HM Bomb Vessel Granado by jwvolz - FINISHED - Caldercraft - 1:64

[WackoWolf]

Outstanding work and detail Keep the updates coming.

[jwvolz]

For a change of pace I went to work on the stern and quarter gallery decorations. I really liked Timmo's idea of the ochre/wood look with the blue, rather than the unlikely garish scheme Caldercraft shows. 

 

I did mine a little differently than Timmo. First, I prime all the parts followed by base painting with the Polly Scale colors I've been suing elsewhere on the build. Next I gloss coated with the airbrush, using Future floor polish, which is an acrylic polymer. Those of us who also build plastic models know how useful a product this is for gloss coating prior to decaling or weathering. Next, I applied a thin wash of burnt umber artist's oils which gave the very nice Caldercraft castings some depth. Next came a flat coat, again with the airbrush followed by drybrushing with lightened versions of the base colors to bring out the highlights. Finally, spare photo-etch runners were used to make window frames in the quarter galleries, another brilliant Timmo idea...

[Beef Wellington]

Joe - that looks fantastic, I would love to be able to use that technique int he future.  For this those not initiated, and with no experience with weathering/decals (i.e. me),  what are 'artists oils'?

[jwvolz]

Jason,

 

Artist's oils are simply the oil based tube paints artist's use on canvas. Art stores, Michael's A.C. Moore etc... all have them. Washes are simply made by mixing the oil paints  with turpentine until you get a thin mixture with just a bit of color to it. You generally want to go darker than your base color paint as it will gather in recessed areas, imparting a depth/shadow effect. They work best over a gloss finish otherwise they soak into the underlying paint and stain everything darker; not what you want in this case. The oil paints flow much better than the acrylic artist's paints. Also, it is best to use an acrylic gloss coat and paints, as the turpentine won't attack it and the paint below. I've experimented over the years with a lot of different thinners and turpentine is by far the best.

 

Flow the mixture over the whole piece and it will pool int he recesses. Any excess wash on highlight areas can easily be removed with a cloth or q-tip, as the oils dry very slowly. When dry, alighlty mositend cloth with turpentine will work. This is where having that acrylic gloss coat, and preferrably acrylic paint under it helps. 

 

[Beef Wellington]

Great Joe - although not close to needing this, will definitely keep this in mind.  Appreciate all the information.

[aliluke]

Those decorations look amazing. Wish I'd read this before I did mine.

[GuntherMT]

Just beautiful paint work.  Thank you for the explanation on how you did that, as I had no idea that you could use the interaction (or lack thereof) of the different types of paint to achieve this sort of result, and the results are stunning.

[Timmo]

Great tutorial there Joe- I felt like I was back on a plastic modelling website of the sort I'd abandoned for wooden boats! Those skills of yours from other hobbies are coming in handy.

Those castings are looking great under your brush.

I find that while turpentine thins well for consistency it often attacks whatever is underneath even if it's an acrylic or other non solvent base. Maybe it's the cheap hardware store variety I've used. After some experimentation I've become fond of a generic enamel thinner or white spirit rom a local hobby store as it's more forgiving on undercoats.

Windsor and Newton paints are great fine grained media to use and I'd go with them very time but with a bit of patience and care I've had good results from $2shop Chinese oils also.

[Timmo]

Another thought.

It pays to test fit those free standing quarter figures as I found they sat at a slightly different angle to each other and their bases once held in position. It took some careful bending and a little fillet cut from an inside foot position on one to get them to match up. Also a bit of the inner facing of the plinth was filed off on each to get them angled right to the stern. This was different for each due to differing shapes and it was frustratingly time consuming to something close to symmetry on my castings.

A lot of paint was lost in this process as a result and there's a lot of touch ups to be done once the Granado is finished.

Edited October 31, 2014 by Timmo

[jwvolz]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments and "likes". I'm glad my painting information was helpful.

 

Timmo: Thanks for the heads up on those quarter figures. I do recall seeing that in your log, and it seems that they are least a bit flexible to bend them a bit. I'll do some test fitting shortly, but I think I'm going to leave them off for now as they look like they might be a little vulnerable to being bumped sticking out like that. 

 

Your take on the thinners is interesting, since my experimentation over the years on plastic models as shown turpentine to be the least aggressive, and to keep the pigments in suspension better. It could well be formula differences among the various products in the US vs. NZ. I also find that the Future (other names elsewhere in the world) provides the best barrier coat I've found of all the acrylic gloss options. 

