Bag End Update IV - Launch!

Here follows the fourth instalment in Daniel Falconer's article series about the creation of a miniature collectible of Bag End from The Lord Of The Rings.

If you haven't already - check out:

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV - Grand Finale!

The intense detail on Weta's new Bag End miniature environment presented as many challenges in the molding and casting stages as it did in the initial creation of the prototype parts. The huge number of tiny undercuts, negative spaces, fine detailing and compartments saw the prototypes molded and cast out in several pieces by Weta's mold shop artist Bruce Campbell but not reconstructed until after painting.

This permitting the Weta paint shop team to paint separate components and access the tiny interior spaces. Artists Dordi Moen and Sourisak Chanpaseuth tackled the exterior and interiors respectively, recreating the reference images of the original sets as faithfully as possible while restricting themselves to a paint palette that could be reproduced in production.

A small number of paint masters were created this way and then reconstructed by Weta model maker Dave Tremont, who made sure all the elements were reassembled faithfully. The tiny oak tree was a particular challenge for the molders, with its many protruding limbs, undercuts and deep recesses, but the result is beautiful.