 War Artisan  | 04 Jan 2015 8:13 p.m. PST |
Because of family obligations diverting the vast majority of my time and resources, it has been nine months since I designed a new ship model. Finally, I took advantage of time off over the holidays to get into the workshop, but found it slow going. I'm not sure if this was because I was a little rusty, or if the subject of my attempt was a bit difficult (or both). It's not easy to reproduce compound and reverse curves in cardstock without making the build too awkward for novices. It took five test-builds (two more than usual) to get one I was content with, but here's the result . . . Sovereign of the Seas:
This model represents this magnificent ship as she was built and much as she probably appeared at Kentish Knock, and I hope I have captured some of her grace and power in miniature. The next kit will be the same ship, but after her 1660 refit, in which guise she did most of her fighting, as Royal Sovereign. I was hoping to do them both as a single kit that could be built either way, but the later version was too substantially different for that to work very well. There are a few more pictures of her in the Anglo-Dutch set on my Flickr page: link Jeff
warartisan.com PS At last, a board where I can post sailing ships that aren't Napoleonic! Thanks to all TMPers who voted to support an Age of Sail Board. |
| Mako11 | 04 Jan 2015 9:19 p.m. PST |
Looks great! Thanks for sharing. I really love this late 1600's era of vessels, since they look so nice. Would love to see some smaller vessels too, when you have the time, for pirates and their naval pursuers, e.g. like sloops, brigs, frigates (not sure what they called the equivalent of those, and smaller man of war vessels, for adventuring in the Caribbean, and/or for squelching the pirate scourge. Perhaps a Spanish Galleon, or other vessels as well, to serve as targets, and/or pursuers. |
 Virtualscratchbuilder   | 05 Jan 2015 5:50 a.m. PST |
If I was not already so heavy into the Langton 1/1200's…… |
| dantheman | 05 Jan 2015 1:11 p.m. PST |
This is awsome. Unfortunately I am way behind in assembling my fleets with the kits you have. What is going to be the next batch? Large flagships such as Zeven Provincien and Royal Prince? Possibly the larger vessels of the second and third Anglo Dutch wars? Your current lineup fills most of the needed backbone for the line of battle, especially the first war. |
| GGouveia | 05 Jan 2015 4:12 p.m. PST |
WHAT SCALE? IT IS BEAUTIFUL. |
| War Artisan | 06 Jan 2015 4:52 a.m. PST |
It's 1:600. But of course, being a digital kit means it can be rescaled. You have guessed correctly, dantheman. I will be working my way from the First War to the Third, with a few big name ships mixed in with the more generic ones that flesh out the fleets. There will also be smaller vessels; a fluyt and a jacht are already in the works. |
| Volunteer | 06 Jan 2015 11:31 a.m. PST |
Another beauty, like all of your ships Jeff. |
| devsdoc | 06 Jan 2015 3:09 p.m. PST |
Hi Jeff,
Love the ship, but how do you make your great yard-arm?
Be safe
Rory |
| War Artisan | 07 Jan 2015 4:48 a.m. PST |
Rory, Any questions you have are probably best answered by looking at the instructions for the free sample kit, which you can find on this page: link |
| devsdoc | 07 Jan 2015 1:10 p.m. PST |
Hi Jeff,
I have downloaded and now see how its done. Thanks
Be safe
Rory |
| Charlie 12 | 11 Jan 2015 8:13 p.m. PST |
Jeff- You just get better and better at this. That Sovereign is a beauty! |
| War Artisan | 19 Jan 2015 1:24 p.m. PST |
And here she is in her later incarnation, as Royal Sovereign, with her topsides cut down and much of the decoration removed, looking much more like the ancestor of the first-rate ships of the line that would rule the seas for another century and a half than the descendant of the race-built galleons that opposed the Invincible Armada.
|
| Skull and Crown | 19 Jan 2015 11:37 p.m. PST |
Truly exquisite. I've just got ahold of "Sea battles in the Dutch Golden Age" by Sigmond and Kloek. Such an awesome time period for ships, and wood carvers! Cheers,
Ths |
| dantheman | 20 Jan 2015 5:52 a.m. PST |
Looks great. I believe though, the quarter galley walkway was cut back as well, based on a contemporary sketch in my book on Charles the 2nds navy. Simple enough. Just cut back/off that part. What references did you use for the cut down version? I always am looking for things on the later look. |
| War Artisan | 21 Jan 2015 11:20 a.m. PST |
One of the best views I've found of the later version is from a painting of the 1673 royal visit (attributed to Jacob Knyffe, although I see way too many style inconsistencies to completely buy into that) that shows her from the port quarter. I don't have a link to an online image, but there's a small but clear reproduction of it on page 8 of Angus Konstam's "Warships of the Anglo-Dutch Wars", if you have a copy. It shows a much reduced walkway, but there is a stub remaining, which is why I left part of it on the second version. One of the beauties of cardstock models is that the builder can easily lop that part off if he wants to show her without it. In fact, the walkway is such a small extension of the quarter-gallery piece that it takes some care not to lop it off by accident. There's a few more views of this version at the end of the Anglo-Dutch set on my Flickr page, if you're interested: link |
| dantheman | 22 Jan 2015 4:10 p.m. PST |
Thanks for the source. I looked in my book "Great Ships" by Fox. Expensive but a great resource. He has a copy of the same painting on Plate X of his book. However, he notes the painting reflects attributes of an earlier ship and was possibly copied from an earlier print rather than real life. Pages 33 through 37 give the build/rebuild history. There are also copies of drawings by Van De Velde throughout its history. More gunports on top and lower rake. If you don't have the book and want some info let me know and I will see what I can do. |
