The Ship Model Forum

An absolutely impressive project. I so look forward to meeting you in Veldhoven in October and chatting about model building together.

Thank you Eberhard!

[quote="wefalck"]you may recall that it rained heavily that Sunday[/quote]
Yes! I now own an umbrella with an Eiffel tower print... :big_grin:

[quote="wefalck"]Strangely enough, no one here on this forum reported on it.[/quote]
The World Model Expo originated from the figure side of the hobby, with Sheperd Paine one of the main people to start it. Over the years, plastic modelling has joined in more and more. But the the show was certainly not ship-heavy. But there were some beautiful ship models on display and in the competition! A fantastic late-war USS Enterprise (that was in the running for Best of Show!) and three man-of-war dioramas (two with the Spanish ship Il Glorioso and one with HMS Victory) come to mind. Chloe Platner was there and had a beautiful display too.
But overall still a small minority amongst the 4761 figures and models in competition (by 1107 separate participants). But luckily I like all kinds of models! :)
There were 90 retailers, and the show attracted more than 8,000 visitors. So, as big as a modelling show gets!

I love those little 'genre' scenes around the poor sailors in the water !

Re. Versailles: no, in the end I didn't go. There was too much travelling for me and you may recall that it rained heavily that Sunday, so I preferred to stay quietly at home and do some practical modelling. Strangely enough, no one here on this forum reported on it.

Thank you very much for your kind words everyone!


[quote="Devin"]I trust this will be on display at SMC in October?[/quote]
Maybe not those loose figures, but I will certainly bring both ships in progress (plenty of figures on those! :) ). Looking forward to seeing you there again! :wave_1:

[quote="Dan K"]There's something very disturbing about all those crewmen being staked.
Marijn the Impaler? :smallsmile:[/quote]
Hahaha! :big_grin:
Especially those sitting crewmen (rowers for the launch)... :big_grin:

[quote="SG1"]Are you planning to add any shark fin sailing the surface of the sea or a shark's shadow glimpsing under the surface? :big_grin: (sporadic and distant from the castaways if you do, it could work -oceanic whitetips usually don't take long to show up at the scene of a shipwreck - https://ioa.factsanddetails.com/article/entry-190.html -)[/quote]
You're not the first one to suggest this ;), so I'm sure it's a good idea. But no, I don't think I will. The condition of the crew is already bad enough. ;)
I did think of including Jeanette though! But so far I haven't...
https://bidefordbuzz.org.uk/history/trafalgar-women/
[img]https://c7.alamy.com/comp/2ACRE2R/the-battle-of-trafalgar-anecdote-at-the-battle-of-trafalgar-british-sailors-rescue-a-french-woman-jeanne-caunant-a-survivor-from-the-french-wars-2ACRE2R.jpg[/img]

[quote="JIM BAUMANN"]I bet when you started this a short 7 years ago in 2018 you did not think you
would still be at it with an umpainted sea..... :big_grin: [/quote]
No! I estimated I could finish it in 5 years or so... ;)
But luckily there is still enough variation and plenty of technical challenges to keep it interesting. I don't feel bored yet with the project at all!

well done--progress is ongoing ! I bet when you started this a short 7 years ago in 2018 you did not think you
would still be at it with an umpainted sea..... :big_grin:

Max Kudos for staying power, perseverance and tenacity in seeing it through ....
Jim Baumann

! ! ! A W E S O M E ! ! ! Am stunned. Are you planning to add any shark fin sailing the surface of the sea or a shark's shadow glimpsing under the surface? :big_grin: (sporadic and distant from the castaways if you do, it could work -oceanic whitetips usually don't take long to show up at the scene of a shipwreck - https://ioa.factsanddetails.com/article/entry-190.html -)
Incredible conversion work and painting of the figures. Well done! :thumbs_up_1:

Wow, that look so fantastic :cool_2:

There's something very disturbing about all those crewmen being staked.

Marijn the Impaler? :smallsmile:

Amazing work as always. I trust this will be on display at SMC in October?

Did you get there Eberhard?
Even though the practical organisation was not exactly top notch, the people and models present made it an unforgettable show! Three days was still not long enough...



The last couple of weeks, I have been doing some more rigging.
But in July, I went on a holiday abroad and needing something easy to transport on the aeroplane. So, I did another batch of figures.

These figures will populate the foreground of the diorama, manning the small boats and clinging to wreckage:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736687496_bd4f7dd990_o.jpg[/img]

With dioramas, composition is paramount. So, I started by selecting suitable figures and mocking up their positions. Note that a lot of them will still need to converted after this.

From right to left:
A British launch, with its crew rowing (oars will be added only when installing the painted figures in the boat and the sea):
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54735854942_63f8256913_o.jpg[/img]

Sailors clinging to some spars and waving to that launch:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736905603_82651e4b43_o.jpg[/img]

Crew on some floating pieces of mast, with a small cutter trying to take some of them aboard:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736687031_62269e1607_o.jpg[/img]

And some last sailors on a piece of mast:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736905678_7156970680_o.jpg[/img]

In the above photos, some figures are lying flat on the sea while they should be hanging down in the water, like the photo below. I will need to carve holes for them in final seascape.
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736927114_bbf3ebeaa6_o.jpg[/img]

Then I converted part of the figures, stuck them on toothpicks, gave them a ‘primer’ coat of Humbroll flesh, and took them on the holiday where I painted them. The numbers on the toothpicks prevent me from forgetting where they will go on the diorama (n°1: on the floating mast at the left; n°5: in the launch; …).
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736687466_60f5000829_o.jpg[/img]

Sorry, I didn’t take any step-by-step photos of all of that…
I can also not show them installed in their final position, because that will only happen near the end of the entire project, after the ships are fixed in the seascape etc.

