Pirate Ship W.I.P Build Log

Joined
Jun 14, 2021
Messages
13
Points
48

Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum, just recently joined. I don't really have any prior experience building model ships and am looking to expand on my current knowledge. I have always loved the age of sail and I wanted to make a fantasy ship design but still create something that would be functional. I am currently working on a pirate ship model in Blender and I wanted to make sort of a progress or build log for that. If the topic needs to be moved to another category let me know . As for this project I wanted to make a Pirate ship model and am still working on modeling part of the deck fittings. If anyone has any feedback or thoughts, I greatly welcome and appreciate it. I will be posting more updates as i finish more of the build soon. Below These images I will also post a mood board with reference images and more information.

Thank you.
Pirate Ship WIP 2.png
Pirate Ship WIP 1.png
This build is going to be a fantasy inspired pirate ship set in the golden age of piracy around the early 18th century. I am going for something is not 100% accurate to a single reference image, but I wanted something that still had all of the working elements of a real ship. For this build I think I am just going to stick to the exterior for now. This also is an exercise for me in expanding my own knowledge in how these ships were built and constructed. The image below was the main image i used for the initial hull of the ship and to assist me in figuring out the proportions of some of the higher decks in my 3d model compared to the image.
Some of these other plans I am using for the sails and deck layout as well

Currently, I am working on the masts to get those modeled with some fighting tops and spars, I can also post more images if need be to get a more detailed view if it would help with feedback. Thank you everyone!
 
Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum, just recently joined. I don't really have any prior experience building model ships and am looking to expand on my current knowledge. I have always loved the age of sail and I wanted to make a fantasy ship design but still create something that would be functional. I am currently working on a pirate ship model in Blender and I wanted to make sort of a progress or build log for that. If the topic needs to be moved to another category let me know . As for this project I wanted to make a Pirate ship model and am still working on modeling part of the deck fittings. If anyone has any feedback or thoughts, I greatly welcome and appreciate it. I will be posting more updates as i finish more of the build soon. Below These images I will also post a mood board with reference images and more information.

Thank you.
View attachment 238935
View attachment 238936
This build is going to be a fantasy inspired pirate ship set in the golden age of piracy around the early 18th century. I am going for something is not 100% accurate to a single reference image, but I wanted something that still had all of the working elements of a real ship. For this build I think I am just going to stick to the exterior for now. This also is an exercise for me in expanding my own knowledge in how these ships were built and constructed. The image below was the main image i used for the initial hull of the ship and to assist me in figuring out the proportions of some of the higher decks in my 3d model compared to the image.
Some of these other plans I am using for the sails and deck layout as well

Currently, I am working on the masts to get those modeled with some fighting tops and spars, I can also post more images if need be to get a more detailed view if it would help with feedback. Thank you everyone!
Have a lot of success in the interesting project you are getting into. I will follow with great interest, glad you share with us :) Thumbsup
 
Hallo and once more a warm welcome here on board - this is really an interesting project and we will try to help and assist where every we are able.

Only just a first fast comment, looking at your excerpts of references you show. You should not mix too much the different periods of the age of sail.
We can see relatively "modern" frigates and also "older" ships
-> you mentioned early 18th century so I would try as much as possible to stay in this period especially with the details of deck layout, masting and rigging etc.
 
Hello Shota70 and Uwek,

Thank you both for your comments, I really appreciate it. I am aware that my reference images are all over the place in terms of time period. I had difficulty trying to find references for singles decked frigates before 1740. I used some of these just to give an idea of kind of a roundabout look that I was going for. I also used them to get a general Idea of the different parts that go into the functionality of a ship, Capstan, Helm, Belay Pin Racks, etc. I understand that the details I'm sure are vastly different from one ship even of the same time period to the next. I know a little about some of the different details but I still have a lot to learn. I will be posting another update here shortly and I will post more detailed images of some of the different parts of the ship that I created and go over more of my thought process because again I am sure it is a little all over the place. Thank you both for your time and help.
 
Update; I modeled the masts, fighting tops and put in some sails just to see how it looks, I will probably sculpt in some more lines and wrinkles in them later on in the process. I am also including some close up shots of some of the different parts of the ship, so hopefully things are a bit easier to see in a little more detail. I will also post updates on the stern of the ship, I haven't modeled a whole lot in that area right now so there is nothing really to look at so i did not include that, but I will when i get around to it. Hopefully this helps to see things a bit more clearly and thank you everyone for your help and expertise. I really appreciate all of the feedback.Pirate Ship WIP 4.pngPirate Ship WIP Bow.pngPirate Ship WIP Capstan.pngPirate Ship WIP Fighting Tops.pngPirate Ship WIP Helm.pngPirate Ship WIP Quarter Galleries.pngPirate Ship WIP Waist.png
 
There is already a lot of work and research in your design - Great

If you are looking for additional contemporary information, maybe you can follow this when ever you have time and mood

Here is a list of more or less all british frigates

and also french frigates

you can search here for the time period you would like, f.e 1740

I took f.e. the french frigate, which was captured by the british
  • Panthère, (one-off 20-gun design of 1743 by Jacques-Luc Coulomb, with 20 x 6-pounder guns; launched February 1744 at Brest) – captured by British Navy 1745, becoming HMS Amazon.

and now you can go the National Maritime museum and check if they meassured the french ship and made drawings

YES - here we have a contemporary drawing of the captured vessel

j4236.jpg
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan with stern board decoration and "Panther" in a cartouche, sheer lines with inboard detail and figurehead, and a longitudinal half-breadth for Amazon (captured 1745), a captured French frigate, as fitted at Plymouth as a 20-gun Sixth Rate Corvette. Her original French name was 'Panthere', although the name on the plan spells it with one 'e'. The plan also includes pencil amendments relating to the Myrmidon (1781), a 24-gun Sixth Rate based on the Amazon. NMM, Progress Book, volume 2, folio 414, states that the 'Amazon' was docked to be surveyed at Plymouth Dockyard, arriving on 6 August 1745 and launched on 13 September 1745.


Under search browse you can enter the ships name and helpful is the year of the launch (or captured)

f.e. the british build frigates I checked the Lowestoffe 1742

j6179.jpg
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan, sheer lines with some inboard detail, and longitudinal half-breadth initially for Lowestoffe (1742) and in January 1742 for Aldborough (1743), and with alterations to the body plan in November 1742 for Phoenix (1743) and, based on Phoenix's alterations, in May 1744 for Triton (1745), all 1741 Establishment, 20-gun Sixth Rates. The plan also relates to Alderney (1743) of the same design.



when you search for some details - some drawings are showing also details like capstans, ovens deck planking etc......

and you can find also a lot of information in our forum
 
Hello Uwek,

Thank you very much for all your help I will definitely take some time to look through all of this and see what I can find. I think looking through the forums to get a better sense of how some of the smaller details that go into ship construction are build will be particularly helpful. Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and for all your help, it is very much appreciated!
 
Update: I created more of the deck fittings and spent spent some time looking at more models and actual built ships around the time period I am going for. I created an anchor for the ship, put in the hawseholes for the anchor cables to run through at the bow. I also created some longboats to go in the waist of the ship, I still have a little work to do on those. mainly details on the rudder on the larger boat as well as decorations for both and maybe a few other things. I also made oars to go into the boats and when I get to the rigging will create tie downs for everything. I also created a belfry and spent some time deciding where to place it due to the fact that the single staircase on the forecastle is where the belfry would typically go. I decided to move it to the quarter deck behind the mainmast. I liked the look of the single staircase on the forecastle and wanted to keep that element despite it not being completely historical. I also made staircases from the poop deck down to the quarter deck and am happy with how those turned out, took me a couple of tries to get that right. I also added in some stern lanterns as well as a flag staff at the stern of the ship, along with some windows at the stern. I might change the flag staff and its construction depending on any other information I can find, that could change in the future but as of right now I haven't decided. Anyway, I think that is it for this post, Let me know what you all think, any and all critique or questions/ comments are welcome, I really appreciate all the feedback. Thank you Everyone!!!Sailing Ship Update image 1.pngShip Model Anchor update.pngShip Model Stairs update belfry.pngShip Model Stairs update.pngSailing Ship Update stern lanterns.pngSailing Ship Update stern view.png
 
Hello Everyone,

I sincerely apologize for my absence for the past year and a half. The last year has been pretty busy for me personally and a lot has been going on. I have still been working on the model in my free time and a lot has changed since the last update in terms of design. Some good news is that for the holidays I got a 3D printer as well as a few books on modeling dimensions for ships and rigging. So the new goal is to 3D print the whole model in 1/64 scale and then rig the whole thing and paint it, make sails and build a display case for it. That is currently where I am headed with the build now.

To start with. I changed the overall dimensions of the boat she is now 119 feet long by 28 feet wide by 11.6 foot draught. The formast, main and mizzen also changed height as well accordingly. I added more dimension to the spars with more distal taper as well as yard arms accordingly. The masts are also stepped properly now as well as the correct distal taper. I also modified the heights of the gun carriages as well as barrel lengths and bore dimensions to correctly reflect the armament of the ship. I went with English 9 pounders on the main gun deck as opposed to more historically accurate 8 pounders used by other nations at the time. For some reason 9 pounders appealed to me more lol. I also went with Prussian 4 pounders on the quarterdeck and forcastle and swedish 3 pounders on the poop to reflect the total broadside weight of 109lbs that I wanted. I also added a tenth broadside cannon on the main gun deck, bringing the main armament up to 32 guns including the stern chasers and not including the swivel guns. As I understand it through my research the 32 gun frigates did appear really in this configuration until 1757 with the Southhampton class in the royal navy. Most frigates at this period had up to 30 guns as well as 8 pounders on the main armament instead of 9. It is not as historically accurate but I am taking a little bit of creative license on this part. The flags are also the correct dimensions based on other examples of historical flags that I could find as well as the launches. I will post pictures of the current progress below and explain in more detail for fear of this turning into a novel at the moment. The overall detail has also been greatly improved.
untitled update 4.png

I also added some water for the ship to float in and to represent whereabouts the water line would be. When I go to do the case I want to build to display it in, on the bottom I want to create a simulation of ocean waves as though it looks like its sitting in water on the ocean in the case, possibly using epoxy. I also still have to finish off some of the textures for the water here soon. This is also just an establishing shot for the current progress for where I am at. Currently at the moment I am working on the shrouds and getting those in place. I have to finish up the gammoning line as well as the bobstay. At the same time I am researching different languages to find a suitable name for the ship. I have a feeling the name figurehead and carvings will all come together at the same time, just have to find the right idea eventually. I also added a second jib to the sail plan where I initially only had one. The book I am reading through also mentions dimensions for the cross trees and trestle trees and those are all in the correct dimensions now. The bowsprit is also in the correct dimensions as well as the flagstaff.

Ship update 3.pngA side shot of the current progress, I mapped out where the rest of the shrouds will go using flat planes for right now. I also added more detail along the Quarter galleries and the whole ship.

Ship update 5.png
A closer shot of the waist of the ship. I added spaces to the bow for the gammoning line to pass through as well as detailed motifs to the side of the ship. a lot of the decorations are based on Baroque architecture and design which was common for the period I am trying to portray this ship being in. I also added another hatch leading down into the lower decks behind the boats so that the crew has entrance to the lower decks or vise versa from the waist. The bell was moved back to in front of the mainmast below the stairs.

Ship update 6.png

This is a close up shot of the bow of the ship. I added holes for the gammoning line here as well as decorative rims around the hawse holes. I also added in bitts by the bowsprit for later rigging. Theres a lot more detail in the front bulkhead at the bow. I added a bunch of Baroque esque motifs there to add more decoration and make it more aesthetically pleasing. The catheads have also had an update with flower motifs at the ends aw well as scroll work as the sides. Each motif is made of several pieces put together in various ways. I also added decorative posts at the top of the railing above the bulkheads for each deck.

untitled update 8.png

I update the ships wheel here with more scroll work motifs on the post in front of it. I also added more decorative motifs in the doors and windows into the inner cabins. The spiral stairs have been beveled with custom bevels to represent molding. The balustrades have also been updated with more decoration in them. I added Motifs on every deck for the upper balustrades as well. I appologize for the lighting in this area is not great. I will try got get better close up shots in the future of this area so all the detail can be seen.
Ship update 7.png

The stern of the ship has been updated with a lot more scroll work detail as well as decorative support beams. I also added bands around the rudder for it to be held in place. The balustrades on the balcony also have much more detail with added pillars on the ends. The top of the stern I am still working on. I have to figure out some carvings to go there when I figure out what the figurehead will look like.

Ship update 4.png

Aside view of the new Quarter galleries. I didn't like the old ones very much with the window shapes and decided to change it. The new window shapes were meant to mimic medieval and gothic architecture with their pointed arches. Theres also a lot more Baroque influence here as well with more scroll work and decorative shapes in the framing. I still have to do roof tiles on the top of the quarter galleries and more decorative work up there as well as the support below the last window on the quarter gallery. Some of the geometry will also need to be smoothed out in this area when I subdivide for 3D printing.

untitled update 9.png

A more detailed shot of the decorative motifs in the quarter galleries as well as the sculpted wreaths around the upper gun ports with much better lighting. I also added some decorative work on the bulkheads above the transition from the poop to the quarter galleries.


And If you have made it this far through the update, thank you! I am sorry I know this was a bit of a long one. I will try to update more frequently in the future. I think that is about everything so far. So still working on it, most of it is in place. I plan on doing the rigging first in 3D and then tackling it again on the actual model after I print it so I know what I am doing. I haven't done a model like this before from a kit or otherwise so it will be a good challenge lol. I also plan on printing everything in pieces and sanding it all and gluing it together. I have to merge all the meshes as well so that will take time. I plan on using silkspan for the sails as well after the model is printed. And I have figured out the dimensions of the string I need to rig the model and how much I need as well. I am not going super historically accurate on that part but. that is more for aesthetic reasons. I have to finish making the blocks and tackle as well for the actual modeling. And I think with that that is the end of this update. Thank you all for your time and patience, If anyone has any questions or comments please post a comment below. i always like hearing from people and let me know what you all think. Again sorry this post was a bit of a long winded one! Thank you all! :)
:):)
 
Hello Everyone,

Quick update on a few things. I reworked the design and sizing of the anchors slightly. I made the anchors a little more accurate to some of the references I found as well as the number and size the anchors should roughly be. I also positioned them a little differently along the gunwales. I will do all the rigging and anchor cables at some point, trying to tidy up the rest of the actual modeling first before I jump too far into that.

In addition to that I also have done a little more work on the taffrail and took some more artistic license in that area. I will continue to put more carved work on that in the future and more sculpting. I also will change the tops of the quarter galleries next to make them more ornate at the top. I feel like the taffrail is a little more castle-esque which is what I wanted and I feel like the tops of the quarter galleries are maybe a bit too similar and want to change it slightly. After that I will continue work on the bow and figurehead and then onto the underside of the quarter galleries to add more detail to the bottom of those. So progress has been slow but I am still chugging along. Will update with more information as I get more completed in the future! Thank you everyone!

Update Image Bow.png

Update Image stern update.png
 
Hi Darivs,

Thanks for the comment, glad to hear you’re starting your journey in blender, it’s definitely a steep learning curve but if you stick with it it is very rewarding. Sculpting is definitely an entirely different animal to hard surface modeling. I also need to work on my sculpting skills and if you need any help with anything let me know. Also having good plans and dimensions set up if you’re not using plans is a definite must before starting. You can definitely get lost in the process with all the dimensions of everything but it’s part of the fun.
 
Back
Top