Some Decisions Regarding Ship Modeling
So now you have selected the ship model you want to build and you have decided on the manufacture of the kit. Great! Let's talk about some other decisions you need to make prior to building. Where will you model be displayed? There are multiple manufactures of the same model ship even there are Beginning ship modeler. Typically the kits will be available in different scales. Each of the scales has its advantages and disadvantages. Consider where in your home you are going to display the finished model. Some scales are good for representing sensible size without involving too much intricate work. Other considerations include the skill of the builder, the level of detail you want and the space in which you have to work. How is your model ship to be displayed? Is the model to be in harbor, sailing at sea or in battle with other ships? It's important to determine this so you will be able to decide on the sails and gun placements. As an example, if the ship is in battle not all sails would have been in use so your model should have some of the sails furled. Also the display of the guns is important. Most guns barrels are displayed outside of the gun ports which would indicate a battle is brewing. Models usually have all the guns outside the ports but in real action, some of the guns would have been just fired or in the process of being reloaded. Some of the breaching would be loose and some under tension. If the ship is sailing at sea, all of the gun port lids would be closed and the breaching would be under tension. Can you obtain research material on the ship you want to build? Let's face it, for beginning ship modeler commercial ship model kits are subject to the demands and limitations of mass manufacturing processes. That's not to say that the plans and fittings are not reasonable replicas of the ship. However, much detail and accuracy are sacrificed in the production process. It's necessary therefore to obtain material on the ship that provides you with historical accuracy. Some of the resources for this research material are books, nautical archives, artist renderings, and specific historical marine institutions. Along with information on the ship itself you should also research marine technology of the era. We specialize in Historic Wood Ship Model kits, books, model tools and supplies. Our lines available include model ship kits by Amati, Artesania Latina, Blue Jacket, Constructo, and many more. Visit www.naturecoast.com for details.
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