Hi Techtonic. Thanks for asking about the sails. That isn't a paneling EFFECT, they are actually paneled like real sails were (are). I developed a method of making fairly realistic model sails using a thin cotton material called "lawn" cloth. It's very thin, almost translucent, and as supplied doesn't handle very well because it is very limp. What I did, over months of experimentation, is to coat the basic cloth with diluted Elmer's glue to slightly stiffen it, and then after it had dried cut it into scale 24" strips (in my case, about 3/8" wide). Then the strips are re-assembled by carefully overlapping them by a millimeter or so on a lined template placed on a light box, to make a panel slightly larger than the sail to be made. Then the sail is cut out of the panel, and the reef bands and midbands are added, followed by gluing small diameter stiffening wires along the leeches and feet. Then the leech, foot and head linings are added, along with any reinforcing panels. Then, each sail has a custom bolt rope attached around the periphery. Before installing the bolt ropes, the cringles at each corner of the sail are first served for a scale 2' or so each side, the cringle is seized to make the cringle loop, and then the completed bolt rope is glued along the sail's edge and all cringles are marled. Finally, the reef points and other smaller cringles are added (for bowlines, reef tackles, etc.). You can see this effect better in pictures 43 and 45 above.
I actually started to compose a tutorial to show others how I did it, but the forum showed little interest, so I gave it up - besides which the process continua;;y evolved as I found easier or better ways to do things, so I never completed it.
Thanks to all who have viewed the gallery, especially jlefever and techtonic for your kind words. It was a labor of love - over 5400 hrs and an 11-1/2 year span. Now I'm on to Chuck Passaro's HMS Winchelsea; I'm already salivating over starting her!
in Gallery of COMPLETED Kit-Built Ship Models
Posted
Hi Techtonic. Thanks for asking about the sails. That isn't a paneling EFFECT, they are actually paneled like real sails were (are). I developed a method of making fairly realistic model sails using a thin cotton material called "lawn" cloth. It's very thin, almost translucent, and as supplied doesn't handle very well because it is very limp. What I did, over months of experimentation, is to coat the basic cloth with diluted Elmer's glue to slightly stiffen it, and then after it had dried cut it into scale 24" strips (in my case, about 3/8" wide). Then the strips are re-assembled by carefully overlapping them by a millimeter or so on a lined template placed on a light box, to make a panel slightly larger than the sail to be made. Then the sail is cut out of the panel, and the reef bands and midbands are added, followed by gluing small diameter stiffening wires along the leeches and feet. Then the leech, foot and head linings are added, along with any reinforcing panels. Then, each sail has a custom bolt rope attached around the periphery. Before installing the bolt ropes, the cringles at each corner of the sail are first served for a scale 2' or so each side, the cringle is seized to make the cringle loop, and then the completed bolt rope is glued along the sail's edge and all cringles are marled. Finally, the reef points and other smaller cringles are added (for bowlines, reef tackles, etc.). You can see this effect better in pictures 43 and 45 above.
I actually started to compose a tutorial to show others how I did it, but the forum showed little interest, so I gave it up - besides which the process continua;;y evolved as I found easier or better ways to do things, so I never completed it.