Why not paint your ship?

[BassicBill]

Serious question...I have seen so many gorgeous, super-detailed ships completed as close to the prototype as the modellers abilities permit them. Museum quality or better, yet, despite the extreme attention to detail, so many of these models remain unpainted.

 

While I certainly understand the allure and beaty of natural wood, I also know that men-of-war were not unpainted. Most boats & ships were painted. So my question is: after spending hundreds of hours creating these masterpieces, why are modellers not adding appropriate paints/finishes to improve the authenticity of the finished product?

[Padeen]

Indeed, if one is looking for authenticity, a fully planked model should also be painted. Why don't we all do that ? Well, I guess for most of us it's just a matter of aesthetics: some find natural wood or stained wood looks better, others don't want their beautiful job of a planking to be hidden under a coat of paint, some are afraid to spoil the model with a poor painting job... For instance I did not paint the hull of my fisrt model beacause the contrast between the different woods pleased me (and the model was not based on any particular boat anyway) but I will paint the second one trying to respect the colour scheme of its period and country both for authenticity and for aestetic reasons (I don't like the look of walnut).

As for museum models, I think that many models were made as shipyard prototypes (like the Admiralty models with partially planked hulls and no masts) so they were left unpainted. Then maybe modelers thought that this was perfection and where inclined not to paint their models (a bit as we constructed buildings with white columns, taking inspiration from Greek and Roman temples, not knowing that they were painted at the time).

Just my two cents' but I think the main answer is "aesthetics".

[lamarvalley]

For my two cents worth i can hardly add much to Adelines' response as she hit most of the points that I would bring up. Aesthetics are key to the builder and I for one am building for my pleasure first and for accuracy second. I am not that experienced a builder to think 'museum quality' so I can be flexible about being true to the original.

There is a saying here on MSW... your ship, your decisions. For most this is a hobby to enjoy with color schemes and various kit/scratch build alterations (bashing) left to the shipwright.

[tarbrush]

I built a model of a Monterey fishing boat a while ago.  I loved the way they were painted but I also wanted to do a cut a way so you could see the framing and interior of the model.  After wrestling with the problem a while I decided to do both.  I painted one side completely.  The other side was natural wood planking, painted wales and sheer strake, with a large unplanked area to view the framing and interior.  It came out pretty good and was kind of fun to turn the model around from time to time to show one side or the other.

[BassicBill]

Hey John, that sounds really cool!  Any pics?

[johnegert]

Mr. Bill,

This topic has gone back and forth for many moons, and can still start a fight in a model ship bar. The argument for not painting probably reached its zenith in C. Nepean Longridge's "The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships"----- a necessary library mainstay---- who built his HMS Victory with an express purpose of showing all joinery/ construction technique of the prototype in the model, and was disdainful of covering this mighty effort with paint. Part of the problem, too, was the lack of model-type quality paint, meaning that artist oils or gouaches were all that was available( and which I still use.... another story). The scale model movement gave rise to better paint and a desire to capture the look and feel of the prototype, rather than demonstrate construction methods.

There has always been, as well, a fondness for the look of beautiful natural woods in models used for decorative purpose in a home. The European kit manufacturers catered to this desire with exotic kit woods of strange names, which, though beautiful, were often a major pain in the butt to work with.

So, as always, we have different strokes......... For me, half the beauty of a model is an accurate paint job with tasteful weathering. But then, I went a long time thinking that a model which was not displayed in a fine sea base under full sail was doo doo, so what the hell do I know??? 

john

[twintrow]

"MODEL SHIP BAR"????  Never heard of one of those.  Unfortunately I would imagine it being a very quiet place with only a couple blokes in it.

 

Certainly would be an interesting place to have a brew or two though.

 

Tom

[johnegert]

Tomas----

I owned one once, but had to close. The wretched customers spilled glue on everything, often attaching themselves to the glassware permanently. They never had any money, always yammering about "saving for the Agamemnon", whatever THAT meant. Then,one night, I hired the Rolling Stones to play, and the customers walked out because the band refused to play "chanteys and hornpipes". They also had an unnerving tendency for self-mutilation, with one bizzare woman taking an xacto to her own hand....horrible. The last straw: Every time I served a nice tall mug of hot Irish coffee, the bastards would stick planking in it.

I don't need that kind of grief....

john

[BassicBill]

What, no glue sniffers?

[twintrow]

That is an ugly picture you paint of us John, accurate, but ugly.   I'll bet you did fill a lot of "schnooers" though ;o)

Tom

[tarbrush]

BassicBill, sorry about the slow response, my internet has been out since yesterday.  I just went and snapped a couple of pictures of the old girl, she got knocked around pretty good on my cross country move and I have repaired her yet.  shame on me.  but here a couple of pics.

[lamarvalley]

Very cool John. She looks like two different boats. I like it

[tarbrush]

thanks Randy, it really is nice to turn it and have a new model to look at. 

[BassicBill]

That is VERY cool! Thanks for sharing the pics, John.

(BTW, nice goose)

Edited August 6, 2013 by BassicBill

[1492]

Why not use both? This is an old photo of my version of AL's Swift. I use paint for bulwarks, wales and masts (not shown). Then I tried to blend the finishes so it looks 'natural'.

 

 

[1492]

The model is pretty much complete, It's sitting in dry-dock (covered) waiting on a case to put it in.

 

I just need to put the whole lot together (masts and sails are still not attached) but that won't take me too long at all. I used this 'fictional' boat as an experimental model more than anything else. I used severe rusting on the hand rails, Verdi Gris effect on the rudder hinges, built my own fittings and discarded the kit’s fittings, made nicer bowsprit and masts compared to the kit supplied ones, used the fine tile grout effect for the plank caulking, etc.

 

I applied many thinned down coats of acrylic paint because I didn't want to lose the wood grain underneath that can otherwise make the painted areas look too 'plastic'. The model was finished with some weathering.

Because it’s a test model I haven’t been in a big hurry to display it. Besides the admiral has not allocated me any extra space.  

 

[demonborger]

A combination of both looks the best I think. 

[Ulises Victoria]

To me it depends on the model. I have not painted at all any of my previous ships. (San Juan Bautista, Endeavour and Bounty) I painted a few parts of my present build Vasa, and I think I will paint a part of the hull in my next build, the Royal Louis. I have no absolute preference over one way or the other. Just a matter of mood.

[demonborger]

To me it depends on the model. I have not painted at all any of my previous ships. (San Juan Bautista, Endeavour and Bounty) I painted a few parts of my present build Vasa, and I think I will paint a part of the hull in my next build, the Royal Louis. I have no absolute preference over one way or the other. Just a matter of mood.

 

I am building the Royal Louis now and have painted the bottom of the hull white and the wales black. Based upon french late 18th century models. I am still considering whether or not to paint the bulwarks red.

 

 

Royal Louis model from French National Navy museum. 

Edited October 25, 2013 by demonborger

[Pygothian]

I think the ship looks absolutely beautiful how she is. If it was mine I'd leave it as is, and would be extremely proud of it!

 

Cheers

Rowan