Ship paintings

[Vegaskip]

I posted this on an other web site some time ago 

A while back I posted a painting of a sailing ship and a verse of poetry, which some of you commented on.
The poem I found on a website of the Falkland Islands, where it was on the grave marker of one of the islanders. I don't know if he wrote it himself and I trawl the Internet every now and again, but have found absolute zilch!. 
I was so impressed with the first verse I decided to have a go my self. I'm certainly no poet, and I don't know about copyright, and the last thing I ever wanted to do is offend any one.
Any way here's what I came up with.

D'ye Mind the day

D'ye mind the day we squared away and ran her east by South.
When she trampled down the big Horn waves with a roaring bone in her mouth.
When the best of hands fought the bucking wheel , afraid to look behind.
At the howling grey beards in her wake.
D'ye mind old Pal, D'ye mind.

 

D'ye mind the day, now far away, we were south of Kerguleen.
With the rigging worn and the sails all torn, and the foc'le taking them green.
Where that tiredness ache behind your eyes, was like to make you blind.
But you soldiered on till the cold grey dawn
D'ye mind old pal, D'ye mind.

 

D'ye mind the day, down Caraccas way
Where the Frigate Birds glide and the palm trees sway.
Where the Dolphins ride the Bow wave bright.
And a billion stars light up the night.
Where the moonlit wake we towed behind 
Was made from memories of every kind.
D'ye mind old pal. D'ye mind.

 

D'ye mind the day in Liverpool Bay
With the Pilot by the wheel.
With the Crew all smiles  for the last few miles
But with ten thousand under her keel.
Then at four o'clock in the Albert Dock 
We left the ship behind. 
To sail no more to a foreign shore
D'ye mind old pal. D'ye mind.

Jim

[Mirabell61]

Wow !

love that one Jim,

one can feel the fresh breeze driving the windjammer...

 

I have a question to the technique....., how do you do the wonderful thin rigging lines / ratlines, etc....?

 

Nils

[Vegaskip]

Thanks Nils. I use a 'Royal and Langnickel 1/8" Dagger brush'  see pic.

jim 

[Mirabell61]

Hi Jim,

 

thanks for answering, incredible work......

I can imagine how you are holding the dagger brush between pointer finger and thumb, whilst the brush is resting on the middle finger, probably you guide your hand along some kind of linear supporting rail. However done, it is a fantastic result  !!!!

[Vegaskip]

I some times use a straight edge and pencil if it is a long line. But mostly free hand, if you look close some lines are a bit 'wiggley'

Here is a timed 'how I do it ' series  Graf Spee in Montevideo. It shows the brushes I use and my pallet, with a clock showing how long it usually takes to do a A3 watercolour. 

Jim

Sorry they didn't come out in the right sequence, start at the second from the bottom, and work up, or go by the clock.

jim

Edited November 3, 2017 by Vegaskip

[Mirabell61]

Many thanks Jim,

 

wish I had the talent to do such paint work, also a good idea with the clock in the background to show the duration it takes....

 

Nils

[Vegaskip]

Nils  I have been looking at you 'Pegasus posts your detail is amazing, a lot more difficult than painting detail

jim

[Vegaskip]

Graf Spee and Africa Shell. Graf Spee has a dummy turret infront of the bridge but this was just before she made a false funnel. Africa Shell was boarded, her Captain taken prisoner, the crew were allowed to row ashore in her lifeboats. The ship was then sunk with scuttling charges.
 

[Vegaskip]

WW1 U Boat sinking a topsail schooner after crew abandons ship. In the distance Rescue!! Or another Target?

jim

[Vegaskip]

Special commission For an old gentleman who sailed in her when he was a boy, ME!. 19/02/57 to 10/05/57 Cabin Boy. Wage £12 per month 'London Merchant' steaming up the Thames.

jim

[el cid]

These are amazing works of art, thank you for sharing.  To me your talent is simply magical.

 

Warm regards,

 

Keith

[Vegaskip]

Anstruther at low tide, with Fisher Lassies cleaning and packing Herring

 

Loading Hay Barges for Londons Equine population 19th and early 20th century ( two way trip, return journey with 'used' hay for fertilising the fields!.

jim

[Vegaskip]

• Some from WW1

Scapa Flow at night

'Hell Bent' Battle fleet with Destroyers

HMS Warspite , steering jammed, veers out of line towards the High Seas Fleet at Jutland.

