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Ship paintings


Vegaskip

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I have always been interested in Ships and maritime history, and did spells in the British Merchant Navy and Royal Navy. I have built models most of my life ( not the really serious ones like on here ) but I always had great pleasure building them.  As well as model making, I have always  had an interest in art, well, marine art really, and do a lot of painting, especially now I've retired. I don't consider my self an Artist, more a ship painter. I do it for my own pleasure, and get as much pleasure researching the subject as I do painting them.

Her are a few of my paintings, please feel free to comment. Jim

 

1 Convoy Rescue ship passing. Liberty ship   2. Envoy class rescue Tug  3. Death of. windjammer Flamburgh Head with Rocket Rescue Team

 

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Jim, you have some real talent, I'm not an art critic either to explain why, but your colour balance, cloud and water effects which are notoriously difficult to do well are to my taste, and work especially well in watercolour medium - oh, and the ships look good too!.  Would love to see more.

Cheers,
 
Jason


"Which it will be ready when it is ready!"
 
In the shipyard:

HMS Jason (c.1794: Artois Class 38 gun frigate)

Queen Anne Royal Barge (c.1700)

Finished:

HMS Snake (c.1797: Cruizer Class, ship rigged sloop)

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Thanks Jason, I've had lots of practice. I try to keep away from the Ship Portrait type of painting, if possible I like to tell a story. Here are some more

1.  HMS Hood ( no not that one ) coaling at Portsmouth, and early Submarine and Gun Boat.

2.  Master Shipwright. Ship building at Bucklers Hard.

3.  Stepping the Fore Mast with a Sheer Hulk.

 

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Thank you all for your comments.

Last year I was fortunate to be invited, along with my wife, to take part in 'Dervish75’ the celebrations commemorating the arrival of the first Convoy to Russia. We were part of a group of WW2 convoy veterans and their carers ( the Vets were all in their 90s) flown up to Arkhangelsk where we took part in various events in memory of those who were lost during the what Winston Churchill called 'The Worst Journey On Earth.'  We then moved on to St Petersburg and Kronstadt for more of the same. We shared all of these events and receptions at various consulates and embassies with our Russian hosts. We made many friends and shared lots of memories as sailors do, helped along of course with copious supplies of Vodka. A year before the trip I had been asked if I had any paintings of convoys that could be used as a small exhibition during the event. However this snowballed into 50 of my paintings being made up into a book ( printed in Moscow) 250 copies were printed and were given free to the veterans, VIPs, museums, schools and anyone who provided assistance to the venture. Each year reciprocal visits take place between Vets from Russia and UK and other allies.  Efforts are being made to continue these international visits after the original veterans are gone. 

Our governments may have 'frosty' relationships, but at the grass roots I know our Russian friends had exactly the same hopes and fears we have. We both want to get on with living life in peace and happiness.

jim

Here are some pages from the book 

 

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Hi Jim,

it is quit clear to me that you have mastered the skills required to create beautiful paintings.

I enjoy the individual atmospheres you create, dispite the fact that your subjects are restricted to a single topic.  On a more technical note, the last two paintings have enabled me to understand and/or appreciate the tips I once received about using the structure of your canvas to help you with your story (looking at the waves and the way you suggest foam).

Thank you for showing us / letting us enjoy your talent (even if it is silently for the most part).

Slainte

L.H.

Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam

Slainte gu mhath

L.H.

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Thank you both for commenting, I probably have about a thousand, good bad and what ever.

here you are Nick. Recognise this place?. Reserve Fleet and redundend, waiting for scraping ships. At the back of Portsmouth Harbour. HMS Vanguard  running aground at the 'Still and West' while being taken away for scrap.

 

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Excellent work on the paintings.  Not just the subject matter but the atmosphere really gives a sense of being there.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Hi Jim;

 

If I was at an exhibition of local artists' work,  and saw your paintings,  I would have to buy at least one to take home with me, and preferably more.  The only limit would be budget!

 

Lovely atmosphere in your work.

 

Keep on picking up that brush!

