Building a modular river

Marko Paunović, 11th September 2020

If you've been following my articles about building terrain in previous articles on this site, you'll know that I've slowly been making terrain for my Wild West table for Malifaux. I've already built a church with a graveyard, an undertaker's on a hilltop, a minehead entrance, a watertower and in the last issue I've covered the building process of modular railroad tracks. This time, I decided to do a modular river to span the length of the standard Malifaux table.

Click for enlarged picture

Idea and planning

As always, planning is important, in some cases even vital part of the design process so it's always good to prepare yourself for the build. Good preparation not only saves money, but it also saves time. As I mentioned above, in this issue I'll be discussing how to build a modular river. Most of the rivers for tabletop look fake because people tend to make two banks with the river in the middle. This in itself is not bad, however, when placed on a flat tabletop, it will look more like a man made canal than a proper river. This had me thinking and I've come up with a simple solution. I decided to make the river modules about 30 x 30 cm (12'' x 12'') out of 2 cm thick HD styrofoam. This way, I'll have a part of the table at an elevated level with enough space to place some of the already built terrain. But most importantly the river won't look so much like a man made canal placed on top of the tabletop.

This in turn presented additional problems. Having such a river might provide some difficulties during gaming. How to get across to the other side, lots of free space with long lines of sight. Therefore, I decided that each of the three modules would have a river crossing. In order to make it as diverse as possible, I've decided to make one wooden pedestrian bridge, one railroad bridge (as I had some tracks left over) and one river crossing over shallows.

In fact, when I thought of the shallow crossing, it dawned on me that the overall setting on my table isn't what you normally see with lots of green colours and vegetation. It's almost desert like. That's the reason I decided to make the river almost dried up. (I will however, explain how to make the modules if you wish to have a full body of water inside your riverbed).

Materials and tools

After the rough sketch, I could make a definite list of materials and tools needed for this project. Those are as follows:
- roughly 10cm 2 mm balsa wood plank (they come in 10 x 100 cm planks)
- roughly 10cm of 5mm balsa wood plank (they also come in 10 x 100 cm planks)
- about half a sheet of 2cm thick HD styrofoam (50x100cm)
- about 30 x 30 cm of 5mm thick MDF
- superglue
- PVA glue
- 0,5 kg of DAS air drying clay
- gravel (four sizes)
- static grass / tufts
- AK Interactive Light and Dry Crackle Effect
- sanding paper (1 sheet)
- masking tape
- Gedeo Crystal Resin
- Pebeo Vitrail Colour – Greengold
- railroad tracks (toy)

The tools needed are:
- scalpel blade
- marker pen
- scissors
- modelling saw
- brushes – various sizes – for painting/washing and for drybrushing
- hot wire cutter

* Like in previous issues, I used my Proxxon table mounted circular saw, jigsaw on the MDF to cut the river base and cut the tracks to size.

Building the base

Having aquired all of the materials, using my scalpel blade, I first cut the three 30 x 30 cm modules from HD styrofoam. I then cut them in half with one side being about 20 cm wide and the other 10 cm. It was then time to draw the shape of the base of the riverbed on a piece of 5 mm thick MDF. If you have an irregularly shaped piece (like I had) it's wise to try different ways of placing your 10 x 30 cm riverbed modules to find the easiest way to cut the MDF. If you look carefull, you'll notice both red and green lines on my piece of MDF. In the end I cut the MDF along the green lines as it saved me a couple of passes with my jigsaw.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

When both the HD styrofoam and MDF parts were cut, I made a mock assembly to find a suitable place to put my railroad tracks (as I had no straight lines, only curved). When I was satisfied with the layout, I cut the last piece of the track using my table mounted circular saw. If you don't own one, same can be done with either a scalpel blade or a modeller's saw.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

