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Hubac's Historian

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Everything posted by Hubac's Historian

  1. Hubac's Historian
    The thought that just occurred to me is that the computer technology available to us today makes it easier than ever to master a build, and thus create a commercial kit, and furthermore (oh, yes, I raised it to that level of furthermore) to interest young people, kids, in the hobby. The primary obstacles to creating good, off the shelf and interesting scale models seem to be lifted now. I am all for modelers creating projects from scratch, however, we can only approach that ambition through our introduction to the hobby, via kits. As a parent, I realize this is a nurture vs. nature issue. At the same time, though, the whole concept of the “hobby shop” seems like a relic of bygone times. Not to soap-box too much, and if anything - to express my admiration for your drive to create your own model. Just thinking out loud. Just waxing on the shifting tides of generations.
  2. Hubac's Historian
    I love all of it - outstanding!! The sense of scale is awe-inspiring!
  3. Hubac's Historian
    There is the frame of thought that supposes that, if five people all build the same model to the same plans - then you are very likely to see five very different models. While I believe that to be true, Sigi, I think your discernment brings you closest to the truth; a fantastic build in subject, form, material and execution. For me, it’s all about the lines, and your lines look true to me.
  4. Hubac's Historian
    Makes perfect sense - thanks, Drazen
  5. Hubac's Historian
    I think that using a mixture of lighter and darker pear staves will provide some differentiation, in the short term. Over time, though, the wood will oxidise and those differences will become much more muted. Just my two cents worth.
  6. Hubac's Historian
    I like the lines of this ship and will follow along. It seems that there is much to be gleaned from your methods in computer work, here, and I look forward to seeing the 3D translation.
  7. Hubac's Historian
    Hello Drazen, Fantastic small work on the doors. By the “door grip,” do you mean the strop hinges? Are the doors intended to open inward or outward?
  8. Hubac's Historian
    This is, of course, sensible from a strictly realistic perspective. On the other hand, how else is one to see that the modeler has taken pains to represent tapered barrel staves? I would keep them as they are.
  9. Hubac's Historian
    Congrats, Martyn, on the satisfying conclusion of an excellent build! It has been a pleasure to follow along
  10. Hubac's Historian
    Impressive job on the restoration! This model bears a reasonable resemblance to the Wavertree, at South Street Seaport, in NYC, which has, itself, just recently undergone a fairly significant restoration of her interior bulkheads, exterior plating and masts and spars. Work, there, is on-going.
  11. Hubac's Historian
    So, now I have left and right kissing cousins that are not yet identical. I will paste together both profiles, temporarily, and true them up with needle files and a blade before rough contouring. Then, I’ll mount them to my small masonite backer and carve in some detail. I’m not sure this first attempt is going to work out as well as I planned, but maybe it will still be good after the reconciliation. We’ll see.
  12. Hubac's Historian
    As with the rest of your build, your patience and committment to the process is exemplary! The results show in the extremely high quality of your work!
  13. Hubac's Historian
    Wow, Doris!! The difference is night and day. You really nailed it this time!
  14. Hubac's Historian
    To me it seems that the greatest difficulty with this sort of reconstruction is the fact that the subtleties of shape and detail rarely translate well in these original portraits. If anyone is up to the challenge, though, it is you Doris. Thank you for taking my opinion in stride.
  15. Hubac's Historian
    Hello Doris, You have made remarkable progress on your beautiful ship. One question occurs to me, at this stage of your build: will you be detailing/furnishing/populating the great cabin as you have done on previous models? Are the decks fixed in place, yet? An observation: it is interesting to me how simply adding the arched framework to the aft window of the quarter gallery softens the architecture and unifies the whole composition. And now I will levy a small critique, which I offer to you despite, or perhaps because of my great admiration for your artistry in sculpture. So far, all of the tiny figures that fill the spaces between the caryatids are magnificently and delicately rendered. They are exquisite. In my opinion, though, the face of Katherine lacks that finesse and definition of feature that are hallmarks of your work. The figure is good, but it is not your best, and I wouldn’t dare mention it, if I didn’t think you were capable of improving it. And, also, she occupies the most prime real estate on the ship. Please take this with the proverbial grain of salt, and the knowledge that I could do no better myself. This is a special model, Doris, and I want for this to be your best model yet - which despite the magnificent Caroline, it is. As always, I am truly humbled by your special talent.
  16. Hubac's Historian
