Vol. 65, No. 4 winter 2020 368


Figure 4.


Figure 6. are blackened. (Figure 5)


Waves and the basis for the ship’s wake I make by gluing toothpicks or similar pieces underneath the paper to match the position of the crests. (Figure 3) I use ‘risers’ of diff erent sizes depending upon what sort of sea state I want to depict (if it is calm I omit the ‘risers’ completely). I visually test for a good appearance by temporarily setting the model in its cutout. Once the ‘risers’ are thoroughly dry, I join the two layers using heavy-duty double sided tape—the kind used to prevent rugs from slipping on the fl oor. (Figure 4) If the confi guration of the waves leaves gaps along the edges, I fi ll them with body putty. Finally, I make sure that the edges of the ’sandwich’


When the ‘sandwich’ is fi nished I attach it to a plinth, again using the double-sided tape. (Figure 6) I have used quite an array of plinths: pieces I have made myself, commercial cases for models, picture frames, even kitchen cabinet drawer front faces. What


important is to make sure the plinth is fully fi nished before joining it


to the sandwich and to make


appropriate provisions for a cover to keep dust off the fi nished model.


Now comes possibly the most delicate part of the process. T e recess cut in the paper to accommodate the hull is fi lled with double sided tape, which is how the model will be fastened to the base. T e important trick is to make sure the model is aligned precisely before lowering it into the recess because the tape will ‘grab’ the model instantly once it touches, and it is very diffi cult to move it thereaſt er. I have separated a model on occasion using a very thin steel strip slid underneath, but it is a nerve-wracking experience! It is infi nitely better to get it right the fi rst time.


Figure 5.


If there are any gaps between the hull and the paper (there almost always are) I fi ll them using gloss artist’s gel applied with a fl at brush. I also use the gel to add additional texture to wakes, wave crests, and create additional ripples. When all the gel is dry, I dry brush


is


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100