When the railroad was cut, it was time to design the river banks. Placing the three pieces that make one module (small and large HD styrofoam part with MDF river bed in the middle), I drew the outline of the river bank using my marker pen. I made sure that the edges of the modules on both sides were exactly the same dimension. This would ensure that the modules can be placed in any formation. Following the drawn lines as closely as possible with my sclapel blade, I cut the embankments. It was now time to try to fit the MDF river bed to the remaining two parts. Again, using my marker pen, I marked 5mm from the bottom side of the styrofoam board and exactly 18 cm from the back of the larger and 6 cm from the smaller styrofoam piece. I cut along the lines and removed the excess material. This would ensure that my MDF riverbed would snuggly fit the HD styrofoam parts of each module.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Before assembly, I had to cut the surfaces of the embankments. I used my electric hot wire cutter. Hot wire cutter can come in several forms and power outputs. The one I have is the cheapest out there, powered by two AA batteries. How it works? The electricity from the batteries heats up the wire that then melts the styrofoam performing a perfect straight cut. However, as it heats the wire elongates so you should take into account that fact when fixing the wire to the cutter. It is quite cumbersome to operate in small, confined places which is the reason I used it before assembling the river modules.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

When the embankments were formed, I turned the two HD styrofoam pieced over, generously poured some PVA glue and placed the MDF river bed in its place. Using my finger, I removed the excess PVA glue and with some 2 cm thick masking tape, I covered the joints between HD styrofoam and the MDF ensuring I had a really hard bond. Also, covering the joints with tape, enables you to procede with the build as it prevents the PVA glue from leaking. PVA glue normally takes up to 6 hours to fully cure.

Click for enlarged picture

With the tape in place, I turned over the tree modules and I built up some volume using DAS air drying clay. I made sure I had some clay on every edge of the module. When I add texture, this will ensure that the resin remain inside my module. I've already mentioned that I want the river to be half dried-up so this will actually help with the build as well as look good.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Texturing

At this point, I was nearing the end of the construction and all that had to be done before the painting was to add texture to the base. In order for the grooves that were cut with the hot wire cutter remain undamaged after undercoating (undercoat sprey burns styrofoam so it needs to be protected), I decided to cover those surfaces with a cote of pure PVA first. While it was drying, I took out all the gravel I was to use on this project: - chinchilla sand – smallest grain - basing grit in two sizes - chinchilla sand – largest grain

Once the PVA protection was dry, I smeared more wattered-down PVA on the vertical surfaces and sprinkled some smallest grain chinchilla sand. I then repeated the PVA smearing process on the roads and river shallows. Here, however, I first sprinkled over some largest grain gravel, next I sprinkeld some Basing Grit and to finish I poured over the smallest grain chinchilla sand. If you sprinkle gently and with care you can end up with nice variations in texture – for instance the middle of the dirt road usually has some larger stones as opposed to the sides of it. When the road was dry, I repeated the process with the rest of the base, sprinkling the two largest grains over the ground part. Inisde the riverbed, I carefully placed the largest gravel where the riverbed would be dry, and intentionally left the smaller grain where the water effect would be placed.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

When I tackled the module with the railroad tracks, I first covered the route of the tracks with pure PVA glue to make sure the railorad tracks would stick. Then I sprinkled some roughest grain gravel along the route and in between the tracks.

Click for enlarged picture

You will notice that all of the modules have some parts of the modules without sand (with only PVA over them). This part of the modules would be covered with AK Interactive Light and Dry Crackle Effect paste to create the image of a dried up desert. But more about that a bit later on in this article.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Making the bridge structure

Before undercoating, there was only one more thing to do – the wooden pedestrian bridge. Using a 4,5 x 8,5 cm piece of 5mm thick balsa wood I made the body of the bridge. The dimensions I used are a bit odd, but it's only because the bridge was made to measure. I measured the width of the road and the span of the river and came up with those numbers. The 4,5 cm wide bridge would however accommodate every miniature base for Malifaux. When the body was cut, using a wooden stick, I made grooves across the bridge that would make up planking. Then, using 2 mm thick balsa wood, I made several supports for the bridge and glued them using super glue. Before gluing the bridge to the base, I undercoated the underside of the bridge as well as the river bank and river bed under the bridge to make my job easier later on.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Painting

First job when painting is to undecoat everything. This will help with the shading and the overall 3D effect of the entire terrain piece. Wanting all my terrain to fit one theme (and consequently one tabletop) it was only natural I use the same colours and colour scheme as on the earlier terrain. Therefore once again I used Pebeo Deco color range. I used Brown (29) for the basecoat and continued drybrushing with Ocre (51). Lighter shades were done with a 50:50 mixture of Ocre (51) and White (41). The final highlight was done with Antique White (69). The road and the river shallows were first basecoated with Brown (29) then heavily drybrushed with Ocre (51) and a 50:50 mixture of Ocre (51) and White (41). The last two highlights were Antique White (69) and pure White (41). This way, I had a visual difference between the normal groundwork and the worn out road.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

