Soleil Royal by Hubac's Historian - Heller - An Extensive Modification and Partial Scratch-Build

[amateur]

And if the tail does not belong to the pixie holding the crown, what is the use of the tail (or: were is the head that goes with it?.)

 

Jan

[ClipperFan]

Hubac's Historian

It's a relief to know that I didn't insult you with my alternate interpretation of Berain's work. In the essence of allegorical interpretation, it would be an interesting exercise to study French use of these mystical creatures. One thing is for sure, sailors are a superstitious lot. Then again taking on vast quantities of the world's oceans where there was no land in sight for months would take a certain amount of faith for sure. Dolphins have traditionally been harbingers of good will. This is a deserved reputation as the mammals themselves are kind hearted and gregarious in real life as well as fierce opponents of sharks. I like your analogy of the pixies also being a form of protection of Ship and crew. As for being forlorn seamen, note how almost universally these lovely women are topless or practically so. Berain particularly seems to like to use "Tromp L'Oeil" to achieve more implied depth than perhaps even the actual carvings on the vessel possess.

As a youth, I had the opportunity to see highly ornamented churches, castles and cathedrals when my family was stationed in West Germany in the 60s. The lifelike works were simply overwhelming, especially the gilded ones. Even ordinary pieces of furniture had amazingly detailed carvings. 

Thank you for your compliment on my sketch. I would consider it an honor to collaborate with you on your 1670 Ship. Another of my favorite vessels is the old warship "Sovereign of the Seas" which was so ornately adorned that it ultimately cost King Charles II his head!

Here's another project I've been working on for years. This is the Goddess Athena who adorned Donald McKay's last Clipper Ship, the 1869 "Glory of the Seas." It's widely accepted that this magnificent figurehead represents the zenith of Ship carving. Fortunately, while the ship is long since gone, her goddess figurehead is still available for viewing. She stands serenely at the top of ornate double stairs of the old "India House" in Mahattan, NY.

ClipperFan is my tribute to all Clipper Ships. My personal favorites are Mr McKay's of Boston, MA. His works fascinate me and it amazes me how to this day he's been successful at concealing his Bow structure. Case in point, there are no complete Bow sketches of his famous Australian emigrant Clipper "Lightning." It's amazing. His own drawings just leave a blank area, unfinished.

like you, I'm a stickler for accuracy. One of my 'pet peeves' is that I have yet to see an accurate bow on any McKay Clipper, with the exception of his "Great Republic." There are contemporary in depth descriptions from the Boston Daily Atlas which clearly enumerate Nautical devices like a curving Cut Water, Carved Arch Work and how the Figurehead sits neatly atop just tucked under where Naval Hoods join just below the Bowsprit. Yet if you look at any model, the figurehead is slapped on the Stem like an afterthought! So I'm gradually attempting to recreate truly accurate Bows of these glorious McKay Clippers. 

FYI as a previous resident of the Bean State and currently living in CT, my basketball teams are the Boston Celtics and UConn.

[druxey]

For the record, it was Charles I that lost his head, not Charles II.

[popeye2sea]

13 hours ago, ClipperFan said:

Here's a more clear image of the same Quarter Gallery illustration. The Fairy on the left side is coming out from behind the roof, her left hand supports the Crown. It's anatomically impossible for the lower fish to be her. It's actually another fish, possibly a dolphin, you can see two eyes but the mouth is hidden by what appears to be sea leaves. Now it's more clear that the lady on the right is a full human form with butterfly wings, her right arm, foreshortened also supports the Crown.

Your interpretation of this image got me intrigued so I loaded it into photoshop and zoomed in to the details.  I agree with your interpretation except for the dolphins/fish.  They both appear to be disappearing/diving behind the gable roof of the quarter gallery. Neither has a head visible.  On the left dolphin all you can see is the feathery pectoral fin.  What you took for the mouth of the right dolphin looks to me like the end of the garland.  The garland that the pixies are holding is a continuation from the base of the crown.

