This image is a digital (3D) reconstruction of Ruthven Castle near Kingussie in the Scottish Highlands. A military barracks replaced the castle during the eighteenth-century Jacobite uprisings - now known as Ruthven Barracks. This speculative reconstruction depicts the castle of Alexander Stewart, 'Wolf of Badenoch', who likely adapted this from an earlier stronghold belonging to the powerful clan Comyn. The reconstruction shows a hall range within a rectangular curtain wall enclosure with weakly projecting corner turrets defending the southeast approach. The mound juts out into marginal wetlands that were drained in later centuries but remain prone to flooding today. The castles at Balvenie, Lochindorb, and Old Inverlochy - also former strongholds of the Comyns, which were forfeited after the clan lost power when Robert I seized the throne in 1306, partially influence this visual interpretation.
How this image was made
Software and tools used: Blender 3D, Cycles Render Engine, Photoshop
About the images in my portfolio
You may notice subtle shapes and patterns in some of the images in my online portfolio, affecting their visual quality. I am experimenting with free tools developed by researchers at the University of Chicago to help artists protect their work from unauthorised AI training. It subtly alters images in ways that are almost invisible to people but can confuse AI models, making it much harder for them to learn and reproduce an artist's distinctive style.
Commissioned Work
Artist:
Bob Marshall. 2020
Project consultants:
Simon Forder
Client:
badenochstorylands.com / Cairngorms National Park Authority
Image rights owner:
© badenochstorylands.com / Cairngorms National Park Authority
Please seek the permission of the owner to use or display this image elsewhere.
My 3D models cannot be shared or licensed for other use due to contractual agreements with my clients and, in some cases, other stakeholders. More information can be found on my Licensing information page.