The bridge and the wooden parts of the railorad tracks were painted by drybrushing first using a 50:50 mixture of Black (55) and Grey (54). Next layer was pure Grey (54) and the finishing highlight was Ash Brown (70). I was not quite satisfied with the result, so I added another highlight of pure White (41). The metal tracks were then painted pure metal (I used Citadel's Runefang Steel). When it was dry, as was the case in the last issue, I covered the metal bits with Model Mates' Rust Effect.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

With the basic painting done, you'll have noticed the large patches without texture where pure PVA was placed in the texturing phase. As I promised before, I covered this parts using AK Interactive Light and Dry Crackle Effect. In some places I left only a thin layer, while in some I put it on generously and left it to dry. When it was dry, the effect of dried earth was created.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Vegetation

After the painting, it was time to add the vegetation to the base. Normaly, at this point, I'd add some trees (in the case of this Malifaux build, pine trees to be more exact). However, here I decided not to plant them as this way, the storage would be much, much simpler. And anyway, my intention is to make a lot of smaller terrain pieces (like small pine forest patches, some crates and other debris later on – maybe even in the next issue). With the trees out of the way, I added some static grass. I made a mixture using several green, brown, yellow and black shades of static grass and when I was satisfied with the end product, I glued it in random patches throughout the modules. One thing I made sure of is that I put static grass over any and all of the remaining holes where the black undercoat melted the HD styrofoam in order to hide the unintentional mistake. Once the static grass was in place, I applied several shades of different tufts. Again, as in the former articles, I used tufts made by a company called Gamer's Grass.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Working with resin

The water on the tabletop terrain can be simulated in many ways. Some are better and more realistic, while some are simpler but less believable. In my experience, I've come across six ways of reproducing water. In the end I'll focus on one method that in my opinion gives the most faithful reproduction of water.

First method is to texture the surface using PVA glue and sand (which is an especially good method for streams) and then paint it using long strokes of greenish brownish tint. After the paint dries coat it with a thick layer of marine varnish or some other form of gloss cote.

The most primitive method is using water itself. Leaking and not having depth in artificial light are the biggest drawbacks apart from evaporation and tendecy to grow life.

The third option is using glass. Make a riverbed like I explained earlier and put a glass surface over it. For extra effect you can tint it on the bottom. However, it is difficult to shape, so that it is not worth the effort.

The fourth method is using plexiglas. Same principles apply here as in the previous method. It is relatively easy to cut and is good for flat and calm water. I've seen it used in railroad models extensively and while both of these methods can look good on static displays such as railroad model tables and such, on smaller pieces of terrain (like used on tabletop) it is better to avoid these two methods.

The fifth method to recreate water is using marine varnish. Pouring in numerous layers means it takes a lot of time to finish. And still you will not get much depth in your river/body of water. It is therefore suitable for small wetlands or small ponds and puddles on various terrains. As with the first method, work in well-ventilated preferably open areas.

The final method, and also the most realistic, is the usage of resins. Are usually two-component mixtures (one is resin, the other a hardener). They are a really good way of creating water, both still and running. Good depth can be achieved and they can be tinted with special colors so that you can get the shade of water you need. A few tips for working with resin: - Protect your hands - wear gloves - Work in well ventilated areas - Have thinner handy to clean up if your pours outside the wanted space - Stir in plastic cups - When it is poured, drill the bottom of the glass so that Resin can slowly leak to avoid creating air bubbles

There are numerous versions of resin available at the market today but I’ll name a few products I use.

First, two part resin called Crystal Resin which is made by a company called Gedeo. It comes in two various sizes (300 ml and 750 ml), and can also be bought predyed. It’s main advantage over other products out there is that it is mixed in 2:1 ratio (resin : hardener), unlike most products who mix in 97:3 (or similar) ratio. Because of the easy way to calculate the ratio, this enables me to use quantities I need and does not force me to use the whole package at once. It has a drying time of 24 hours.

Second, Vallejo Still Water which is an awesome one part resin. It does not require mixing and can be dyed using Vallejo colours. It comes in a 200 ml bottle and is great for small ponds on your bases.