 

Regards,

[ClipperFan]

English history, especially their Kings, has never been my strong suit. At least I got the Charles correct. But thank you for setting the record straight.

[ClipperFan]

popeye2sea

In order to accurately portray what I see, it will be necessary to print out this clearer image and trace over what appears to be there. As I mentioned to Hubac's Historian the type of highly stylized, embellished, gorgeously carved images displayed in Ships like Les Soleil Royal also utilize Tromp L'Oiel to make partial images look like they hide behind other ones. As with any effort to replicate what's not completely visible, our best efforts to interpret what we can see will also involve subjective interpretation.

[Hubac's Historian]

It is fascinating to me which aspects of this whole discussion of SR - my build log - take off.  I am enjoying the debate!

 

Clipper Fan, while I have been pretty emphatic, at times, about various aspects of my interpretation, I have discovered over time that many of my early assumptions were just wrong, and it is people like yourself, who have helped me to see that.  Discussion and debate is the primary goal of maintaining this build log, as filling-in the missing details is often vague.

 

Now that you have brought it to my attention, I share your fascination for McKay’s secrecy.  In that time, though, I suppose maintaining competitive advantage was what the windjammers were all about.  If life ever returns to semi-normal, I’ll have to make a visit to the India House to see that figurehead.  It is a lovely example of the art form.   For a good stretch of time, I lived only blocks away from there.

 

So, it’s official - we are collaborators!  Specific projects and renumeration, TBD.  It is a while off, though.  Whenever it is that I finish this project, I will immerse myself in whatever the best-suited drawing software there is for creating a monograph-style set of plans.  I’m hoping that these things will have become super user-friendly, by then.

 

Once I can navigate something like that, I can begin developing a plausible hull form.  Once I’ve made a simple foam maquette to test the volumes of my hull, I can begin drawing all of the structure, in detail.  Once we have a structure to reference, we can begin to flesh-out the ornamental program.

 

Much of the discussion of the book is already written, long-form, in the pages of this log;  of course, my arguments and observations will need to be better substantiated by primary sources.  Going to France on a research junket will be hell, but I think I’ll be able to soothe myself with their food and wine😉, and their general joie de vivre. So, it’s all a ways off, but this is my plan, anyway.

 

Last night, I distress washed my main deck.  The Windsor and Newton grey does a fabulous job of getting into all of the engraving, while silvering the random tan, acrylic base-coat.  Then, the Van Dyke Brown works its magic and the whole thing looks appropriately weathered. 

I’ll give the oil a few days to cure before I paint the hatches and coamings red ocher.  As I have done, elsewhere, I’ll use the walnut ink to wash the red.

 

Now, speaking of missing details, I am trying to work out the details of the stove.  Unfortunately, the St. Philippe monograph isn’t much use for me, in this area, because the main hearth and bread oven are two separate structures that are placed between the guns, on the middle deck; one to port, and one to starboard.  I want to centralize these two things on the main deck, beneath the forecastle deck, with one chimney.

 

While I have a good idea what the timber cladding and iron strapping would look like on the outside of the brickwork, I can’t find any reliable references to what the brickwork should be for a combined cauldron stove/bread oven.  Would they even have been combined?  For all practical purposes, very little beyond the timber clad bulkhead will even be visible, but I would like to know what should be, for SR 1670.

 

Your likes comments and input are all greatly appreciated.

[ClipperFan]

Hubac's Historian

It will be an honor to collaborate with you. In the mid 70s I once drew an immense poster incorporating all elements of "The History of Norse Mythology". One of my biggest challenges was an eight legged horse with appropriate mounted Viking Warrior. How to get eight appendages to look biologically feasible as well as genuinely believable was a fascinating task. In the end, unless you looked carefully, the beast actually looked like it only had four legs but upon closer observation, there were indeed eight. I've been drawing realistically since the age of five and I pride myself on doing things right. 

To paraphrase a famous 40s Bogart line "This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

[druxey]

I look forward to seeing how your collaboration develops!

 

Nice effect on the deck, HH.

