I have a question on what is proper color to paint the hull behind all the brightwork on the exterior of SotS.
I have seen multiple different colors in build logs, photos and web photos.
Is it a bright royal Blue, dark blue, or even black as I have seen on a few models.
I would like to get everyone's opinions as I want to try to build it correctly to keep the standards high for this great beauty of a ship.
King Charles I personally issued the following instructions on March 23, 1636 (transcript of a manuscript deposited in the Public Record Office, London) to carry out the decoration of the ship - gilding and painting.
It says:
"The head with all the carved work thereof, and the rails to be all gilt, and no other color used thereupon but black. The stern and galleries to be gilt with gold and black in the same manner, with the rails on them to be all likewise gilt with gold. The sides to be all carved work according to the draft which was presented to his Majesty and that carved work to be all gilt with gold, and all the rails of the sides to be likewise gilt with gold and no other color to be used on the sides but black. Also the figures in the upper strakes to be altered into badges of carved work answerable to the other strake, that runs fair with it, and to be gilt answerable to the rest."
An explanation is needed for the above text - since the 17th century. The English used two terms for the "gold" decoration of ships: "to gilt with gold", literally "to gilt with gold", i.e. to cover surfaces with gold leaf; and the word "to gilt," which meant "gild" with paint. This much cheaper "gilding" with paint was done by varnishing wood painted white or left in natural light color carvings. The varnish had a yellowish to golden color, coating the white background gave the impression of a "golden" color.
To paint the ship, the English used the terms "paid" or "served", which meant painting a mixture of linseed oil, turpentine and pitch / tar. To this mixture, usually sulfur (brimstone ) was added and a resin (rosin). Pitch / tar obtained by distillation from pine wood was thin and yellowish to light brown in color.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_tar