The third kind I use is Vallejo Water Effects (Extra Heavy Gel). It comes in various colours, but I use the transparent one. It is a white paste with the consistency similar to that of a tooth paste that dries clear. It is great for modeling ripple effects or waves on your water surfaces.

Back to the practical application. For this build, I chose Gedeo Crystal Resin. I first mixed a batch of resin and hardener (2:1 ratio as per instructions). Once I got a murky consistency, I poured in some Pebeo Vitrail Greengold Colour. Using a stirrer, I mixed it evenly throughout the resin. When I was satisfied with the colour, I carefully poured the resin inside the modules making sure I do not drip where I'm not supposed to. I left it to dry for 24 hours and my modular river was done!

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

How to make full-bodied river modules?

Simple. Follow the steps described earlier up to the point of pouring in the resin. Before I could add resin into the riverbed, you need to make dams to prevent the resin from leaking. Easiest way is to use strips of plastic foil gently glued to the sides of each module using superglue. Then use Vallejo Extra Heavy Gel to seal the joints between the modules and the plastic foils on the inside of the riverbed. Leave it to dry thoroughly, day or two if neccesary. Once dry, covered the plastic foil on the inside with some cooking oil to prevent it from sticking to the resin. Then place all the modules next to each other and pour in the coloured resin of your choice into each of the modules making sure that the level of the river in each module was the same. Leave it to dry for 24 hours, at least. Also, if you want to have a gradual transition of the colour in your river (pure resin on top with the darkest colour in the bottom), use several layers starting, obviously with the darkest colour allowing each layer to fully cure. Once the resin is dry, remove the plastic foil dams and there you have it – river done. To add some ripples and waves, you can use Vallejo Extra Heavy Gel when the resin is dry.

Click for enlarged picture

Click for enlarged picture

Latest articles

  • Agram Group Build #7 – Amon Hen, pt.2
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "527"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(2) "64"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(39) "Agram Group Build #7 – Amon Hen, pt.2"
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(40) "Agram Group Build #7 – Amon Hen, dio 2"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(32) "agram_group_build_7_amon_hen_pt2"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(34) "agram_group_build_7_amon_hen_dio_2"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(6192) "

    Agram Group Build is back. For this seventh installment, the team decided to create a gaming board/diorama for Amon Hen. To that end, we fulfilled a childhood dream and acquired the original Forge World Amon Hen terrain (released around 2000) along with the accompanying set of miniatures. This series of articles will document the entire project—from crafting the terrain to assembling and painting the miniatures.

    Click for enlarged picture

    After cutting the board in the previous article, it was time to create the terrain. We decided to achieve the necessary height—or volume—by using Styrofoam. The choice of material was dictated by the availability of Styrofoam; had we possessed that amount of extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam, we certainly would have chosen it due to its ease of shaping. We arranged the Styrofoam sheets to cover the entire surface of the board, gluing them down with PVA glue and reinforcing the joints with masking tape. Next, we placed the assembled Amon Hen model in position and traced its outlines.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    The next step was cutting out the rough shape of the terrain and arranging tall vegetation across the diorama to establish the outlines of the final look.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    After marking the placement of the trees, we decided to glue the Styrofoam terrain piece onto the board. We used PVA glue for this as well, and to ensure firm contact, we secured the edges with masking tape so the Styrofoam wouldn't warp while drying. Finally, we constructed a ramp for the temple entrance.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    In the meantime, Kruno was working on the preparatory work on the figures.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(6116) "

    Agram Group Build se vraća. U svojoj sedmoj instalaciji, ekipa je odlučila izraditi igraću tablu / dioramu za Amon Hen. Za tu potrebu, ispunili smo si dječačke sne i nabavili originalni Forge World teren Amon Hena (izašao negdje cca 2000.) sa setom pripadajućih figura. Ova serija članaka pratit će izradu cijelog projekta – kako izrade terena, tako i sastavljanja i bojanja figura.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Nakon rezanja table u prošlom članku, došao je red na izradu terena. Visinu, odnosno volumen, smo odlučili dobiti korištenjem stiropora. Odabir materijala je uvjetovala dostupnost stiropora. Da smo imali tu količinu stirodura, sigurno bismo ga odabrali zbog jednostavnosti obrade. Stiroporne daske smo posložili tako da pokriju cijelu površinu table. Zalijepili smo ih koristeći PVA ljepilo, a spojeve dodatno učvrstili koristeći krep traku. Potom smo stavili složenu maketu Amon Hena i ucrtali obrise