[Hubac's Historian]

ClipperFan, indeed it will be!

 

Your Norse mythology poster sounds like its rightful place would be airbrushed along the side of this sweet honey:

An actual 1975 Dodge (MOPAR MADNESS!!) panel van.  I love 70’s Dodge, and obviously, I will exploit any opportunity to incorporate it.  Seriously, though - the ground color of this particular Dodge seems perfect for the 8-legged horse you describe.  Just the idea of it reminds me of Spinal Tap; “These amps go to ELEVEN...”

 

I know it’s a reach, but do you still have the poster?

[ClipperFan]

Hubac's Historian

It will be an honor to collaborate with you. In the mid 70s I once drew an immense poster incorporating all elements of "The History of Norse Mythology". One of my biggest challenges was an eight legged horse with appropriate mounted Viking Warrior. How to get eight appendages to look biologically feasible as well as genuinely believable was a fascinating task. In the end, unless you looked carefully, the beast actually looked like it only had four legs but upon closer observation, there were indeed eight. I've been drawing realistically since the age of five and I pride myself on doing things right. 

To paraphrase a famous 40s Bogart line "This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

[ClipperFan]

Hubac's Historian 

To answer your question about that Norse Mythology poster, unfortunately I lost track of it decades ago. However I'm sure I could duplicate elements of it. I remember seeing many glorious airbrushed images on cars, trucks and vans from the 70s. While coming up with a design is in my wheelhouse, unfortunately airbrushing isn't. I also don't want to hijack your topic. The work you're doing on this Heller vessel is just incredible.

[Hubac's Historian]

No need to go to any trouble, ClipperFan.  Your description of the poster sent my mind to riffin’ on those outrageous and spectacular old vans.  In any case, your talents are plainly evident to me.  I’m glad you are enjoying this project!

[druxey]

I look forward to seeing how your collaboration develops!

 

Nice effect on the deck, HH.

[Hubac's Historian]

Thanks, Druxey!

[Hubac's Historian]

While I wait for my deck to cure, I thought it would be a good time to start constructing the head.

 

Now, I knew that I would have to adjust the knees of the head to accommodate the increased width, at the bow, but I naively believed that it would be a simple matter of scribing them to fit.  Well, that’s not going to work out so neatly, after all:

 

I think the only way around this is to cut off the knee extension pieces, scribe the loose ends to fit, and the rejoin the cutwater with a styrene filler piece that can be shaped and moulded to match. It seems iffy, but I think I can pull it off.

 

Assuming this works out, and I can use these parts, I would like to introduce a taper to the leading surface of the cutwater.  The plastic is thick enough that I can represent the taper without compromising the part.

 

Since doing so will eliminate most of the timber structure and graining, I will go-ahead and re-engrave a more likely timber structure than what Heller has provided for.

 

Both of the figureheads I have are somewhat warped, but one is a better fit than the other; its irregularities can be finessed and minimized.

 

Today, I finished the Pixies.  I wish that I were better at carving faces, but this was the best that I can do, for the time being:

Next, I’ll make the crown ornaments that the Pixies are supporting.  By the time those are done, I should be ready to pattern and carve the trailboard that fills the space between the head knees.

[Hubac's Historian]

With the ears of the knees temporarily removed, I can now get a better idea of the relationship between the upper stem knee and the cutwater.  The upper stem knee mates nicely with the angle of the kit’s stock sprit mast, and the cutwater requires some scribing to fit up nicely to the stem:

If I place an ear back into position, I can see that it won’t take much scribing and filling to blend the whole assembly back together seamlessly:

However, before I can make any final adjustments to fit, I really need to see what the trailboard space looks like along it’s entire length.  To see that, requires fitting and attaching the figurehead.

 

For a stock assembly of this kit, one always ends up with a tapered opening where the trailboard should be.  I can scribe the cutwater so that this opening is parallel, but doing so also has an impact on the kit’s stock headrails, which, like the figurehead, are really nice.  I am hoping to be able to use them in the build despite the increased width of the hull, which has a shortening effect on the headrails.   More on that later.