Edited November 6, 2017 by Vegaskip

[Vegaskip]

Three more

HMS Campanula cuts through a convoy to investigate a 'contact'.

Replenishing at sea HMS Saumerez and Wave class RFA Tanker

Corvette  Campanula and  Wave Tanker

Edited November 7, 2017 by Vegaskip

[Vegaskip]

One off, one on. HMS Centaur and Destroyer HMS Carisfort. Sea Vixen off Gannet on. Painted for a guy who served in both ships.

jim

[Vegaskip]

Loch Ewe. North West Scotland . Arctic/Atlantic Convoy assembly point 

Jin

[Gleep93]

These paintings are absolutely amazing Jim! If you sold them thwy would definitely be worth buying 

 

 

[Jack12477]

Jim, I am enjoying your paintings immensely - you have a great eye and great talent - thanks for sharing them with us.

[Vegaskip]

Thank you both for commenting, and yes I do sell some paintings, although I don't go out of my way to advertise. I'm too old for a load of hassle packing and posting especially international stuff. I sent a painting of a B29 to Hawaii. It was supposed to be first class airmail and take 3/4 days. Took a few days under 3 months and the tube it was in was folded in the middle.

Jim

[Gleep93]

Ok. I'm currently living the U.S. I may consider buying one. Good luck and happy painting!

 

Zach

[Vegaskip]

Thank you Zach, I look forward to hearing from you.

meanwhile, back in The North West coast of the US.

Orcas with Mellon!

USCGC MELLON off the North West somewhere.

Jim

Edited November 9, 2017 by Vegaskip

[Mirabell61]

wonderful Jim,

 

mist over the forrest and the Rockies in the background....

 

Nils

[Vegaskip]

Hi Nils, while looking up reference material for this one, it was interesting to read that in places there were deep channels very close to the shore. With photos of then so close you could almost lean out and touch them. I just had to put them in.

jim

Have a Tot on me!.

Edited November 9, 2017 by Vegaskip

[Vegaskip]

Latest painting unfinished as yet.

sounding the way ahead with Lead Line.

jim

 

[BANYAN]

You have done a terrific job on all your paintings, Jim.  I hope that does not sound condescending, rather it is intended to convey my pleasure in viewing your work.  I especially like the Falklands poetry painting as somehow you have conveyed the bitter chill in the air in those climes.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[ccoyle]

Jim, I have enjoyed viewing all of your work thus far, but I confess I am particularly enamored of your depictions of the various steel-hulled vessels. Your paintings of various kinds of patrol craft, escorts, and auxilliary vessels especially seem to me to do an excellent job of capturing the look and feel of the era.

[Vegaskip]

Thank you both, I much prefer the smaller warships.

 Here is a couple of Minesweeping Trawlers

Pencil sketch Trawler 'United Boys and 'Bervie Braes'
10 X 7 inches

[Vegaskip]

This was inspired by Rudyard Kipling's poem about minesweepers in WW1

 

 

Mine sweepers courtesy Of Mr Kipling  DAWN OFF the Foreland - the young flood making Jumbled and short and steep -  Black in the hollows and bright where it's breaking - Awkward water to sweep. "Mines reported in the fairway, "Warn all traffic and detain. " 'Sent up Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain."  Noon off the Foreland - the first ebb making  Lumpy and strong in the bight. Boom after boom, and the golf-hut shaking  And the jackdaws wild with fright ! "Mines located in the fairway, "Boats now working up the chain, "Sweepers - Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain."  Dusk off the Foreland - the last light going  And the traffic crowding through, And five damned trawlers with their syreens blowing  Heading the whole review ! "Sweep completed in the fairway. "No more mines remain. " 'Sent back Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain."

[Vegaskip]

A little change. Two Maritime aircraft of days gone by

a Nimrod over flies a scraped Shackleton 

[Charter33]

Hi Jim,

Your talents seem to have no limit. Love your latest post - my father worked on the electronics in Shackletons when serving in the RAF  - he used to refer to them as 10,000 rivets flying in loose formation ......

Cheers,

Graham

Edited November 10, 2017 by Charter33
spelling!