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Sljedeći korak bilo je izrezivanje grubog oblika terena i slaganje visoke vegetacije po diorami – tako da dobijemo obrise konačnog izgleda.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Nakon označavanje gdje ide koje drvo, odlučili smo zalijepiti stiroporni teren na dasku. To smo također odradili pomoću PVA ljepila – a za dodatan pritisak, rubove smo pritisnuli koristeći krep traku tako da se stiropor ne deformira tijekom sušenja. Na kraju smo izradili i kosinu za prilaz u hram.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Za to vrijeme, Kruno se bavio pripremnim radovima na figurama.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

     

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-09-24 09:00:59" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-09-24 09:00:59" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(2) "64" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "1" ["first_name"]=> string(9) "Krunoslav" ["last_name"]=> string(8) "Belinić" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(9) "krunoslav" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(7) "belinic" ["username"]=> string(5) "Kruno" ["password"]=> string(40) "eb3fda45fbec0258e90d809803b10491c548b22f" ["born"]=> string(19) "2015-01-18 09:19:00" ["created"]=> string(19) "2015-01-18 09:20:39" } }
    Krunoslav Belinić, 24th September 2026
  • Signs for your plinths
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "526"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(2) "35"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(23) "Signs for your plinths "
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(21) "Natpisi za vaše baze"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(22) "signs_for_your_plinths"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(20) "natpisi_za_vase_baze"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(4401) "

    This article will cover creating nameplates for your display figure bases. I have been considering the option of printed nameplates for quite some time, and these are the results I achieved after a bit of effort and research.

    The 3D engraved nameplates I usually use are quite expensive (around €10 apiece) and require preparation, ordering from an engraving studio, and waiting for the work to be completed. Consequently, my practice has been to place only one or two orders a year, mostly before our "Black Queen" event. Another major drawback is that these nameplates are made of plastic and cannot be bent, which automatically rules out round plinths.

    Click for enlarged picture

    After a bit of research, the results showed that miniaturists quite often use printed paper signs. What I saw in person was that these signs are very glossy, and online research revealed that they are printed on photo paper. So, I decided to try it out myself. First, I created the design for the sign.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Before looking for a photo studio, I decided to print it out on plain paper first to see what it looked like.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Even when I put up those signs on plain paper, the result wasn't bad.

    Click for enlarged picture

    The hardest part of the whole process was finding a photo studio. It is incredible how few of them there are (that aren't just photocopy shops). I managed to find one relatively close to where I work and ordered two sets of two 10x15 cm photos—I decided to get two copies of each shot just in case something went wrong and I needed a backup.

    Click for enlarged picture

    In total, the four photos cost me just under €2.00 (one-fifth of the price of a single plastic, engraved sign).

    Click for enlarged picture

    The final result on the bases is more than satisfactory! Would bang 10/10.

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(4472) "

    Ovaj članak će se baviti izradom natpisa za baze za vaše display figure. Već dulje vrijeme razmišljam o opciji printanih natpisa i ovo su rezultati do kojih sam došao nakon malo truda i istraživanja.

    3D gravirani natpisi koje normalno koristim podosta su skupi (10ak € po komadu) i zahtijevaju pripremu pa naručivanje u nekom studiju za graviranje pa čekanje da oni to odrade. Tako da mi je do sada praksa bila jedna do dvije narudžbe godišnje, uglavnom prije našeg Black Queena. Drugi glavni nedostatak je da su ti natpisi plastični te se ne mogu savijati što automatski isključuje okrugle baze.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Nakon malo istraživanja, rezultati su pokazali da minijaturisti dosta često koriste printane natpise na papiru. Ono što sam uživo vidio jest da su to jako sjajni (glossy) natpisi, a online istraživanje je pokazalo da su to natpisi na foto papiru. Stoga, sam odlučio isprobati kako to funkcionira. Prvo sam napravio dizajn natpisa.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Prije potrage za foto studijom, odlučio sam isprintati prvo na običan papir da vidim kako to izgleda.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Čak i kada sam postavio te natpise na običnom papiru, rezultat nije bio loš.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Najteži dio cijelog procesa bila je potraga za foto studijom. Nevjerojatno je koliko ih malo ima (a da nisu fotokopiraone). Uspio sam naći jedan relativno blizu mjesta gdje radim te naručio izradu dva puta po dvije fotografije 10x15cm – odlučio sam za svaki slučaj svaku fotku dva puta napraviti tako da ako nešto pođe u krivo da imam rezervu.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Sveukupno su me 4 fotografije ispale nešto ispod 2,00€ (jedna petina cijene jednog plastičnog, graviranog natpisa).