 

Before attaching the figurehead to the cutwater, I wanted to make some modifications to the cutwater.  First, I wanted to file-in a slight, and graduated taper to its leading edge, as marked out here:

You can see that the plastic is plenty thick enough to reduce it by half it’s thickness, at the base of the cutwater.  In the end, the difference is subtle, but noticeable  if you are looking for it.

 

The other big problem with Heller’s representation of this massive and fundamental structure is that the timbering, with its butt joints and sandwich laminations bears zero resemblance to the interlocking structure of a ship’s cutwater:

Above, the laminations cross the gammoning holes in ways that no shipwright would ever allow.

 

On better representations of this cutwater structure, the gammoning holes are often angled to follow the run of the timbering.  For inspiration, I looked to the St. Philippe monograph:

This is good because the timbering is not overly complicated, and it doesn’t interfere with the gammoning; never-mind, for a moment, that the SP gammoning is drawn below the water line - that is its own issue.

 

The main thing that I don’t like about this SP timber layout is that the joinery is all straight lines.  In reality, these timbers would have been carefully selected for natural grain that pretty closely follows the shape of the stem, thus dramatically increasing the strength of the structure.  Strength is critically important when you consider the massive weight of structure that the cutwater is supporting (figurehead, headrails, et al), as well as the dynamic ocean forces playing upon it at all times.

 

So, with that in mind, I looked to what Marc Yeu chose to do for his SR:

(photo, courtesy of Marc Yeu)

 

Note that the trailboard opening is parallel.  I believe that Marc adopted Frolich’s timbering for L’Ambiteaux.  To me, this is a much more natural looking structure, so I chose to adapt it to the Heller stem.

 

I considered filling the gammoning holes and re-orienting them, but decided against it, after I had arrived at a layout with minimal, and dare I say plausible, interference:

Above, after much careful fitting, the figurehead is secured, and I have filled the hole for the fore-course tack lines.  Instead, I will be making a block for these that attaches to the leading edge of the stem.  I will probably also represent the through-bolting of the stem, on its leading edge.  It’s a simple thing to do and adds a nice touch of realism to the model.

 

So, as I consider the coloration of the head, the figurehead offers me an opportunity to experiment with an idea I have about coloration of all the really large statuary - most especially, the four continental figures of the stern.

 

Just about everyone who builds this model paints all of these figures solid gold.  It is hard to argue with that choice, as that is how Peter Vary represents her in his coloration of the Berain design:

The issue I have with this is that I find that much gold to be overwhelming, and the effect it has is to diminish the impact and beauty of the ornamental design; everything seems to get lost in a sea of gold!

 

I have an extra figurehead to experiment with.  I would like to see what the horse would look like painted white, with a light grey wash to give it some depth and shading.  I would pick out the main, the reins, the riding pixies, the acanthus leaves along the horse’s belly, and the horse’s tail in gold.  meanwhile, the moulding of the knees would be painted yellow ocher, instead of gold, as will be the fretwork of the trailboard; only the fleurs and bellflowers of the trailboard will be picked out in gold.  If I really like this, I will apply it to all similar figures.

 

Although things may have been different in 1670 (Hyatt’s description of the RL being EXHIBIT A), by 1688 - in the midst of a horrendously expensive re-build of SR - it only seems sensible that the ship would NOT be completely covered in gold leaf and lapis-based ultra-marine.   These are stylized choices I would be making, but I think they are appropriately representative of the period.

 

The deck gratings are painted now, and I will soon be gluing-in the main deck:

To get a sense for how effective the walnut ink is, take a look at the contrast, where I haven’t yet applied it:

In the first picture, above, I have modulated the effect a bit, to tone it down - super easy with a dampened brush.  It’s probably still a bit over done, but I like the grubbiness of the effect.

 

Thank you for the likes and looking in!

[shipmodel]

Hi Marc -

 

Well thought out and analyzed.  The head structures should come out well with your excellent level of persistence.

