Surabaya by Piet - 1/80 - Mid 17th-Century VOC ship

[mtaylor]

Keep going, Piet.  I think you've got the hang of this carving business.        

[cog]

The carving looks good, Piet. A very nice job on that, but it's a bit of a toothless lion. He will not impress the enemy coming towards you ...

 

Cheers

[Piet]

Thank you Mark and Carl for your encouragement and thanks to all who visited and clicked the like button.

 

As far as getting the hang of it Mark, not quite, but getting there and the lion has teeth now Carl and is finally completed.  Not quite what I had in mind but for a practice piece it's acceptable,

As I mentioned before that basswood is a real bummer to work with.  In any case, he's done now and I am planning to keep it removable from a reworked cut-water.  I need to work on something else for diversion and think of another pose for the lion.  There are a few I like and may just tackle one one of them as the final lion on the bow.

 

I did a final sanding and brushing yesterday before applying paint.  I used my front door red for the body and yellow ocher for the manes.  Testor white for the teeth, claw nails and eye balls.  

 

I am thinking on starting with the ship's boats, which is also a real challenge for me and will try the plug method, whish me luck. 

 

This shows the bow lion in the completed but still rough condition.  I first used some 360 grit sand paper to knock off most of the fuzz and followed up with a stiff wire brush in my Proxxon hand tool.  At this stage it was ready enough for paint.

 

A head-on shot of the painted bow lion.  I put also a tongue in his mouth before I put in the teeth.  The teeth are bamboo and the tongue is from copy paper that I first dipped in a wood hardener.  The claws are from boxwood so I can shape them properly.  The white eye balls I painted with the toothpick method as are the black pupils.

 

Another view of the lion for a better perspective.  Gwen said that I was nuts not using this one as the final bow figure and have to start over making another one.  Well, perhaps she's right but if I am not happy than it'll eat at me for a long time, so I'll make another one, it's only time I spend.

 

Cheers,

[cog]

Piet,

 

Looks good, though, a bit brilliant, mat paint would be better I think, any mat varnish laying around?

 

Nice job on the teeth too 

[Omega1234]

Piet!!!!

 

That's fantastic! ....and it's just the prototype???

 

I just stand back, gulp and admire!

 

Nicely done.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[mtaylor]

That is a wonderful lion.  Appropriately fierce looking.  If this is the prototype, the real deal will be a masterpiece.

[popeye the sailor]

awesome job Piet!  

[JesseLee]

Looks great as usual Piet!

 

Jesse

[Piet]

Hello everyone and thank you all for your comments and likes, it's all very much appreciated.

 

Well, this'll be the last post about the prototype lion.  I fixed the cut-water and just slipped the lion on.  The future final lion will be different and I'll have to rework the cut-water at that time.

Oh yeah, I am working on the tail and will add that too.

 

Okay, without further ado here are the last pics.

 

Let me point out the things I don't like.  The rear legs should have a bend in it so the soles of the feet can push against the cut-water.  The head is proportionally too large for the body.  The manes are too long and flat.  The face is not shaped correctly, he looks more like drooling China man (no offense to the Chinese).  Well, that'll do for starters. 

 

 

 

Cheers,

[Sjors]

You can send that Lion always to Rotterdam Piet 

 

They still need one for there model for the Delft   

 

Nice job, even you don't like a few things.

We are loving it but you know,the creator dis like all of it all the time !!!!!!!

 

Sjors

[amateur]

His face reminded me of this one:

[Mirabell61]

nice work Piet,

 

the "Red Lion" probably the ship`s nickname....

 

Nils

[flying_dutchman2]

Nice carving. I do like the way you have the teeth painted.

Marcus

[amateur]

For those of you who don't know: the lion is on the statenjacht Utrecht

 

Jan

[Piet]

Hello all and thanks for dropping in and your very kind comments.  Also my thanks to all who clicked the like button.

