Nautical Research Journal
opinion; Van de Velde had faithfully recorded what he had actually observed. Look carefully and you can see the realistic representation of the fraying fl y of the Union fl ag at the main, as well as the pennant at the fore! My appreciation for his work increased.
T e question then was how might one imitate this eff ect for fl ags on models? My previous fl ags made of Silkspan, although they draped naturally, were extremely opaque. (Figure 3) I had successfully made sails in this same material. T ese were translucent except—deliberately—for
the seams between the
cloths. I wondered whether a variation of this technique might also work for fl ags.
Method
First prepare a board with an aperture so that both sides of the material laid upon it are accessible. It requires a plug that fi ts the aperture. Insert this plug to create a level surface.
Cut a piece of Silkspan about an inch larger all round than the aperture and soak it in a pan or sink of tepid water. T e material becomes transparent and hard to see. Carefully pick it up by two corners and liſt it out so that it does not turn back and stick to itself. If it does so, put it back in the water and try again. Let the water run off the piece while you hold it vertically; then, in a single motion, lay it down over the board and plug. Allow it to begin to dry.
While the Silkspan dries, cut four pieces of brown gummed tape. T is tape is used by artists to stretch watercolor paper and is available from art supply stores. When the Silkspan on the board is almost dry, moisten the tape and stick it down on all four sides. If you do this too soon, the tape will not adhere properly. Remove the plug from below and allow the material to air-dry. T e Silkspan will sag and the corners may pucker in the aperture but, as it dries completely, it will stretch taut and become translucent again. (Figure 4)
4. Silkspan mounted and ready to begin the process. 323
5. Design prepared and crop marks added to ensure accuracy.
Draw the design of the ensign to scale size on paper then lay the board, Silkspan side down, over the pattern. As this material is now translucent, it is easy to transfer the design to the Silkspan using pencil. (Figure 5) Note the ink crop marks that I added. Do not outline the diff erent color areas in ink, though!
I was concerned that dilute paint would bleed on an unsealed surface, leaving a spread, ragged edge. To prevent this, give both sides of the material a coat of well diluted acrylic matte medium to seal it. Again, the material will sag considerably and pucker but will tighten again when dry. (Figure 6) Once dry, paint a very thin coat of acrylic paint in the appropriate areas
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