 

I do recommend that you fill the gammon holes at this time.  The kit ones are much too level, I think, and probably mislocated.

The holes should angle up and forward, much like the ones in the St. Phillippe drawing. (The ones on Marc Yeo's model are, I believe, too angled.)

I found it nearly impossible to locate and angle the holes on my models until the headrails were planned out precisely, or even until after they were installed.

The holes should lie just under and parallel to the lower edge of the lowest headrail.  My old eyes think they see them in this location in the drawings.

This gives the greatest radius of curvature for the gammoning, and therefore the least strain on the ropes as the ship works in high winds and seas.

The holes are angled so the gammoning turns press against each other as they are laced, starting from the aft (lower) end on the bowsprit to the forward (upper) end of the hole.

And yes, this does mean that the turns cross over each other, a detail that is hidden by the final frapping turns that tighten them, which explains some of the confusion.

 

You can always reopen the holes if you find that they are correct and I am wrong.  (Perish the thought . . . LOL . . . )

 

Dan

 

[Hubac's Historian]

Dan, you are definitely correct that the positioning of the headrails has the most influence concerning the placement of the gammoning.

 

I will have to make a decision sooner, rather than later as to whether I will make the headrails from scratch.

 

Yet another issue of the Heller kit is that there is very little clearance for the headrail supports that the kit (and Tanneron’s model, for that matter) has omitted.

 

Making the headrails from scratch might give me a few extra millimeters clearance, while also solving the problem of the forward headrail scroll rising above the bowsprit mast, which it should not.

[druxey]

Remember that the gammoning has to pass between the head timbers (those are the vertical ones (as seen from the side)  supporting the rails.

[Hubac's Historian]

Yes, because these head timbers correspond with the headrail supports.

 

Here are a few pictures of my favorite model of L’Ambiteaux.  The bow shot illustrates all of these design considerations quite nicely:

 

[popeye2sea]

On 7/16/2020 at 8:49 AM, Hubac's Historian said:

 

Above, after much careful fitting, the figurehead is secured, and I have filled the hole for the fore-course tack lines.  Instead, I will be making a block for these that attaches to the leading edge of the stem.  I will probably also represent the through-bolting of the stem, on its leading edge.  It’s a simple thing to do and adds a nice touch of realism to the model.

 

I would reconsider removing the fairlead holes for the tacks.  In fact you may have to add a second.  The tacks pass through these holes and belay on the opposite side.  A block on the fore edge of the stem will not work.

 

Regards,

[ClipperFan]

Hubac's Historian 

The triptych of "fleur des Lis" in the bow at first appeared to be relief carvings with lots of open space between them. Upon closer observation it's more apparent they're carvings on a cream colored background instead. That makes more sense as it's a critical area of the vessel that has to be sturdier to plow through the waves.

From first hand experience I can verify that pure glittering gold can be overwhelming to the senses. I was in a German palace that had so much gold leafed carvings and statuary that after a hour it actually gave me a splitting headache. While this lavish embellishment can be done on dockyard models, it's more likely the full size ships had a minimum gold leaf highlights and the rest might actually have been natural colors or yellow ocher. Many nautical historians were stunned to discover the riot of all natural shading on the Vasa, for instance.

Using this logic, the black and white illustration of the Soleil Royal's Quarter Gallery actually appears to show a red velvet crown with gold embellishments. The dolphins appear to show natural shades too, especially the right side one which is definitely darker above and lighter below. 

Here's my observation of how the crown appears. 

[Hubac's Historian]

This isn’t my best paint work, and I haven’t completed the starboard side gold work, but I am looking for some feedback on this approach to the figurehead.  Does this seem 17th C. French to you guys, or something else?

 

[EJ_L]

I personally like the use of various colors and shades on the decorations. I think that instead of leaving the horse and rider white, I would use a light brown and skin tone respectively. I think the white is too white and I'm thinking that if the artists did indeed use colors and not just gold leaf, they would have attempted to paint as realistic as possible.

