Sovereign Of The Seas by NMBROOK - Scale 1/84 - based on the works of Van De Velde the elder

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Anja and sorry maybe should of said column/figurine bases

Kind Regards Nigel

[NMBROOK]

Just a small update.Work is progressing well on the pediment carvings,but as they are only 6mmx8mm I gave up trying to take a decent picture.I have now fitted the first and the autofocus on the iphone works now the carving is fitted to the hull.I am actually up to 5 out of 6, but because I am putting two coats of varnish and then leaving 24 hours before fitting,it will be a couple of days before they are all fitted.

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited August 11, 2013 by NMBROOK

[Anja]

Hello Nigel,

 

It will look great when they are all in place.

It is worth waiting for.

 

The Iphone makes great pictures. I use mine too sometimes.

Do you use your Iphone for all your pictures?

 

Anja

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much Anja  at the moment,yes,all the pics on here are taken with the iphone.It works great,but won't focus on really small things unless I put them on a piece of white paper.The problem with these carvings is that they are stuck to strips of boxwwood until I cut them off to fit them.This makes it impossible to place them flat on paper.I do have a super dooper digital camera,but until the software disc turns up(I have had to replace laptop since installation)it is not much use.All six are finished so I hopefully will fit them tomorrow when the varnish is hard.

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited August 11, 2013 by NMBROOK

[NAZGÛL]

Nigel, I love the attention to detail you have. It looks very clean yet realistic. Great work!

 

/Matti

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much for your kind words Matti All six are now complete,just leaving the varnish to harden overnight before fitting

Kind Regards Nigel

[mtaylor]

Super nice carving work on those tiny bits, Nigel.  I wondered what they were going to look like after the first machining.  

[md1400cs]

Nigel,

 

Beautiful work. First rate superlative quality attention to details. A pleasure to follow along.

 

Regards,   Michael

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much Mark The basic machining was just to help with consistancy and to try and reduce the chance of breakout of the top cap.

Kind Regards Nigel

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much Janos I have seen your amazing carving work,so if you like it,I must be heading in the right direction.Thanks again.

Kind Regards Nigel

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much indeed for your warm kind words Michael

Kind Regards Nigel

[NMBROOK]

I have had quite a productive evening.I first fitted the remaining carvings.I then made the caprail  out of 1mm pear then fitted it.Finally I applied a coat of varnish.The varnish still has a slight sheen because it is not fully dry.

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited August 12, 2013 by NMBROOK

[Ferit]

E x t r a o r d i n a r y ! . . .  

 

Are you decisive to participate in a competition?!... My vote is clear by now!... 

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much indeed Ferit Yes I am hoping to compete with this model.

Kind Regards Nigel

[WackoWolf]

You doing excellent work on such a beautiful ship. Keep the pictures coming, I am always watching.

[Anja]

WOW Nigel,

 

Carvings are looking great!

 

Anja

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much for your kind words Joe

Kind Regards Nigel

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much indeed Anja

Kind Regards Nigel

[Anja]

Hello Nigel,

 

 

This is your special day. Relax, enjoy it and have fun.

 

Anja

[Ferit]

Happy birthday Nigel, happy lifetime...

[NAZGÛL]

Wow, those details make it look so nice! You have great talent for wood sculping!

 

And happy birthday buddy!

 

 

 

/Matti

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much your kind birthday wishes Anja,Ferit and Matti And thank you very much for your kind comments Matti

Kind Regards Nigel

[mtaylor]

Happy birthday Nigel.  I hope it's memorable and wonderful. 

[st george]

Happy Birthday Nigel

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much Mark and David Thats it now for another year

Kind Regards Nigel

[NMBROOK]

Despite the birthday distractions I have made some progress on the build.After careful study of the V de V engraving it became apparent to me that the prow cheeks are not faceted as depicted on most models,but in my opinion are flat.I came to this conclusion because the vertical carvings run down in a straight line when viewed at an angle.This made life a whole lot easier.I developed the shape to match the engraving but also to match the proportions of my build.I cut the pieces out of 0.8mm ply and made formers to hold the pieces to the correct curve.When it came to planking the cheeks I had originally planned on horizontal planking,however being faced with a 3D structure that I believe must be close to that of the original,it didn't ring true.I realise the planking on Vasa's prow runs inline(nearest thing in existance,thanks Matti for your wonderful pics)but whilst the two look similar,they are quite different.The way I saw it was that you have four very large structural timbers running inline close to one another,then it made sense that the planking infil would join these together.

therefore I chose to plank the inside faces vertically with boxwood.These have been treenailed and epoxied in position.The outside faces should be planked tomorrow with black boxwood.

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited August 16, 2013 by NMBROOK

[NMBROOK]

Managed a little time on the build today and planked the prow in black boxwood.

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited August 17, 2013 by NMBROOK

[NMBROOK]

After a little head scratching I have decided on a method of tackling the prow ornamentation.The problem being as that the figurines wrap over the horizontal strakes.Anyway rather than trying to explain this,I shall post pics as work progresses through the steps.A late night and early morning has resulted in the first step complete.I have steamed and fitted pear section.The top and bottom are to be shaped a little later on.

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited August 18, 2013 by NMBROOK

[NAZGÛL]

That is looking so good Nigel! I love the color nuances and feel youre giving her. Really great combo of clean assembly and realistic feel.

 

Sovereign is such a nice ship. Did she have gilded sculptures when she was new or polychrome like Vasa? When Vasa was built they only used gold on the most important parts and details as it was expensive. Sweden was poor at that time and much money went to the wars. At that time we also had another preference in style. If I got it right the Vasa style is medieval and renaissance, perhaps early baroque. Sculptures in our church from that time are the same style, and in my local church there are a group of sculptures from the same time as Vasa, looking very close to hers).

 

In Southern Europe the stylistic gold on a solid color was prefered. Was it the same for the ships of Britain? (Prince Royal, 1610, looks polychrome on a painting of her by Vroom.)

 

 

/Matti

Edited August 18, 2013 by NAZGÛL

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much Matti I wanted to emulate a model I have seen in the National maritime museum.It was a navy board model but with fully planked hull.

I can't recall the name of the ship.I am trying to make a model that looks like it could have been made in the 17th century,but in new condition.

All the carvings were gilded on the sovereign and she was very much a symbol of Charles I ego.The building of the ship ended up costing £65,000 in 1637.

This was very much a catalyst in the English civil war.People who lived in coastal areas used to pay ship tax for the upkeep of the navy,but when the cost of the sovereign spiraled out of control,the tax was imposed on everyone in the country.Charles I had over ruled admiralty advice to build several smaller vessels.The biggest draw for me was the historical significance and the fact it was the first 100 gun ship to be built.When originally built there was an anti-boarding deck covering the first three decks,that I will represent on my model as no one has done it,even Culver got it wrong on his model.However these decks were removed in 1639 in an attempt to reduce topside weight and improve handling.

As regards the Prince Royal of 1610,I have only seen black and white images of the etching so can't really confirm either way but I would doubt the carvings were gilded.

Kind Regards Nigel.

Edited August 18, 2013 by NMBROOK