A Dutch Fluyt in shell first, reconstructing the "Ghost ship" scale 1:36

[Maarten]

Work continues. It was not completely clear how he wears the cape over his jacket, so time for a test and this was the outcome.



You see this gives exactly the same shape and drape of cloth as in the original carving.


No captain cave man but captain cape man.
Starting the leftside with his left hand holding the cape.

Further detailing




Sketching the right side.



Roughly cutting the contours.


Repositioned his arm



Added the drape of the cloth.


Detailing




I think there are already 16 hour of work in this carving, you can imagine the load of work on a sots model.

 

[dockattner]

I love the progress photos Maarten! A very interesting progression. Not so sure about the thumb though - looks like Little Jack Horner ...

 

[Maarten]

I didn t know Jack Horner but guess he is a guy famous for the stunning beauty of his thumb

Also this needs fine tuning after completion.

 

[Steef66]

looks like Little Jack Horner ...

The fat one in Shrek .....

 

[RDN1954]

Not so sure about the thumb though - looks like Little Jack Horner ...

Kind of a sore thumb...

 

[Uwek]

Is it finaly a self portrait - or only the cape?
I guess a little bit of both ........ very good work and many thanks for sharing with us the different working steps

 

[Maarten]

Today no progress on the thumb, sorry guys.
But we had a 14 km hike into the gorges du verdon, the grand canyon of western europe. 450 mtrs down and climbing 500 mtr up a steep clif.


I see you asking what does it has to do with ship modeling. It seems that the gorges du verdon is rich in boxwood forests, up along the road, but the biggest ones down in the gorges. I have been hiking for 7 hours constantly thinking where is my chain saw .
You look below and please do not drool on your screen.


But sorry protected forest.

 

[Heinrich]

Dear Maarten. The photographs are beautiful but looking at the challenging nature of the trail plus the fact that you were hiking for 7 hours and more, make me wonder if continuing work on the hoekman, wouldn't have been a better option.

 

[RDN1954]

But we had a 14 km hike into the gorges du verdon, the grand canyon of western europe. 450 mtrs down and climbing 500 mtr up a steep clif.

No way I’d follow in your footsteps... Steep cliff, no, thanks.

 

[Steef66]

No way I’d follow in your footsteps... Steep cliff, no, thanks.

And spiders

 

[Uwek]

The Eldorado for carvers - beautiful location

 

[Maarten]

Haha Uwe finally somebody who understands and is not afraid of walking or spiders (LOL).
I already thought I saw you walking with a hacksaw.

 

[Peter Voogt]

Work continues. It was not completely clear how he wears the cape over his jacket, so time for a test and this was the outcome.
View attachment 389681
View attachment 389682

You see this gives exactly the same shape and drape of cloth as in the original carving.
View attachment 389684

No captain cave man but captain cape man.
Starting the leftside with his left hand holding the cape.
View attachment 389685
Further detailing
View attachment 389686
View attachment 389687
View attachment 389688

Sketching the right side.
View attachment 389689
View attachment 389690

Roughly cutting the contours.
View attachment 389691

Repositioned his arm
View attachment 389692
View attachment 389693

Added the drape of the cloth.
View attachment 389694

Detailing
View attachment 389695
View attachment 389696
View attachment 389697

I think there are already 16 hour of work in this carving, you can imagine the load of work on a sots model.

Nice to see the steps of ‘building up’ the sculpture by ‘cutting back’ the wood. Thanks for taking the time to make those step-by-step pictures.
Regards, Peter

 

[Dean62]

The carving is looking great! I assume you will be moving the start of the face back when the time comes, even though his head is turned sideways.

 

[Maarten]

The carving is looking great! I assume you will be moving the start of the face back when the time comes, even though his head is turned sideways.

Hi Dean,

Your assumption is correct, because that is where I start now.

Work on the head is the most difficult task as very delicate cuts have to be made to get a proper face.

First I roughly cut the contours of his slightly turned face, this means the face will not be in the middle of the body because the head turns on the neck at the back of the head turning the face left or right. So his head looking to the right with his face offset to the right.



See below a proportion plan for a face


Setting out proportions


Start cutting the major contours like nose and eyes


Further work on the nose and eyes and start on mouchtage mouth and chin. Pointing the direction of the eyes.


Further fine tuning the eyes, mouth and chin.



Reducing his eyes and give him pupils. Reworking his mouth and chin make his face more narrow.




Is it ready, no it is not ready yet, the face stil needs a lot of fine tuning by tiny scraping adding small details.
I have added his tie but also that is not finished.
Next time hopefuly it will be finished.

See below the comparing with the Batavia yard made replica which is now in a Swedish museum. This is the PS statue where I carved the SB statue, so a mirror image.