 

Being that the horse, is more seahorse than normal land horse, a blue/grey or orange/yellow tint might also be appropriate. 

[Hubac's Historian]

Henry, I was probably using the wrong term, “block,” but this is what I had in mind for the tack fairleads:

You can see the styrene shim, at the base, which was necessary in order to get a close scribe to the stem and plinth base.

 

I added the through-bolting of the cutwater, which are actually two pieces - a diamond shaped washer and a tiny domed projection of styrene rod, on top:

I have a tight scribe of the trailboard blank to the cutwater and stem.  I won’t be able to scribe it to the upper head knee until after the cutwater is fixed in place:

Once I have an exact size for the blank, I’ll re-draw the trailboard filigree.  Ideally, the fleur-de-lis should align with the head timber supports.

 

Realistically, though, this may need to be an area of compromise.  I would rather have a good looking trailboard layout, than one that seems cramped to fit within and around the parameters of the gammoning.  I have not decided yet, Dan, whether I will fill and move the gammoning holes.

 

I was at my buddy’s house this weekend, and so I took a few head shots of my first Soleil Royal, as a reminder of the stock spacing of the whole assembly:

Ideally, one of the fleurs should be centered between the gammoning.

 

Because my headrails are now a good 1/8” short of where they need to land behind the figurehead, I do not think that I will be able to use them.  I will try to heat-stretch them, because I have an extra set, but I am not optimistic about that outcome.

 

It’s just a super complicated area.  Once I can work out a trailboard layout that accommodates the current arrangement of the gammoning, I can begin patterning  new headrails in cardboard, with headrail timbers that are interspersed around the gammoning.  If no good layouts are possible with the gammoning where it is, then I will have to move the gammoning.

 

EJ, I’ve been thinking about your comments on color, and I am inclined to agree.  Then, it dawned on me that the color gouache Vary portrait has what I think can be taken as a literal guide for this sort of period stylized/naturalistic coloring.  All of the cues are in the border of the portrait:

 

There is also this coloration of the Berain drawing of L’Agreable’s stern, which I think is a useful guide to colors:

So, what I will do on the starboard half of my spare figurehead is to darken the grey wash that I first applied to the horse, but I will do it in a graduated scale that gets darker as you approach the tail.  Then I will apply the same translucent green wash that I use to simulate ver-de-gris on the guns.  This, too, will be applied from light to dark.

 

I will basecoat the Pixie’s face, arms and legs with random tan.  A very light walnut ink wash will pick out some of the facial detail, while modulating the skin tone.  Finally, I have a translucent red wash that, if applied very lightly, should round out the skin tone.  I’ll finish by picking out the same details in gold.

 

I have cleaned to the outline of the amortisement crowns, and they are now ready to carve:

 

And so, we’ll see what all of that looks like.  Thank you for your likes, your comments and for looking in.

[G. Delacroix]

Hello,

I have a little question: what are those pieces on the deck?
Thank you
GD

 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

Yes, Mr. Delecroix - those are strips of masking tape for later, when I mount the gun carriages.

 

I have affixed styrene blocking to the undersides of the gun carriages, which will later be blacked out with flat paint:

I thought I still had a pic of the blocking, but in any case, the glue block runs down the center of the carriage, between the axles.

 

It was a calculated gamble, on my part, that the blackout paint will sufficiently hide the blocks.  Even though structural integrity of the glue joint is not important, here, I prefer to make a more solid connection.

[G. Delacroix]

Okay, thank you. That's a solution indeed.
Concerning your gun carriages, the trunnion housing is not included in an overthickness, it is worked directly on the top of the cheek. Have you checked the height of the gun in relation to its position in the port? 

 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

That is an interesting detail.  When you consider it, of course it makes sense for there to be a more substantial mass off timber to absorb the recoil.

 

Even at this late stage, this modification would be possible.  I am not certain about how that would affect the height of the barrels through the ports.  Fortunately, I am pretty certain that I made one or two extra carriages that I can experiment on.

 

Thank you for bringing that to my attention.