    Click for enlarged picture

    Završni rezultat na bazama je više nego zadovoljavajuć! Would bang 10/10.

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-09-24 08:34:44" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-09-24 08:34:44" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(2) "35" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "1" ["first_name"]=> string(5) "Marko" ["last_name"]=> string(9) "Paunović" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(5) "marko" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(8) "paunovic" ["username"]=> string(5) "marko" ["password"]=> string(40) "3bd37b326d19d1880d3b93a4b32e8fb3a90fa122" ["born"]=> string(19) "2033-03-07 20:35:00" ["created"]=> string(19) "2009-06-02 20:37:03" } }
    Marko Paunović, 24th September 2026
  • We attended: Days of Technical Culture 2026
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "525"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(2) "35"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(43) "We attended: Days of Technical Culture 2026"
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(50) "Nastupili smo na: XV danima tehničke kulture 2026"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(42) "we_attended_days_of_technical_culture_2026"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(48) "nastupili_smo_na_xv_danima_tehnicke_kulture_2026"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(5943) "

    Click for enlarged picture

    On Friday and Saturday, 18 and 19 Sept 2026, we participated in the Technical Culture Days at the Technical Museum. At our stand, visitors could discover the world of miniatures, and we were especially delighted by the interest shown by children who picked up a paintbrush for the first time.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Kruno and the team did a fantastic job guiding them through the initial steps of coloring. There was a mix of concentration, joy, and the occasional serious question about which color best suited the little hero. Interest was so high that the workspace around our stand quickly became cramped. For next year, we would love to see more space for workshops so that everyone can sit down comfortably and try their hand at painting.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    I have participated in the Technical Culture Days for years, ever since the event was held in Dubrava. For me, the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum represents a major step forward: the venue lends a special atmosphere to the event, and the turnout this year was phenomenal. I was also pleasantly surprised by the other exhibitors' stands. It was a real pleasure to walk among them and see the fascinating things people are creating and sharing with visitors.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    You can find more photos on our social media.

    Click for enlarged picture

    On Friday, our Marko gave a presentation titled "Miniaturism – A World in Miniature," in which he described to all those present the projects and programs organized by the Association, as well as everything we offer to our fellow citizens!

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Thank you to everyone who stopped by, asked a question, or painted their first miniature. I look forward to next year—with just as many curious visitors and, I hope, a few more tables for brushes.

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(5895) "

    Click for enlarged picture

    U petak i subotu, 18. i 19. rujna 2026., smo sudjelovali na Danima tehničke kulture u Tehničkom muzeju. Na našem su štandu posjetitelji mogli upoznati svijet minijatura, a najviše nas je razveselio interes djece koja su prvi put uzela kist u ruke.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Kruno i ekipa sjajno su ih vodili kroz prve korake bojanja. Bilo je koncentracije, veselja i pokojeg ozbiljnog pitanja o tome koja boja najbolje pristaje malom junaku. Interes je bio toliko velik da nam je prostor za rad oko štanda brzo postao tijesan. Za iduću godinu voljeli bismo vidjeti nešto više mjesta za radionice, kako bi svatko mogao mirno sjesti i okušati se u bojanju.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Na Danima tehničke kulture sudjelovao sam godinama, još dok su se održavali u Dubravi. Tehnički muzej Nikola Tesla za mene je velik korak naprijed: prostor daje događaju posebnu atmosferu, a posjećenost je ove godine bila fenomenalna. Štandovi drugih izlagača također su me ugodno iznenadili. Bilo je pravo zadovoljstvo prošetati među njima i vidjeti koliko zanimljivih stvari ljudi stvaraju i dijele s posjetiteljima.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Više fotografija pogledajte na našim društvenim mrežama

    Click for enlarged picture

    U petak, naš Marko je održao predavanje pod nazivom MINIJATURIZAM – Svijet u malom u kojem je svim prisutnima opisao projekte i programe koje Udruga organizira i što sve nudimo našim sugrađanima!