 

Sorry for the delayed responses but I'm still very busy with chores around the house, specially now that Gwen is enjoying herself with our daughter Marianne in Holland.  She deserves a break from putting up with me

 

For now the Surabaya build is kinda taking a backseat looks like.  I had the intend of starting with the ship's boats but a redo of the bow lion is also an attractive project.  I have an idea in mind that I hope will produce a more realistic lion then just a "caricature" of one.  I like what they did for the Batavia  and the Zeven Provincien but not quite what I been thinking of.  Whenever I have some time to sit down I'll start with sketching out what I see in my mind and show to yuns.  I have also been working a little on the Topsail Schooner diorama project.  I have a lot of pleasure playing with that one.

 

Hey Sjors, how are they progressing with the build of the Delft?  Any more pics you can share?

 

@ Jan: I mainly used the example from one of Ab Hoving's and Empke's drawings of the fluyt "Zeehaen."  But modeled the body using the lion on the Batavia.  The actual carvings on the Batavia, ZP and Utrecht are very nice but more of a "caricature" of a lion.  I had something in mind that looks more lion-like.  It may not be traditional for Dutch VOC ships but I need to satisfy my desires.

 

@ Nils: Thanks and for your info, according to Ab Hoving there seem to have been a Fluit named "Red Lion."   

 

@ Brian:  Thank you as well for your kind words but I see the many shortcomings in my attempt and will try to do better on the next one.  The drawn-up legs are part of the new design although there is another option with legs outstretched that I also really like, daring flor a beginner carver but something not seen on these ships. The problem with the bow configuration is that there is very little space between the cut-water and the main bow beam.  If I utilize the existing space the lion will be too small and to redo the bow is a little late.  Let's wait and see what my ideas will give me to play with what I have.  Otherwise the lion will be roaring with a very high pitch, if yuns catch my drift

 

@ Markus:  Thanks and yes, teeth are kinda bright.   Have used the idea from the Batavia lion, I guess he used Pepsodent for toothpaste   

 

Thanks again everyone and cheers, 

 

 

[riverboat]

Nice!! work on the lion's head Piet......

 

frank

[Sjors]

We will bring the Delft another visit in a few weeks Piet.

And then you will see pictures   

 

Sjors

[popeye the sailor]

I think you did a great job Piet.......the proto type showed you what need to be changed.   I'm sure your next one will have these changes in place  

[Piet]

Wow, it's been a few weeks since my last post.  In the meantime I have worked on and completed a micro mini shipyard diorama and if things go well a few pics will be in the gallery.

I have also made a few sketches of a lion for the bow and like to share them here for your comments.  These will not be the final choice but it's a start.

 

I have also dug out the line plans for the ship's boat and sloop.  In the Topsail Schooner diorama log I mentioned that I was not sure how to do these builds.  First i thought to try my hand with the plug method instead of plank on frame but making a plug first will take a lot of time.  Having done a POF dinghy for my 019 sub build that worked out okay I may just as well try it with these two as well. 

With the scale at 1:85 the frames should be about 1 mm wide but cheating a little and go to 1.5 mm it should work okay.  Furthermore, the frames are build-up in three pieces, a floor with futtocks on each side.  I can cut bulkhead type pieces and bend and clamp the futtocks to them to shape. 

Amateur Jan mentioned that he used a method for his ship's boats I should look at, which I will do, of course.

 

Okay, let me show a few sketches for the bow lion.

 

Lion giving a potential attacker the raspberry with a grin on his face and daring to "make his day."  Totally unorthodox and Gwen asked me, "are you serious"?  Ummmm, no, I just wanted to show all yuns my warped sense of humor but all y'all know that already

 

Here is another possibility, much more viable or should I just stick with the standard, unorthodox type of lion?  Wahtever i decide on may not make any difference in how it'll come out, hopefully better then the prototype

 

Cheer,

[JesseLee]

I like the last one!

 

Jesse

[amateur]

Your second lion is a real lion for sure.

The 17th -century carver that did the one on your 17th century ship most probably never saw a real lion (or even an acceptable picture of it), and was far more likely to produce something that is not acceptable to Gwen

 

Jan

[Omega1234]

Hi Piet

 

You certainly like a challenge, don't ya? I mean, trying to carve either one of those Lions would seriously do my head in. But, I know you've got it in you to pull it off.

 

I agree with Jesse though, the second option is probably more viable.

 

Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing your next update.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick l

[amateur]

try googling on 'lion' and 'blooteling'.

