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

French Shipbuilding Program: 

As the French Navy are in dire need of reinforcements I decided to assemble the "Commerce de Marsailles" a huge 120 gunner (1st Rate of the Ocean class). Her sister was the Orient, the French flagship at The Battle of the Nile. The "Commerce de Marsailles" was yet another French Navy ship captured and used against her former owners, but after being damaged in a storm early in her RN career she became a long term "hulk" in Portsmouth.

From the black undercoat the sails and deck were painted (see below):

A quick dry run run through is always worth it (see below, note the dangerous RN squadron in the background):

After a 360 degree review (aided with a cup of tea to hand) and more than one look at the painting notes, I decided the deck was far too light for the French Navy "teak" so I repaint the the deck using Vallejo, Game Colour, Dark Flesh (see below):

Pressing on I browned up the hull and highlighted the ships boats (see below):

I gave the deck a weak black wash (using Tamiya XF1 Matte Black) to calm things down (see below):

Then I started the "yellow striping" process along the sides of the hull, with a dark yellow/brown (Vallejo, Came Colour, Plague Brown) shade colour (see below):

Then I started lightening up the yellow with a Golden Yellow (Vallejo, Game Colour again), adding a dash of white to lighten in further (see below):

The whole thing is a slow process which cannot be rushed. I have heard it described as 'Zen-like' but I am always on the fraught edge of thinking I am going to ruin it until the rigging is done and dusted (where deadly slips and fumbling falls cam occur in 'manual handling').