Painting masts and spars

[THOR]

I  am at m\d ;point ]with rigging and did some research about painting the raw wood that came wjth the kit - ROYAL. CAROLINE.= masts ands spars

 

There does not seem to be any common view, Ths rest of the ships is extensively pained in b right colors.

 

What is best to do ?

[Mark P]

Good Morning Thor;

 

I assume that you are building the Royal Caroline of 1749. There are multiple paintings of her in existence, and they all seem to show the masts and yards the same.

 

Masts are natural wood colour, except for the sections between the trestle trees and the cap, which are black. The bowsprit is black, but the jib-boom is natural. All the yards are black. Ensign staffs fitted above the top-gallants (if fitted) are also black for their entire length. 

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

[Morgan]

Thor,

 

A few years ago when visiting Kew Palace I came across a contemporary painting of the Royal Caroline. Its subdued colours in comparison to other contemporary artefacts suggests it could have been painted from real life.  It confirms what Mark says.

 

I did post these here several years ago so you may already have seen them.

 

Gary

 

 

[wefalck]

'Unpainted' wood would have been treated with line-seed oil and perhaps grease in certain places. On a model probably the most apropriate treatment would be with a wood-sealer and then to rub it down with very fine steel-wool. This closes the pores of the wood and gives it a satin surface, very much like such masts and spars would have appeared in real life.