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Hvala svima koji su zastali kod nas, postavili pitanje ili obojali svoju prvu minijaturu. Veselim sei dućoj godini — uz jednako puno znatiželjnih posjetitelja i, nadam se, koji stol više za kistove.

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-09-23 06:21:31" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-09-23 06:21:31" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(2) "35" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "1" ["first_name"]=> string(5) "Marko" ["last_name"]=> string(9) "Paunović" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(5) "marko" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(8) "paunovic" ["username"]=> string(5) "marko" ["password"]=> string(40) "3bd37b326d19d1880d3b93a4b32e8fb3a90fa122" ["born"]=> string(19) "2033-03-07 20:35:00" ["created"]=> string(19) "2009-06-02 20:37:03" } }
    Marko Paunović, 23th September 2026
  • Agram Group Build #7 – Amon Hen, pt.1
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "524"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(2) "35"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(39) "Agram Group Build #7 – Amon Hen, pt.1"
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(40) "Agram Group Build #7 – Amon Hen, dio 1"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(32) "agram_group_build_7_amon_hen_pt1"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(34) "agram_group_build_7_amon_hen_dio_1"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(3812) "

    Agram Group Build is back. For this seventh installment, the team decided to create a gaming board/diorama for Amon Hen. To that end, we fulfilled a childhood dream and acquired the original Forge World Amon Hen terrain (released around 2000) along with the accompanying set of miniatures. This series of articles will document the entire project—from crafting the terrain to assembling and painting the miniatures.

    Click for enlarged picture

    The idea from the start was to create a diorama of the famous scene from *The Lord of the Rings* where Boromir falls in battle and the Uruk-hai abduct two—fortunately, the wrong—Hobbits. Ideally, we envisioned everything fitting onto a 40 x 40 cm board. So, the first step was to verify this; we used two sheets of A3 paper to create a square of roughly the desired size.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Figures and terrain fit perfectly for the board of that size. However, this should also be a diorama, so we checked how everything works together with vegetation. Fortunately, before the terrain and figures arrived, we also acquired appropriate autumn trees.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Once the concept was confirmed, we could get to work on making the base for the board. We used a 130 x 40 x 2 cm plank—originally a shelf—for this purpose. We marked two diagonals on it to outline a 40 x 40 cm square, then applied masking tape over the area to protect the wood during sawing.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Then, we cut the board to the desired size using a circular saw. After cutting, we sanded both cut edges.

    Click for enlarged picture

    And with that, preparations for the first collaborative project are complete. We have everything ready for the presentation at the Technical Culture Days, where our Marko will conduct demonstration workshops—specifically, demonstrations on creating a spatial model—based on this very project.

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(3729) "

    Agram Group Build se vraća. U svojoj sedmoj instalaciji, ekipa je odlučila izraditi igraću tablu / dioramu za Amon Hen. Za tu potrebu, ispunili smo si dječačke sne i nabavili originalni Forge World teren Amon Hena (izašao negdje cca 2000.) sa setom pripadajućih figura. Ova serija članaka pratit će izradu cijelog projekta – kako izrade terena, tako i sastavljanja i bojanja figura.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Ideja od početka bila je da napravimo dioramu poznate scene iz Gospodara prstenova gdje Boromir pogiba, a Uruk Hai otimaju dva, srećom pogrešna, Hobita. Idealno u našim zamislima sve bi stalo na tablu 40 x 40 cm. Stoga prvo je to trebalo provjeriti. Od dva A3 papira napravili smo kvadrat otprilike željene veličine.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Figure i teren taman pašu za tablu te dimenzije. Međutim, ovo bi trebala biti i diorama, stoga smo provjerili kako sve zajedno funkcionira i sa vegetacijom. Na svu sreću, prije nego su došli teren i figure, nabavili smo i prigodno jesensko drveće.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Kad smo potvrdili koncept, mogli smo se baciti na izradu baze za tablu. Za to nam je poslužila daska 130 x 40 x 2 cm koja je služila kao polica. Na nju smo ucrtali dvije dijagonale i na taj način dobili kvadrat veličine 40 x 40 cm. Zatim smo preko toga prelijepili krep traku kako bismo dasku zaštitili prilikom piljenja.