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

Previously built models (long ago, aged 18-25ish) POB construction. 32 gun frigate, scratch-built sailing model, Underhill plans.

2 masted topsail schooner, Underhill plans.

 

Started at around that time, but unfinished: 74 gun ship 'Bellona' NMM plans. POB 

 

On the drawing board: POF model of Royal Caroline 1749, part-planked with interior details. My own plans, based on Admiralty draughts and archival research.

 

Always on the go: Research into Royal Navy sailing warship design, construction and use, from Tudor times to 1790. 

 

Member of NRG, SNR, NRS, SMS

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Thank you Mark, thing is, galleries are not that keen to exhibit my type of paintings. You really have to have an interest in the sea and ships. This one for example isn't every ones cup of Tea. I called it 'Keeping The Few Flying' featuring HMCS CHILLIWACK.

Jim 

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Something a bit more light hearted

imaginary Fleet Limbo Championships (Limbo was an anti sub Mortar)

 Here can be seen the esteemed pannel of judges.
Left to right.

Admiral Titas Zaduxass USN. CinC NorLantStanForFlatPac.

Admiral Sir Roddy McScunner of MacScunner RN, 9th Barron of Auchenshoogle Better Known to his men as ...Sir!.

Dame Euphrosney Pramhandle-Smith PMT. RPM, NSU,GNP, WRVS. Commandant WRNS.

The Ships Pennant No and Name plate had been painted over and covered up to protect the innocent.

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Hi Jim,

 

I`m amazed of your talent and skill with those aquarel paintings, and would love to see more....

Well done !!

 

Nils

Current builds

-Lightship Elbe 1

Completed

- Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild

"Zeesboot"  heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB  clinker scratch build scale 1:24

Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE  ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild

Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build

Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) 

"SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild)
"HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan 

-"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96  (scratchbuild)

-"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) 

"Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild)  original was my grandfathers ship

-"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 

"Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32

under restoration / restoration finished 

"Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50

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Thanks Jim,

 

lovely marine artist`s work....

 

Nils

Current builds

-Lightship Elbe 1

Completed

- Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild

"Zeesboot"  heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB  clinker scratch build scale 1:24

Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE  ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild

Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build

Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) 

"SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild)
"HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan 

-"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96  (scratchbuild)

-"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) 

"Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild)  original was my grandfathers ship

-"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 

"Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32

under restoration / restoration finished 

"Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50

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I'm curious how long each painting takes.  You do incredible work and you have a huge portfolio.  How much time do you spend painting daily?  I love your work by the way.

Derek

If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea  

Antoine de Saint Exupery

 

Current Builds

Bluenose - Model Shipways - 1:64 Scale

Fair American - Model Shipways - 1:48 Scale

HMS Winchelsea 1764 - Group Build

On Deck

Guns of History Naval Smoothbore Deck Gun - 1:24 Scale

Finished Builds

Mare Nostrum - Artesania Latina - 1:35 Scale

Guns of History Carronade - Model Shipways - 1:24 Scale

 

Member of the Nautical Research Guild

 

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Hi guys, being retired I can paint more or less when I want (subject to domestic chore from 'she who must be obeyed). I normally paint for about 3 to 4 hrs in the afternoo, probably 2/3 times a week.

The Belfast pic started about 1.50pm, and I took the photo about 5pm, I'll probably have an other half hour fixing bits , the after funnel top is wrong, and horizon on the right needs lifting a bit. The longest painting I have done, was three afternoons and was a diptych of  'the Tail o' the Bank' on the river Clyde .

see pictures.

jim

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Jim,

 

again, thanks so much for sharing your work, its a pleasure to explore the fine details, the light and shadow effects, the ships wakes, even the small crtew members in action and the colors of the sea...

Wunderbar !!

 

Nils

Current builds

-Lightship Elbe 1

Completed

- Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild

"Zeesboot"  heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB  clinker scratch build scale 1:24

Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE  ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild

Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build

Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) 

"SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild)
"HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan 

-"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96  (scratchbuild)

-"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) 

"Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild)  original was my grandfathers ship

-"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 

"Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32

under restoration / restoration finished 

"Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50

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