That's the kind of examples a 17th century carver had to use.

 

Jan

[Piet]

Thank you JesseLee, Jan and Patrick for dropping in and your comments.

Actually the first pic was meant a joke and a laugh   No way would I put something like that on my ship.  I believe that I should stick with what the folks in the mid seventeenth century carved, whether they are true representations of a lion or not. 

Yes Jan, I'll try to look at that "blootelling" thing you mentioned.  Have to do some more research to find something suitable and then try to replicate it.

 

And Jan, I did visit your P W log and looked at your ship's boat method.  Interesting and quite doable, looks good.  Let me try doing it the hard way first though.  Remco showed me his plug method and his boats came out the Remco way, 99% perfect.

 

Cheers,

 

 

[amateur]

Yeah, I know, the Remco-method is what you are aiming at (and I also know you won't be satisfied with less than 98% perfect )

 

Jan

[Piet]

Thanks everyone for visiting and clicking the like button.

 

@ Jan: :)

 

Cheers,

[Piet]

Thank you Lawrence for dropping in and your very kind words.  To put your mind at ease, the Surabaya build is just half way to completion.  There is still a lot of carving to be done, the ship's boats and then the rigging.  It'll be finished before I go to Davy Jone's locker

 

I have been very busy in the last few weeks, no time to devote at the bench.  I started to draw out the ship's boats to fit the ship, 1:80 scale.  The boat will be 30 Amsterdam feet long and 8 feet 6 inches in the beam.  The sloop will be 26 feet 6 inches long and 7 feet in the beam - also in Amsterdam feet. I plan to install the anchor winch and fully rigged.  That way I can put it next to the ship on the display board.

When I wanted to use my 1 1/2 year old Epson printer it would not print.  I tried to clean the printer heads but that didn't help.

 

In the meantime weeds and extra growth started to take over the yard and needed a lot of work.  The lawn is being attacked by bugs and now also fungus.  Off to the store to by "stuff" and hope to safe the lawn.

 

Then two weeks ago a very good friend of ours told us that she has breast cancer in both breasts.  One is already quite advanced.  The oncologist kinda scared the daylight out of her and wanted to immediately do a double mastectomy. I urged her to get a second opinion which she did and may start on an estrogen hormone protocol.  I am not familiar with that one and am a little concerned.  I spend the last two weeks digging through my cancer archive and gave her pages full of proven natural herbal protocols that have a proven 99% survival record. She may go to a holistic MD type for another opinion.  She is right now rather down and scared.  She is the primary caretaker of her husband who is struggling with severe type II diabetes with one amputated leg.

 

Okay, sorry for this long off topic cry story and back to ship building.  While I am trying to make up my mind about what to do with my printer (probably buying a new one) I started to make a few sketches of  bow lion version 2.0.  I told all yuns that I was not happy with the first try so it was back to the drawing table

I made one face on that still needs to be developed some more but thought to let yuns know that I didn't fall off the earth. Life has a way of throwing monkey wrenches into the works.  Once I am satisfied with the looks I plan to make a sketch from the side.  I kinda used our little cat as a model and a small plastic lion I picked up at the arts and craft store.

 

Okay, here is the pic of my draft sketch.

 

 

Cheers,

[Omega1234]

Hi Piet

 

Good to hear that you're still up and about, albeit preoccupied with gardening and other tasks.  I'm also saddened to hear about your friend's cancer.  I will hope and pray that things work out in her favour.

 

On a brighter note, I can safely say that the lion's face is looking great.  I don't know how you're going to do it, but I'm sure you're going to do it justice!  It'd bamboozle me if I had to try that level of carving complexity.

 

All the best!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[cog]

Piet,

 

Good to see you take your mind of the daily worries planning the next steps in your build. It must be hard on you to find a friend in such dire straits, she must be scared but knowing you , you and Gwen will be there for her.

 

I love the drawing, your cat must be a ferocious little fellow, or is it a she - the sheilas are the better hunters anyway - which shows in the drawing. Well done.

 

I wish you strength, and your friend a recovery like yours, my friend

 

Cheers

[JesseLee]

The drawing looks great! Tell your friend that she has people out here praying for her.

 

Jesse