 

[Dean62]

Hi Dean,

Your assumption is correct, because that is where I start now.

Work on the head is the most difficult task as very delicate cuts have to be made to get a proper face.

First I roughly cut the contours of his slightly turned face, this means the face will not be in the middle of the body because the head turns on the neck at the back of the head turning the face left or right. So his head looking to the right with his face offset to the right.
View attachment 390214
View attachment 390216

See below a proportion plan for a face
View attachment 390225

Setting out proportions
View attachment 390215

Start cutting the major contours like nose and eyes
View attachment 390217

Further work on the nose and eyes and start on mouchtage mouth and chin. Pointing the direction of the eyes.
View attachment 390218

Further fine tuning the eyes, mouth and chin.
View attachment 390219
View attachment 390220

Reducing his eyes and give him pupils. Reworking his mouth and chin make his face more narrow.
View attachment 390221
View attachment 390222
View attachment 390223

Is it ready, no it is not ready yet, the face stil needs a lot of fine tuning by tiny scraping adding small details.
I have added his tie but also that is not finished.
Next time hopefuly it will be finished.

See below the comparing with the Batavia yard made replica which is now in a Swedish museum. This is the PS statue where I carved the SB statue, so a mirror image.
View attachment 390224

Awesome! I was confused and thought he was facing sideways, but he is facing forward.
If your head is turned sideways, then your chin and face would still be behind your shoulder, closer to your collar. I really like what you’re doing. Looks like you should have no problem making any carvings for your ship.

Ps -I don’t know if it’s too late, but the upper eyes need eye lids. Perhaps if you cut a line across the top of the eye ball, you can blend into an eye lid. Just a suggestion, as he looks a little bug eyed right now. Another way to fix that is to flatten the eye balls so they don’t stick out as much. The eye balls are never fully exposed unless you are scared!
If those are his eye lids currently above his eyes, you can make them his eye brows. I noticed the reference figure has no eye brows, which seems odd.

 

[shota70]

Hi Dean,

Your assumption is correct, because that is where I start now.

Work on the head is the most difficult task as very delicate cuts have to be made to get a proper face.

First I roughly cut the contours of his slightly turned face, this means the face will not be in the middle of the body because the head turns on the neck at the back of the head turning the face left or right. So his head looking to the right with his face offset to the right.
View attachment 390214
View attachment 390216

See below a proportion plan for a face
View attachment 390225

Setting out proportions
View attachment 390215

Start cutting the major contours like nose and eyes
View attachment 390217

Further work on the nose and eyes and start on mouchtage mouth and chin. Pointing the direction of the eyes.
View attachment 390218

Further fine tuning the eyes, mouth and chin.
View attachment 390219
View attachment 390220

Reducing his eyes and give him pupils. Reworking his mouth and chin make his face more narrow.
View attachment 390221
View attachment 390222
View attachment 390223

Is it ready, no it is not ready yet, the face stil needs a lot of fine tuning by tiny scraping adding small details.
I have added his tie but also that is not finished.
Next time hopefuly it will be finished.

See below the comparing with the Batavia yard made replica which is now in a Swedish museum. This is the PS statue where I carved the SB statue, so a mirror image.
View attachment 390224

great progress Maarten! beautiful carving

 

[dockattner]

A wonderful tutorial!

 

[Dean62]

As an artist I am very familiar with drawing faces, so I definitely want to try carving faces.
A picture I drew of my granddaughter…

 

[Maarten]

Awesome! I was confused and thought he was facing sideways, but he is facing forward.
If your head is turned sideways, then your chin and face would still be behind your shoulder, closer to your collar. I really like what you’re doing. Looks like you should have no problem making any carvings for your ship.

Ps -I don’t know if it’s too late, but the upper eyes need eye lids. Perhaps if you cut a line across the top of the eye ball, you can blend into an eye lid. Just a suggestion, as he looks a little bug eyed right now. Another way to fix that is to flatten the eye balls so they don’t stick out as much. The eye balls are never fully exposed unless you are scared!
If those are his eye lids currently above his eyes, you can make them his eye brows. I noticed the reference figure has no eye brows, which seems odd.

Hi Dean,

Many thanks for your comment, much appreciated. And yes I can still add these being work in progress. But the big eye balls seems to be a typical 17th century carving style, see the batavia yard example.


A carving from Batavia


And a recently recovered 17th century carving from the North Sea


A carving from a fluyt wreck.


And Vasa carvings.





I think I use your advice and make them slightly less pronounced like the Batavia knights head.

Btw if you can draw like that you can certaily carve, it is all bout what is in your mind and bring it to wood or paper. Looking at your drawing you can do it better then me , I am just a marine engineer.
Wonderfull work.