Saturday 10 May 2014

How to build the "Commerce de Marsailles" (Part 2 of2) 1/1200 Nap Naval

The last bit of painting before the rigging (gasp, intake of breath and sweaty forehead) saw white highlights on the gun ports (see below):


A final reddening of the interior bulwarks then push the paintbrush to the side and out with the black cotton thread. Starting at the front of the ship and the crazy polygon of the bow sprit, a ting knot at the front and a circuit of the sails, dabbing super glue as I go  (see below):


Then near vertical (well 60 degrees) thread lines are dropped from sails as I work towards the back of the ship adding the last two masts (see below):


"Secret Weapon 47" a cunning new Napoleonic shipbuilding resource. A ridiculously cheap, pink plastic brush than is "de-toothed" and its bristles used for rigging lines (see below):


These rigging lines are used for the previously impossible mast-to-mast diagonal rigging lines where "thread simply could not reach" (see below):


Sadly the brush I have is not long enough to replace ALL the cotton thread too, so I will have to keep my eye out for a longer haired (cheap) brush, but it seems to work (see below):


The final cut does not look too bad IMHO (see below):


This means I will have to revisit the Royal Navy squadron of 74's and do their "interior diagonals" too. Then sorts the "interior rigging" puzzle, still outstanding are the rat-lines I need to run up each mast (which perhaps the plastic brush may assist with) and the authentic sea basing which should cut down on "rough handling". I am keen to start experimenting with a strange jar of "Artist's medium" that apparently I have to mix into paint to make it a quick setting jelly, perfect for faking the 'sea effect'.  

4 comments:

Phil said...

Amazing work with this ship!

Sun of York said...

Looks really good. The little bit of rigging I have done on my paper ship involved cotton thread that i had coated with PVA glue that I expect gave it the same properties as your bristles, but in fully customisable lengths. The idea is from the Warartisan rigging guide.

Great posts as they have inspired me to get my Sails of Glory tub up to scratch (I have a game planned for Wednesday so should have some photos up after then).

Cheers

Cité-en-jeux said...

Great idea for the riggings. They look well and they are very "easy" to make.

STéphane

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Thanks for your complements you are too kind

Thanks for the PVA tip in might well have to try that too!

Hope I have passed on the urge, if I can do so can you :)