Delight is in the Details: Nailing Your Model Ship Detailing & Accessories
- Updated on:
- Written by Robert Vaughan
When having the opportunity to tour any of the wonderful Maritime Museums and view the amazing models in residence, you may feel overwhelmed by the craftsmanship and level of detail that they contain. But don’t let that discourage you in your building!
As Rob Smith writes here on Modelers Central, we measure success, not by perfection in our builds, but by how well we hide our mistakes! This can be accomplished by adding certain details to our models that make people ask, “What is THAT?” and distracting from small mistakes we may have made during the build.
Bring Your Model to Life with the Right Model Ship Details
To accomplish this, I have found certain sea-going traditions and superstitions that are definitely NOT found in your instruction sheet. The very best builders amongst us do this without even thinking. We become mesmerized by seeing these little details, and they can take a model to a whole new level of ‘wow’ appeal when we show them off to friends and family, or in competition if you are so inclined. Let’s discuss some options, and how to find your own.
Tip #1 – Observe Other Model Ship Builders Work!
First and foremost, observation is your best method! Look at other builders work closely and slowly, with a goal of seeing things beyond the normal. This could be anything from naturally coiled lines on the deck to a small, accurately scaled chicken on the deck, (with a chicken coop with an open door nearby), or even holes in sails from cannon balls! Different colour and textures on rigging, including dark standing rigging with simulated tar (I like to use thick latex model paint) can add a sense of life to your model.
With practice, you will usually note a lot of different details that individual builders use.
I take as many photos of every model as possible and study them closely. Digitally enlarging photos is helpful when looking for small details.
Visiting as many museums and taking time to look at and photograph models, and other static displays, is another method of gathering intel. Again, close observation and note taking is vital!
One note on both of the former pieces of advice: Don’t photograph models for the intended purpose of finding mistakes that the builder may have made. You WILL find them. This is intended as a positive exercise that will enhance your own work. Yes, take note of things that could be improved upon, but keep those to yourself and improve YOUR work. But incorporate cool little details you find in your own work.
Tip #2 – Read books about or including ships & sailor life
Another valuable resource in finding these little details, is reading both factual and fictional books in the genre you build in. You never know what Hornblower, Aubrey, or Bolitho might teach you! Certainly, applying to Lavery, Underhill, and Geoff Hunt have written to our knowledge has unlimited value.
As an example of this, I discovered a small detail in a book of sailors traditions and superstitions that I incorporated into one of my very first ships. I made every mistake that a first-timer can make on that Buccaneer (OcCre) that could be made. You could pick apart everything and then some. And people noticed them as I proudly showed off my work. I almost stopped showing it.
Then I read this detail about sailors stringing a shark’s tail from the bowsprit when careened, or needing to be in the water for repairs. The tail supposedly kept sharks far away from the ship while suspended in the water. Hmmmm…cool.
I bought a white shark toy from my local Hobby Lobby that fit my scale, and hacked off the tail with an xacto knife. I found some hemp rope and knotted it accordingly, and suspended that tail in place. With some detailing using paint, that tail changed how people looked at my model!
Now, instead of asking “Why is that door on the deck slightly crooked?” I fielded the question about why a shark’s tail was suspended from my ship. Then, I was able to teach something about sailors, history, traditions, and superstitions aboard an 18th century sailing vessel. Much more fun and ultimately a teachable moment. Now, having corrected many of my mistakes, that shark tail always directs the questions I get when showing my work to people.
Tip #3 – Add Everyday Items & Accessories on Your Model Ship
Other possibilities for bringing your model ship to life are everyday items. I have found certain tools appropriate to shipboard activities stored, or laying askew to be more interesting. Small handaxes or knives that would cut lines quickly stuck in deck rails always add personality and realism. Don’t be afraid to carve these yourself, or look around hobby shops, or even better, Modelers Central’s model ship accessories and fittings, to find unexpected treasures.
I was once asked why one of my 18th-century ships had no ships wheel on deck. After explaining the Whipstaff method of steering at the time, I decided to build a diorama of a whipstaff, and the 3 decks that it involved. The Whipstaff worked, and looked good as a model. It did its job. But I decided it could be more than it was. I began by painting and weathering the decking as accurately as possible, then I added ladders between the decks. Then two chests, carved from scrap lumber in my “wood scraps”. Then hemp rope was added in coils placed throughout the diorama, just as they might be on a ship. A little detail craziness set in and I found some tiny little rats at a hobby shop, and included them in the line-coils and then came the ships’ cats. Being careful to follow scale, my model came to life from being a teaching tool for students, to a work of art that is now proudly displayed in the school library.
This story is not yet finished though. I always wanted to find a human figure to man the whipstaff itself, but couldn’t. Then, at a garage sale, I found a figure of a bearded man with long hair. For all I know, it could have been of The Lord himself. It had been chewed to pieces by the family dog. No problem. His mangled left leg got carved into a standard issue peg-leg with a knife. His damaged skull got an official bandana covering the holes. I made him a set of clothes with a model sailcloth and repainted his arms. He now stands at duty on my whipstaff diorama.
Key Takeaways
- Robert Vaughan shares tips on enhancing model ships with intricate detailing, emphasizing observation, and incorporating unique elements not found in instruction sheets.
- Suggests observing others’ work for inspiration, reading maritime literature for historical accuracy, and adding everyday items to models for realism.
- The article highlights the importance of detail in transforming models into captivating pieces, advocating for creativity and research to elevate craftsmanship.
Parting Thoughts on Model Ship Details
There are so many ways to detail our models, that a full reckoning of them is nearly impossible. Find YOUR Ships details from whatever source you find inspired by! You will gradually find skills you didn’t know you had. But detail will always make your work a step above!
If you are looking for the right tools or accessories for your model ship details and to bring a sense of liveliness to your model, talk to one of Modelers Central’s expert model ship builders about their huge range of model ship fittings and accessories!
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