Amerigo Vespucci, Panart 1:84 scale

Ken said:
Hi Jeff. Thanks for the compliment on my pictures. I don’t think that I do anything special but I do process all of them in a set sequence. Photography is a vast subject so without going into too much detail I’ll try to explain what I do.



I use quite an old Canon SLR with just the one versatile lens, a 24-105 which covers just about everything I need and I always hand hold. For my models I don’t use area focusing but am careful where I select my focus point, I then have a good idea what the depth of field will show. For my indoor shots I use 1200 or above ISO, that gives me a useable speed option, for outside 200-400 is perfect. I don’t use any in camera enhancements.



I process using only basic functions of Photoshop so I think most programs of this type would do.



  1. After downloading I select what it is that I want to show then crop.
  2. I then select IMAGE SIZE, my screen is 1600 pixels so I size to that for on screen viewing, you need more for printing.
  3. I select LEVELS, I set manually but auto would probably be ok. Correct levels is probably the most important process for good contrast.
  4. I then select CURVES, adding a slight S curve will enhance the contrast, if you’re not familiar with curves try the dodge and burn tools on a very low setting, 3 – 4% to lighten or darken where you think it’s needed.
  5. Check that these haven’t altered any of your colours, I find they affect my reds, use SATURATION and bring the colours back to there correct value, again if your not sure try AUTO COLOURS that would probably work.
  6. I then use SHARPEN. This is now a variable, it depends on the pixel size of your image, larger files for printing will need much bigger values than smaller on-screen files. The most widely used is Unsharp Mask but in Photoshop I much prefer Lens Blur, you only need two parameters and it’s easier to get right I also think that the effect is better. Don’t overdo the sharpening as it can look unnatural, I use between 1 – 1.5 pixels at a level of 100 – 150%.
  7. Now show off your pictures to us all.


I’ve included a couple of my local photos to give this post some colour, who doesn’t like lighthouses. These are the same lighthouse on different days.



Ken





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Great pictures and a magnificent build!
 
Hello Ken.
My goodness I just reviewed your build log and what a beautiful ship you made!
The detail is fantastic. Your photography talents show your work with a professional view. Absolutely stunning photos.
Thanks for hanging in there.
 
Gosh Ken,
I am now catching up with this build - speechless - beautiful work. I love the AV - it is an excellent vessel and you have made it the best. I have been so caught up in the background of forum maintenance, and other life situations, work, family that it is not often that I get to sit down and look at other people's builds.
 
Hello everyone. Thank you all for those likes and kind comments, Welcome aboard Daniel, enjoy the journey.

I live on the coast on a small peninsular on the Mersey estuary opposite Liverpool, I've had the opportunity of photographing many maritime subjects, if members would like I can slip the occasional one in at the end of some posts. Todays shot is of a tall ship sailing to Liverpool. You can see my lighthouse in the distance as well as an old fort which was built to protect Liverpool from the French during the Napolionic wars.

Back to the Amerigo. I've started the masts, I've made up most of the parts, I don't intend showing the whole process of building them up but just show my progress and some of the detail. At the lower part of each mast are hooks for holding the coiled halyards. These were made up from a brass band around the mast, it was drilled and 4 flat eyelets were inserted, then a brass wire ring was passed through them trapping 12 hooks that I had made up. I think that the pictures show the process..

Ken



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Donnie said:
Gosh Ken,
I am now catching up with this build - speechless - beautiful work. I love the AV - it is an excellent vessel and you have made it the best. I have been so caught up in the background of forum maintenance, and other life situations, work, family that it is not often that I get to sit down and look at other people's builds.
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Hi Donnie, Thanks for that. I Know you must be busy with this forum and you do excellent work for our benefit, I'm sure that I speak for many and say that we really appreciate your efforts.

Ken
 
Hi, Thanks again for your likes and kind comments.



I have now made and stepped the masts. First I made up the platforms, the rails, the searchlights, the radar and all the necessary fittings. I must admit that the plans from now on get worse and are poor at best. I wanted to fit the rigging blocks needed as they would be more difficult to add later but the plan doesn’t help much, it doesn’t show the type of blocks needed, double, single, eyed or not, the rigging is just shown as lines drawn from one point to another without how it starts or ends, so I’ll have to fit them later when I can see how the lines would run.



The radar was awkward to make, the plan didn’t give any dimensions or method just a sketch, and soldering brass wire into a 3D structure wasn’t easy for me. My wife laughed at my first attempt she said it looked like a brass camping stove. I’m sure Heinrich's wife would have got out her soldering iron and shown how it should have been done, but I managed to eventually make something that would do. ( Heinrich, by the way, a nice little build that you are showing us on your log ).



Ken


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Hi Ken,

Beautiful work again.
One remark, people from the UK always complain that it is always raining.
However I always see your pictures taken in the garden with sunlight. Are you living in Florida using a British VPN? 8-)
 
Hi Maarten, No, I just wait for the sun to come out then hurry out with my camera before it starts to rain again, I’m a phoney, even my grass is artificial ha, ha!

Ken
 
Hi Everyone viewing my build. Thanks to all for the likes and kind comments.

I’ve been very busy with the standing rigging, lots of photos for you to browse through.

I mentioned the poor rigging plans earlier and I haven’t changed my mind, I’ll treat them just as a guide and do it as I think will look like an acceptable working set up. This is not going to be an issue with me. I said at the start of this build I was not setting out for scale accuracy but for the pleasure of the build and hopefully ending up with a nice model to display.
I’ll use 1mm cord for the lower lines reducing as I go higher to.25 the kit only supplies two thicknesses of cord and the same with the blocks so I’ll need to use some different sizes that I've already sourced. I’ll keep the lines straight with a natural run and try not to get any crossed or fouled; I think that that’s all I need keep in mind.

I have great difficulty handling and tying the small blocks, I’m mentioning this so that your expectations aren’t too high in this area and that you’ll hopefully give me some extra slack.
I have lost fingers, ( both hands ) I have limited dexterity and sense of touch. I use two pairs of tweezers for tying off blocks and ratlines etc and an array of clips for holding things, having done rigging yourselves you’ll realise my difficulties.

On a brighter note enjoy the photos.



Ken


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Ken said:
Hi Everyone viewing my build. Thanks to all for the likes and kind comments.

I’ve been very busy with the standing rigging, lots of photos for you to browse through.

I mentioned the poor rigging plans earlier and I haven’t changed my mind, I’ll treat them just as a guide and do it as I think will look like an acceptable working set up. This is not going to be an issue with me. I said at the start of this build I was not setting out for scale accuracy but for the pleasure of the build and hopefully ending up with a nice model to display.
I’ll use 1mm cord for the lower lines reducing as I go higher to.25 the kit only supplies two thicknesses of cord and the same with the blocks so I’ll need to use some different sizes that I've already sourced. I’ll keep the lines straight with a natural run and try not to get any crossed or fouled; I think that that’s all I need keep in mind.

I have great difficulty handling and tying the small blocks, I’m mentioning this so that your expectations aren’t too high in this area and that you’ll hopefully give me some extra slack.
I have lost fingers, ( both hands ) I have limited dexterity and sense of touch. I use two pairs of tweezers for tying off blocks and ratlines etc and an array of clips for holding things, having done rigging yourselves you’ll realise my difficulties.

On a brighter note enjoy the photos.



Ken


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Hi Ken. This is a beautiful ship. I have all my finger and I can tell you I don’t think I can this quality of work. Museum quality work!
 
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