Earlier in the week, I previewed the Hogwarts Moment sets: playsets, each depicting a class from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Today, I would like to take a look at the artwork included in the sticker sheets, as well as the fixtures within these neat little sets.

Today, we are looking at the internal artwork, as well as the fittings. Next time we will take a look at the furniture and the figures.

The ‘Moments’ take the form of text books, which open up to reveal a classroom inside. The front cover of each book is printed with the Hogwarts Crest, and a geometric pattern. Within the patterns are images related to the classroom within. Personally, I have been surprised at just how much I enjoy the stickers in these sets, so we will spend a little time considering what has been depicted on each sticker as well.

76382: Transfiguration Class

The Transfiguration class book has a dark orange cover, which works quite well with the contruction of the arches, as well as the higher desorations. The internal upper panels have stickers representing arched, stained glass windows. The lower panels are printed on dark tan, but fit inside arches which are built up, and attached to the back walls.

As well as the windows, the sticker sheet includes 3 portraits of Gryffinsor alumni, although I am having difficulaty identifying just who they might be intended to be. There are two 1×3 House banners, some carved woodwork, some library books and carved wood – which is attached to Professor McGonagall’s podium.

We build up the fittings which attach to the back wall, backwards, with lots of SNOT brackets facing towards the back plate. We have arched, sandstone windows, with archways opening up to the sides. Both of the archways have a Gryffindor banner hanging from them. The centre of the build builds up as a column, with appropriate decoration at the top. On this column are 3 portraits, who I believe are Gryffindor Alumni, but I cannot tell exactly who they might be. I really like the detail built into the stone arches here, including the micture of masonary bricks and round 1×1 bricks.

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76383: Potions Class

While Transfiguration opened up, with arches opening out further to the sides, the Potions classroom has a right side and a wrong side.

the stickers depict two portraits to be found outside the potions classroom. I suspect they are the Bloody Baron, as well as Elizabeth Burke, both famous Slytherin students. We also have a SLytherin banner, and a small prited blackboard. There are a couple of stickers featuring lots of small printed jars which are filling the shelves of the potions classroom. They are interspersed with brick built flasks and shelves, enhancing the overall level of realism.

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The shelves which stretch into the room start with a facet plate, providing a hidden room for a small build to be tucked away nside. There is then an arched doorway, and another panel, filled with potions. At the end of these shelves, there are some brickbuilt potions too. The wall, which ultimately folds up on itself, finishes with an open archway. Above the first potions shelf, attached to the spine of the book, is an impressive bas relief, featuring the Slytherin snakes. As I mentioned earlier, when you look at the back of the dividing wall, it is all fairly bland and undecorated. There is a small hidden alcove containing a hidden gem, The slightly hidden lower left sticker seems a little… dark, featuring graffiti at the hand of the future Lord Voldemort, as well as the snake in a bottle. I do enjoy the cobwebbed look, however, as well as the mouse eyes poking out from a painted on mouse hole.

There is a shelf, which is built into the right hand lower panel. This shelf holds a saucepan, knife, spoon and mysterious glowing substances.

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I really like the level of detail included in this model: the mixed use of printed and brick built potion bottles realy mar the shelves pop. However, if you look at it from the other side of dividing wall, the effect is a little more disappointing.

76384: Herbology Class.

Herbology happens on Hufflepuff side of the school. The book’s cover is dark tan. On the right hand side of the book are a couple of stickers featuring the Fat Friar. He is the Hufflepuff house ghost, and is spending his time looking out though a window of a vine covered external wall of the school. On the left hand panel, we have the greenhouse, with the Hufflepuff crest overgrown, and a lower sticker featuring a storage cupboard, while there are more plants, climbing up the wall.

There are some posters, warning of the dangers of listening to Mandrakes, as well as a fern leaf to be stuck on the spine of the book.

The wall of the greenhouse winds around to the left, providing a warm secure environment. The spotlight on top of the greenhouse looks a little incongruous. But only a little. The greenhouse wall can be folded up, allowing the book to be closed up. There is space to store a few accessories along the wall, including a spade, a small sapling, and of course a mandrake, tucked in between the windows.

I really like the way that the windows are vertically staggered. It gives a great ‘green house’ feel.

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76385: Charms Class

The charms class is the perview of Professor Flitwick from ravenclaw. The cover for the Charms Moment is medium blue. The sticker features large panels including the names of many such spells that are taught at Hogwarts Shcool. The one on the right also features the Ravenclaw banner.

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This is another book designed to fold out. This time the build features a fireplace, opening out to the right; and book shelves opening up to the left. Again, there are lots of SNOT Brackets to attach the fixtures to the walls.

There are candles on the outer edges of the aspects that fold out. In the centre column, there is a leadlight window, above drawers and a cupboard. The top of the column features a fairly ornate curl, in reddish brown.

There are lots of areas of detail in this model, which I find appealing, from the candles, wooden arch and fireplace, through to the bookshelves, with lots of detail enhanced by stickers and the blackboard. My favorite sticker in this set is the simple’carved marble’ which is installed over the fire place.

I find these backdrops all quite appealing. The fittings are simple, but I think they are effective Using the ‘wrong’ side of a plate as a backdrop feels a little weird, but there is no reason that you could not build your own backdrop, and install the sticker on a large panel. I find the use of stickers in these sets to be remarkably palateable.

As for my personal preference here? I really like the ‘long single sided wall’ in the potions classroom, as well as the arches in the Transfiguration class, but in all honesty, I really like them all.

It gets me thinking… If you were looking for another location for a Hogwarts moment, what would you choose? Don’t answer it yet, but start thinking. I can feel a building challenge coming on in the early new year, when these sets will be available. First I should finish reviewing these sets:

Join me next time, when we finish wrapping up the moments with a look at the furniture built, as well as the figures included in this range.

Until then,

Play Well.