and second of all, I think my window is too plain.

So now my window has some detail and the ground infront of my windowsill, but now I think I want to look forward to a second level. Lets start preparing the top of the first floor for the second floor. We will add a slight roof lookalike to the first floor just to add detail and depth, to spice things up if you will. It will also prove to be handy for lighting afterwards.

Now, this was in no way a world changer, but it helps add detail. The hardest part in building medieval is to have the right balance of detail. Too much, and it looks like a sloppy mess. Too little, and it looks like a childs patchwork dirt shack. 

There. The first floor is complete, and looking good. The second floor is pretty simple foundation wise, just continue your main foundations up. Normally I keep them the same hieght (The first floor was 6 blocks tall, the second floor will be 6 blocks tall) but you can always change this.

Sorry, just ignore the stuff in the background. Most of it is just test stuff. 

Now as you can see I already added the supports to my main foundations for the second floor. I also wanted to bring up a minor tip: While you do not want the style to be EXACTLY the same in the second story as the first, you still want it recognizable. Players should be able to see the first floor, then see the second floor (Separately) and be "Oh yeah I recognize that. Its a little different though." As you can tell, I made a few changes but overall it is the same style. Now, we continue on. (We are repeating the steps we used from the first floor to build the second.) And now I add walls and windows:

Now, I am skipping a few small steps here because we already went over them and you are supposed to be atleast an advanced builder for this blog tutorial. I added detail to the windows, using that similar fence design. Now I need to finish and connect the upper part of the wall to the foundations. 

And there. It is mostly done. There are two things I want to say. One is lighting. Lighting should be done moderately, medieval builds are dark. If you copy this design, I put torches on two of the fences in the first floor, the ones nearest the center log. Just one on each side of the log ontop of the fence. And then on the second floor, I put them out of sight. I put them hanging on the log, right behind the stone stairs and inbetween the glass (There is a one block wide trench there). 

The next part, the most difficult part, is the roof. There are two very common roofs in medieval, Peaked and flat (ish). Peaked roofs are the hardest, yet better looking roof to do. Flat roofs will look good but can be difficult to really let them flourish. I will let you figure out your own roofs, I think that is the best for young and learning builders. But, to be fair, I will show you what I did for the final product. Here is the final design:

I spent a very long time on this design. (Few days.) It is one of my better designs. I do not mind if you do replicate it for LEARNING use only. Please do not use this design in any of your builds that you would use on a server, on a project, or anything else. I would not mind if a txp designer wanted to use a picture of this in their txp to show off. If you do, PM me, this is on a creative server. You can just log on and snap a pic.

Spoiler: The current build I am working on.
Expect this build, Draconis Inferno, to be public within a few days. Enjoy!



Also, if you ever want to build with me I would be ecstatic to! I love to build with people and I love to teach them. If you're interested, you can PM me for when I am normally on the creative server I build. If you just want to join and talk to my friends (And teachers, mind you), look up Dawn-Creative. You might have known some of them, since the build team placed 3rd in the nether building contest awhile back! Good job, Team Solari!

Also, I hope this helped you advanced builders. If any of you are beginner or still intermediate builders and reading through this, I am sorry but you are probably over your head. I left out a lot of stuff I would say to you beginners, like how to use depth, how to mix up blocks and such. I will have a medieval beginners guide coming out soon though! With a much simpler yet equally good looking design. 
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3 Update Logs

Advanced update. : by CGBrothers 06/15/2014 5:46:07 pmJun 15th, 2014

I had to move this blog to the advanced category. I feel too many people were not understanding this. There is a level of building more difficult and better looking than this, not sure what to call it, but expect a beginner's tut today or tomorrow, followed by a intermediate tut. Both of the designs that I want to showcase for those are completed and ready, I am not sure what I will showcase for this next "level" that is above advanced. Most likely just a large unified medieval build. Thanks.
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1
04/25/2016 2:20 am
Level 1 : New Crafter
Drake17
Drake17's Avatar
Das not medieval fam. Medieval people would never be stupid enough to have large glass windows that were just going to get punched out anyway. This be fantasy.
1
07/14/2015 9:43 pm
Level 10 : Journeyman Architect
the ugly biscuit
the ugly biscuit's Avatar
Great guide
1
06/14/2014 3:56 pm
Level 61 : High Grandmaster Paladin
Rossky
Rossky's Avatar
This is not bad. But i would consider flipping the materials as it would make more sense to put stone as the material that has to hold the weight than wooden parts - ofc you only should consider is if you go for a realistic feeling. personally, i use wood as the frame myself xD
1
06/14/2014 3:58 pm
Level 53 : Grandmaster Lego Builder
CGBrothers
CGBrothers's Avatar
Wood is the frame, its just at times hard to see. I like to start with wood, and then put stone around it as if it is to reinforce it. The final version of this design as 5 log upright supports that go from top to bottom, and then I believe there are one or two crossbeams of wood. Thanks though!
1
06/14/2014 1:34 pm
Level 2 : Apprentice Network
FutureLegends
FutureLegends's Avatar
Nice Work Zombeh, I am a Medival style builder to!
I'd like to build something with you, if you are interested please message me.

Greets,
Sebastiaan
1
06/13/2014 5:02 am
Level 3 : Apprentice Explorer
Blueyy__
Blueyy__'s Avatar
I have never ben able to do Medieval. You. Did. AWESOME! I wish I could do that, but it's just not my style.
1
06/13/2014 12:17 pm
Level 53 : Grandmaster Lego Builder
CGBrothers
CGBrothers's Avatar
Thank you! This was an intermediate blog, helping already experienced builders understand depth and detail more, and how it can make the build look much better.


Within a few days though I will put out a beginner blog, so look forward to that! I will go over basic blocks, basic shapes, general medieval styled houses and roofs, and maybe a small amount of detail. 


Good luck!


-ZombehPig2
1
06/21/2014 10:08 pm
Level 3 : Apprentice Explorer
Blueyy__
Blueyy__'s Avatar
Okay, a beginner blog would be great! Can't wait!
1
06/22/2014 1:23 am
Level 53 : Grandmaster Lego Builder
CGBrothers
CGBrothers's Avatar
Check my profile, already got one up for you.
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