[Timmo]

Agreed on Future- they sell it as Johnson's Kleer here and you can ladle it on as it's so cheap.

[jwvolz]

The stern and quarter gallery decorations are now installed, as well as the capping piece. No real issues here. The trim was made from boxwood strip, similar to the sheer rail. 

 

I guess I have to venture around to the bow now. I've been putting it off...

 

 

[Beef Wellington]

Looks fantastic Joe, even better installed.

[mrcc]

Wonderful work!

 

Two questions for you:

1)  Did you file the backside of the quarter badges at the bottom a bit to allow it to sit more flush against the wale?

2) Did you use CA or epoxy to anchor the quarter badges against the hull?

 

Thx,

Julian

[FredSC]

Joe,  You and Timmo have set a really high standard for a Grenado build.  Every time I see new pics I think what these guys are doing is amazing.  At the same time, while still trying to get planks flat on bulkheads and filler blocks on my Grenado, I'm thinking, If only I had known that you also have to be an accomplished artist to do this stuff....

Sure, it can be plain vanilla without the additional detail you both have done (and surely hard enough at that), but seeing what it can look like requires an effort.  When, as and if I get near the details your pics show, I'll go to a large art supply store in nearby Savannah, GA and describe the issues.  If nothing else, it might be good for a chuckle.  Meanwhile, the build goes on.

[jwvolz]

Thanks Jason, Julian, Fred and the "likes". 

 

Julian: Yes, the quarter badges get filed to fit, as per Caldercraft's instruction so they lay across the wale properly. I used epoxy on both the stern gallery and the quarter badges, as CA would have likely fogged the clear parts. 

 

Fred: Have you posted a build log? I'm sure everyone would be happy to help with any specific advise you need. Although I'm far from a master craftsman in this art, I do have four builds under my belt, so experience does play a part. Also, as I've noted a few times in the log, I'm willing to take the time to re-make parts (and it has been a few...) I'm unhappy with. So not everything you see here is the first effort! My windlass is a good example. Continued best of luck on your build. 

[Landlubber Mike]

Great work Joe.  That's the technique I was thinking of using for my stern decorations, figurehead, etc. - glad to see that it can work to good effect.  You executed it brilliantly.

[jwvolz]

Thanks Mike.

 

All the experience from those plastic airplanes I've built and weathered over the years has come in handy!

[Timmo]

Ha! 1/35th armour also helps. Even the mud and rust

[jwvolz]

After a solid week of work (and re-work more than a few times), the head is complete. The top rail is not really accurate to the AOTS book, but I was a bit restricted by my boxwood supply, size wise. At any rate, the rest is pretty darn close to the book, and I think a vast improvement over the kit options. It was some seriously fiddly work and although rewarding to get done, I'm glad it is behind me...

 

 

 

 

[GuntherMT]

Joe, it looks great to me.

[aliluke]

That looks great. I've nearly finished the heads on Fly. As you say it is definitely a part that you want in the rearview mirror!

[JeffT]

Looks great Joe,

[Timmo]

Nice work Joe. Your scroll is a bit fuller than mine. I like it. You'll feel the full reward when the catheads are fixed and the head is all done.

Have you test fitted a dowel for the bowsprit? It's easier to jake any adjustments with file at this stage.

[jwvolz]

Thanks guys. 

 

I did get the catheads fitted last night after the other photos were already up. Fit is good and bowsprit test looks good too. 

[Landlubber Mike]

Really nice work Joe.  I like the touch of adding the blue within the rails and other components, looks really sharp.

[mobbsie]

Really good work Joe, I love this ship and thoroughly enjoyed building her myself.

 

You really are doing her justice mate.

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[jwvolz]

Thanks Mike and Mobbsie.

 

Mike: The blue treatment on the rails is right off the cover of the AOTS book. Looked good there so I used that for guidance rather than Caldercraft's instructions. 

[aliluke]

I think I'll give you the heads up! Take a tot. Sweet work.

[maggsl_01]

Hey Joe

 

you are doing a beautiful and perfect work on your model. I think it is a challenge - but satisfying - when you got the AOTS and then you want to come as close as possible. I bought me the AOTS Endeavour and will try to improve my build. It is not yet time for the bark as I am still thinking about what kit to buy. At the moment the Caldercraft kit is my favorite. EDndeavour could be the next or the following project. Depends if I get a Derfflinger...

 

Best wishes and compliments to you

 

Cheerio

Max