I have been extremely busy at work over the last few weeks leading up to Christmas and even though I am meant to be working part time easing into retirement Covid-19 has meant my services have been even more in demand and I am working almost full time again. Except for the week leading up to Christmas finishing gaming projects has been difficult. Fortunately I have completed a lot of minor projects that were almost there but not quite.

I have even had a chance to do a bit more on my Japanese village project. A while go I asked all and sundry if they had any ideas for how to make a Japanese garden that looked OK and yet was “table functional”. What is below is a combination of those and my own ideas.

I started with some hard yellow foam available in sheets from the larger Bunnings hardware shops. These were cut using a foam hot wire to provide the perimeter for the water garden. Some Sarissa Precision wooden walk ways were put together and painted red to provide contrast on the tabletop. In the end I did not use the moulded railway scenic rocks but have an idea for some small gardens. The centre piece of the garden is the stone pagoda which I picked up in the Ho Chi Minh city central market for a few dong many a year ago.

I then used Selleys “spackfilla” to create the water texture.

The water was then painted in exactly the same as I have already shown in detail back in August.

Next the rocks were painted.

I then put a wash of Agrax Earthshade over the water and rocks. When this was dry a light white dry brush was added to the water and rocks and some “plants” were added.

A thin coat of aquadhere was applied to the water surface.

The walkways were also glued into place at this time.

Finally a few more plants were added and some finishing touches with flocking to cover up the blemishes were completed. I am really happy with the final product.

I have one more garden to complete, but at this stage I am still working out if I will repeat the above, with slight variations, which will allow for longer walkways to fight over or to use the model rocks as stepping stones that would make for some interesting duels.

At this stage I am, thinking I will leave the walkways for a little dock area and go for the above as I have a few small sampans and assorted paraphernalia still to paint.