Workshop how to convert the druids cottage.


  • Used tools and materials:

    Cutter knife, sandpaper, acrylcolors, brushes, ballpen, Styrodur


    The original druids cottage looks like this:



    And these are some items from Thomarillion I used:



  • Prologue


    There are many ways and possibilities to convert hardfoam buildings.

    The idea of a customer inspired me to build a water mill for halflings out of the cottage.



  • Step 1


    I decide where the door, windows and millwheel should be.

    The small extension of the cottage has been buil across the millstream.

    But you could also cover the original door with the millwheel and place the new entrance on the former backside of the cottage. Whatever you like better.




  • I use a ballpen to draw the positions of door and windows onto the cottage walls.


    The position of the door demands two small steps (made out of Styrodur) underneath the entrance.



  • Above the door I like to place a roof window.



  • Step 2

    With a sharp cutter knife I cut into the cottage walls following the lines I draw before.

    Some filler covers the remains of the old door.




    For the windows you don't need to cut through the complete wall. It's enough to cut approx. 5mm following the lines.

    Afterwards I puncture a hole in the middle of the planned window and break the unnecessary material off.



  • Step 3


    Underneath two of the windows I like to place broad window sills (for flowerpots p.e.).

    I use the single shelves from the Thomarillion range for that.



  • Here it looks like if I had planned the shelf for exact that use. ;-)



  • The pointed window on the backside of the cottage is much higher than the round one.

    I remove the frame of the old window with a cutter knife. You also may use some filler.



  • Step 4

    The mill will not be part of a complete terrain with water and so I have to cut off the millwheel parts that would be lower than the surface.

    You can use sandpaper to smoothen the wheel and can glue it in the right position.



  • Step 5


    With Teddybear fur you can cover the original roof of the roof window.

    Be careful that the "Hair" lay in the right directon!



  • Step 6


    The nearly tumbling wall on one side of the cottage is a good place for a chimney.

    I use a piece of Styrodur for that and adapt roof and chimney to another.



  • Step 7


    I draw the gaps between the stones of the chimney and cut them with the knife.

    With a ballpen you can make them wider and with a stick and a ball of aluminium foil you can work the surface.



  • Step 8


    At least the paint job.

    I use black primer for all new parts and even on the main building I wash the surface with black to get darker shadows.



    I use a light brown and beige for the wood, for the roof I use dark and light green (The halflings like the look of green hills).

    I use a light grey and ivory for the stones.

    As usual I use drybrushing to paint the building. You paint from dark to light and the lighter the color the dryer the brush should be.

    The trick is to hold the brush flat, so you only hit the upper regions of the surface with color. Only painting the windows and all the fixtures is a bit "annoying".


  • And here are some pictures of the convertion to compare with the original:




  • We wish you a lot of fun with constructing and painting.


    Your team

    Thomarillion