    Click for enlarged picture

    Zatim smo ispilili dasku na željenu veličinu ručnim cirkularom. Nakon piljenja smo pobrusili oba rezana ruba.

    Click for enlarged picture

    I time su pripreme za prvi zajednički rad završene. Sve smo spremili i pripremili za nastup na Danima tehničke kulture gdje će naš Marko upravo na ovom projektu držati ogledne radionice odn. demonstracije izrade prostorne makete.

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-09-14 08:21:00" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-09-14 08:21:00" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(2) "35" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "1" ["first_name"]=> string(5) "Marko" ["last_name"]=> string(9) "Paunović" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(5) "marko" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(8) "paunovic" ["username"]=> string(5) "marko" ["password"]=> string(40) "3bd37b326d19d1880d3b93a4b32e8fb3a90fa122" ["born"]=> string(19) "2033-03-07 20:35:00" ["created"]=> string(19) "2009-06-02 20:37:03" } }
    Marko Paunović, 14th September 2026
  • We attended: H.R.E.N. 28 - 2026., Medvode, Slovenia
              array(2) {
      ["Article"]=>
      array(10) {
        ["id"]=>
        string(3) "523"
        ["member_id"]=>
        string(3) "100"
        ["title_eng"]=>
        string(51) "We attended: H.R.E.N. 28 - 2026., Medvode, Slovenia"
        ["title_hrv"]=>
        string(54) "Posjetili smo: H.R.E.N. 28 - 2026., Medvode, Slovenija"
        ["mask_eng"]=>
        string(43) "we_attended_hren_28_-_2026_medvode_slovenia"
        ["mask_hrv"]=>
        string(46) "posjetili_smo_hren_28_-_2026_medvode_slovenija"
        ["content_eng"]=>
        string(4468) "

    Another success for the Hren organizers! Of the two-day event, the first day was dedicated to the Turnip28 game, and the second to an original game designed by the hosts. Like last year, the tables and courts exceeded the expectations of the players, the scenarios were imaginative, and I enjoyed the interaction between the tables during the game. For example, my first game involved rubbing horseradish roots on the figures during the game, including other tables in the hall. The next day, we played as a fun cooperative game in pairs, in which each pair of players had their own kit-bashani spaceship (which we made before or during the event) with which we had to pick up Tod (a character from last year) and return him to Earth. There was no shortage of chaos. The hosts from Amulet tried to make us comfortable and not hungry or thirsty during the entire event, and I can only say words of praise for their effort and engagement!

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["content_hrv"]=> string(4572) "

    Još jedan uspjeh za organizatore Hren-a! Od dva dana eventa, prvi dan je bio namijenjen igri Turnip28, a drugi za originalnu igru smišljenu od strane domaćina. Kao i prošle godine, stolovi i tereni su nadmašili očekivanja igrača, scenariji su bili maštoviti i zabavljala me interakcija između stolova tijekom igre. Na primjer, moja prva partija uključivala je ribanje korijena hrena po figurama tijekom igre, uključujući i druge stolove u dvorani. Idući dan smo igrali jako zabavnu zajedničku igru u parovima, u kojoj je svaki par igrača imao svoj kit-bashani svemirski brod (koji smo izrađivali prije ili tijekom eventa) kojim smo trebali pokupiti Toda (lik od prošle godine) i vratiti ga na Zemlju. Kaosa nije falilo. Domaćini iz Amuleta su se trudili da nam bude ugodno i da ne budemo ni gladni ni žedni tijekom cijelog vremena održavanja manifestacije i mogu reći samo riječi hvale na trud i angažman!

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    Click for enlarged picture

    " ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-09-07 08:20:41" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-09-07 08:20:41" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(3) "100" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["first_name"]=> string(5) "Mario" ["last_name"]=> string(7) "Grgurev" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(5) "mario" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(7) "grgurev" ["username"]=> string(9) "lepimario" ["password"]=> string(40) "11e0b1ecc2c467637dfa513774d2426f3b925264" ["born"]=> string(19) "2045-01-21 09:02:00" ["created"]=> string(19) "2022-01-21 09:02:32" } }
    Mario Grgurev, 7th September 2026

All articles

Latest battle-reports

All battle-reports