But I can show you how I transported them on the plane! :smallsmile:
I stuck them firmly to the lid of a plastic container with Blue-Tac:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736927624_09e8e4f3a7_o.jpg[/img]

When closed, it is a compact but sturdy package. It is also transparent, so if necessary it is easy to show what’s inside:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54735855477_f705a8e730_o.jpg[/img]

There is just enough headroom to be safe inside my hand luggage:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736687331_196f58e94d_o.jpg[/img]

A bit of cling foil makes sure it can’t open by accident, while being easy to remove if asked to open it up at the X-ray machine (which didn’t happen):
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736927514_df5c209692_o.jpg[/img]

Paints and tools went in the main luggage. You don’t want scalpels etc. showing up in the X-rays! :big_grin:


I forgot to take a sheet of PE with me on the trip, so I had to do the following after returning home:

I make swords and bayonets (scabbards) from sections of PE (the handguard of the swords is a bent piece of thin copper wire):
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736687046_e2edffb6b2_o.jpg[/img]

Horizontal sections of 1/700 railing are perfect for this. Straight pieces for bayonets, and curved (‘chain’) railing for curved swords. I prefer stainless steel for this, as it doesn’t bend as easily when accidentally touched.
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736687056_c4d33c23b3_o.jpg[/img]

And painted:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54736927154_1f35b2bcc3_o.jpg[/img]

I may be in Versailles next Sunday ...

[quote="marijn van gils"]Many thanks guys! :smallsmile: :wave_1: :smallsmile: :cool_2:


[quote="pascalemod"]The photography is fantastic btw, which lens are you using Marijn? [/quote]
I'm using a Sigma 105mm F/2.8 EX DG Macro OS HSM for Canon for the close-ups. A sturdy tripod and a good amount of light are also important.
BTW, the depth of field in these photo's is much more than would physically be possible. I'm using a focus stacking program for that: Helicon Focus, as described here by John Leyland: http://www.modelwarships.com/features/h ... /tips.html

[quote="pascalemod"] please keep us posted where you plan to exhibit this, Im afraid its no longer acceptable only you get to enjoy looking at it in person. :heh: :wave_1:[/quote]
Since I haven't finished any models recently :big_grin: , I have been taking the work-in-progress to any show I attend.
The next days, I'll be at the World Model Expo in Versailles: https://wme2025.com/
In October, I'll go to Scale Model Challenge in Veldhoven: https://www.scalemodelchallenge.com/
And within Belgium, I always visit the Belgian Scale Modellers Convention in Putte in December: https://www.bsmc.be/
There may be more this year, but nothing certain yet.
Hope to see you at a show some day! :thumbs_up_1:[/quote]

Well familiar with Helicon Focus! Have that myself too. Sure makes models look impressive and "bigger".

Many thanks guys! :smallsmile: :wave_1: :smallsmile: :cool_2:


[quote="pascalemod"]The photography is fantastic btw, which lens are you using Marijn? [/quote]
I'm using a Sigma 105mm F/2.8 EX DG Macro OS HSM for Canon for the close-ups. A sturdy tripod and a good amount of light are also important.
BTW, the depth of field in these photo's is much more than would physically be possible. I'm using a focus stacking program for that: Helicon Focus, as described here by John Leyland: http://www.modelwarships.com/features/h ... /tips.html

[quote="pascalemod"] please keep us posted where you plan to exhibit this, Im afraid its no longer acceptable only you get to enjoy looking at it in person. :heh: :wave_1:[/quote]
Since I haven't finished any models recently :big_grin: , I have been taking the work-in-progress to any show I attend.
The next days, I'll be at the World Model Expo in Versailles: https://wme2025.com/
In October, I'll go to Scale Model Challenge in Veldhoven: https://www.scalemodelchallenge.com/
And within Belgium, I always visit the Belgian Scale Modellers Convention in Putte in December: https://www.bsmc.be/
There may be more this year, but nothing certain yet.
Hope to see you at a show some day! :thumbs_up_1:

The photography is fantastic btw, which lens are you using Marijn? It looks like 1:96 scale or smth similar. I can only imagine how awesome it will look in person, please keep us posted where you plan to exhibit this, Im afraid its no longer acceptable only you get to enjoy looking at it in person. :heh: :wave_1:

Getting better and better with each update!
I am looking forward to more years of awe-inspiring evolution of this phenomenal work of art.

This is incredible work Marijn! Your work inspires (and intimidates) my efforts in ship modeling. :big_grin:

Thanks for a view of the dizzy heights a master modeler like you can take the hobby, Marijn...

Flabbered and Gasted, Comprehensively

Frank

Thank you very much guys! :smallsmile: :cool_1: :smallsmile:

I am always amazed when I see this wonderful gem. :thumbs_up_1:

Beautiful, beautiful work :worship_1: :worship_1: