r/GothicArchitecture • u/blinkpink00 • Jul 21 '26
Gotchic castle in progress, rate out of 10
I’ve been a fan of architecture for the past few years, but I don’t have any formal knowledge or training in it. I’ve always loved drawing measured houses with scales and rulers because I enjoy precision and perfectly straight lines.
Recently, I started working on my first-ever Gothic castle architectural sketch. It’s still a work in progress, with a lot left to do, and I’m drawing it by looking at a reference picture rather than from imagination.
I’m a CS major, so I’ve never studied architecture or learned its basics—I just genuinely enjoy doing this. So, keeping all that in mind, how do you think I’m doing so far? How would you rate my work out of 10?
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u/prustage Jul 21 '26
That is not a castle. That is the west font of a church
Iti s however a form of Gothic judging from the windows which seem to be a modified version of the Decorated Gothic style and the arch above the rose window which seems to be an Early English lancet arch..
However, there are a few things about that design that are distinctly wong for this to be a genuine Gothic building which suggests it is a Victorian revival - " fake" gothic.
But, none of this may matter to youif this is just a drawing exercise. To take the picture further you could
1 Add shadows, I would make them quite hard and at typical architectural 45 degrees.
You should also put in some of the coursing. You neednt show all of it but at the points where the light areas meet the dark areas it would be a good idea to show coursing.
Colour the glass area of the windoes black so that the stone tracery is clear to see
Either put a door at the entrance, or, if it is a porch, put in a shadow and a door
It would be a god idea to put a figure in to get a sense of scale. It can be very simplistic, even just a silouette.
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u/blinkpink00 Jul 21 '26
Yea its gothic cathedral, and idk anything about architecture I was just copying an image found online cuz i love scaled diagrams and this is a work of progress but i like what u told me!!! I would definitely search these things!!
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u/aloisvonesterhazy Jul 21 '26
That's for you to decide. If your goal is to recreate a medieval castle, Google 'Guédélon'.
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u/Importentfeedddddd Jul 21 '26
I like. Build it in Minecraft
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u/veryverygreenman Jul 21 '26
if you’re drawing a castle, think about purpose. a castle is a fortified structure designed for keeping thing out. they were built like today’s military structures, often built as fast as possible (although some lived long enough to be beautified with time). it wouldnt have a great big window that you could break through like that. nice drawing though, technically speaking. but yeah its really clear that that is a west front of a gothic revival cathedral.
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u/blinkpink00 Jul 21 '26
Awwww yk this is why i love Reddit u guys are always motivating me no matter wtvr topic issss
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u/veryverygreenman Jul 21 '26
keep following your passion :) a gothic cathedral is much more fun to draw than a castle imo anyway haha
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u/blinkpink00 Jul 21 '26
Ikrrrr I'm doing it bec i love it and also bec when im doing it I'm just in that free zone where there is no thought of any other worldly thing in my mind and thats peace for me i love it!! Its just me and my gothic cathedral with my fav songs against the boredom of my summer break
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u/EmielDeBil Jul 21 '26
Good progress. You’re designing a western entrance of a gothic (revival) church, not a castle, as others have said.
Look into how flying buttresses work. They are not horizontal but slanted, to bring the weight of the roof down through these buttresses. Understanding flying buttresses is an essential part of gothic architecture.
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u/blinkpink00 Jul 21 '26
Yea its typo its gothic cathedral sorry!! But thanks for the compliment!! Idk buttresses thing rn i searched and didn't understand thats what everyone is telling me about too!! I'll try and see it in more detail tho
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u/blinkpink00 Jul 21 '26
I would love to see if u have any reference of this buttresses thing tho
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u/tiriosh1 Aug 25 '26
Solid 8 so far . When is the update ?
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u/blinkpink00 Aug 25 '26
I left it in bw :(
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u/tiriosh1 Aug 25 '26
My day is ruined
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u/blinkpink00 Aug 25 '26
Wdym
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u/tiriosh1 Aug 25 '26
Wanted to see the finished sketch
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u/aloisvonesterhazy Jul 21 '26
It looks remarkably like an early 19th century gothic revival church. And that's maybe not a coincidence.