    Caprail thicknessing complete. Next, I will carve left and right masters for the hancing-piece dolphins. I’ll need 8 pairs for each step in the sheer, including the forecastle. The styrene is 3/64”, so the assembled ornament will be a little thinner than the now thickened cap rails. Same process as before - carving, making moulds and castings, etc.
  17. Hubac's Historian
    The stoves really turned out well, Mark. All of the metalwork is superb!
  18. Hubac's Historian
    The truth, or whatever remains of it, is buried under a parking lot at Cherbourg. In all liklihood, though, nothing remains of Soleil Royal, above the waterline, after her burning. I appreciate your thoughts EJ. I believe these capital ships were vividly painted for their day, but those colors would mostly seem muted by today’s standards. That said, my primary blue - while much lighter than the ultra-marine (used more sparingly) - will still be a pretty vivid color, in itself. It will contrast nicely with the yellow ochre and the gold ornaments.
  19. Hubac's Historian
    Thank you, so much Mark! This is a weird “build” for anyone following along, I realize, because I haven’t put anything together yet. On the other hand, I have completely transformed the kit in such a way that it will seem like a totally different model. Recognizeable, but different. E.J. asked me not too long ago whether I would start painting before or after the assembly begins. At first, I thought I would get the basic hull together on it’s flat base and begin framing the new stern up to the counter before I started painting. I have been thinking, lately, that the model is just too large and awkward to manipulate for painting. My hands aren’t what they used to be and this cubital tunnel syndrome is wreaking havock with my damn elbows. So, I will paint the lower and upper hull sections before assembly - as I would customarily do in my younger days, anyway - and just mask or scrape paint away for assembly. All of that means more delay in assembly, but the results will be worth it. The paint scheme I have been ruminating over for months now, will also be quite a bit different from the way that people are accustomed to thinking of this kit, and of Soleil Royal, in general. It will all be grounded in historically feasible colors, but I am making specific use of ultramarine blue and red ochre to accentuate the ornamental topsides; I’ll be going to a hell of a lot of trouble to create this ornamental frieze, so I really want it to pop! My hope is that even those who are not so enamored with the Heller kit will appreciate where I’m taking it, once they can really see it come together. I apologise to any of you who are frustrated by the pace of this project, but I will reward you if you stick around. I promise you that. As always, Mark, and to everyone else - thank you for checking in, reading along, and for your insights, likes and encouragement! It is all very much appreciated.
  20. Hubac's Historian
    I can’t complain too much or too loudly, since I’m the fool who chose to do this, but the upper bulwarks are finally all clear of the stock ornamental frieze, all sprues and flash have been scraped away, all unnatural depressions have been filled, and all continuations of plank lines have been scribed into the stern extensions: It was incredibly tedious, but the effort will soon pay off. Next, I decided to thicken the cap rail by a heavy 1/32”, in order to give the rails better scale. As they are, they only scale up to about 6-7”, without including the rounded exterior moulding. With my addition, they now scale up to around 10 or 11”, which is more appropriate for a ship this size. Remember that the model will be 1/2” wider down its entire length, so the extra scale, here, helps: I have a fair amount of detailing yet to do on the exterior faces of the exposed timberheads, and I still have to complete the rail thicknessing on the aft bulwarks. Little by little, though, it is getting there.
  21. Hubac's Historian
    In a lot of ways, I think that’s what this hobby is about; I like what I did there, buuut... the beauty of this forum is that I now get to see other peoples’ resourceful ideas while I might be trying to do something. love it! I say, Mark, work it until you are satisfied.
  22. Hubac's Historian
    Incredible progress, Don! She’s really looking awesome, and I love all the detail work. Your efforts are paying in Spades.
  23. Hubac's Historian
    Thanks, B.E.! Cool reference to this other build. I will try to find it. Anyway, several years down the pike, I will definitely be experimenting with Modelspan. Thanks for the tip!
  24. Hubac's Historian
    Hi Blue, I was just reading through your sail tutorial, again, and I noted your comment on using ModelSpan for kit scales, up to 1:96. I was just wondering what you would use for models above this threshold in scale. Heller's Soleil Royal is 1:100, and I am so enamored with your method that I would like to use it to recreate the following scene of a ship getting underway and un-furling her topsails: Surely the ModelSpan would be a realistic medium at 1:100, no?
  25. Hubac's Historian
    I am just noticing, now, the clinch nailing (not sure if that's exactly what it's called) of the false keel; such an interesting detail, and this is the first time I have seen it included in a scale model. Bravo!

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