The GRACIE S - a Lift Model

[Bob Cleek]

Seems like I'm at one of those modeling dilemmas - do you add certain details, cover them up and feel good they are there; or take the view - if you can't see it does it really matter its not there!

To my way of thinking regarding scale details, "If you can't see it at scale viewing distance, it really matters that it's not there!" I think it's always better to omit a detail than to include one that is over-scale. As for copper sheathed bottoms, depending on the scale, at 1:48 and below certainly, it's not so much a matter of miniaturization, but rather artistry. The object is to very subtly "suggest" detail which invites the viewer's brain, rather than their eyes, to form an impression of the vision the artist intends to convey. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of color or shade mottling to do the trick. The mistake many kit modelers make is letting their brain get ahead of their eyes: "I know these things are separate plates covered with a bunch of nails so I've got to show them." Considering that so many kit builders' experience with viewing coppered hulls comes from the picture of the model on the cover of the box, it's no wonder it's downhill all the way from there.

The ship modeler really should try to follow the lead of fine arts painters in the way they create the impression of depth and distance on a flat canvas by varying colors and the sharpness of details. There's a lot about how to do this in fine arts painting textbooks, as well as online. When it comes to copper sheathed hulls, the modeler should ask himself, "How would an oil painter portray a copper-sheathed hull at the same scale viewing distance on a flat canvas?" (Hint: They would paint what they see at viewing distance, not what it looks like under a magnifying glass.

 

[Greg Davis]

I think it's always better to omit a detail than to include one that is over-scale.

And as a corollary - make the level of presentation consistent across the whole model.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Since the hull will be painted, at viewing distance for this scale, the chances of seeing hull planking is slim - and of course the lower hull being coppered, covers up anything that had been done below. Seems like I'm at one of those modeling dilemmas - do you add certain details, cover them up and feel good they are there; or take the view - if you can't see it does it really matter its not there!

i pondered the same issue as i approach what to do with the deck on the Sir Edward Hawke. So do i plank it over and cover the beams, joinery and knees? after all the deck "structure" is an interesting thing to show. What i decided was in the build i show the structure and no one will ever see the actual model it will just end up on a pile with the rest of the models. I documented the structure in the building process, so everyone saw it and knows it is there. Like an ice sculpture now you see it now you don't.
If you are teaching then at least discuss the underlying structure, if it is a display model then it is up to the builder what to show or not to show. My opinion is if it will be covered up in the final model the skip it.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

I think it's always better to omit a detail than to include one that is over-scale.

we just invented "modeling in the gray area" the twilight of actual scale and artistic expression. Take putting treenails in deck planking if using way over scale treenails the deck approaches a cartoon look full of little dots. But there might be a possibility of reducing the dots as small as possible, still over scale but not overwhelming. My guess the models we all build well not be viewed by experts in ship modeling or the art of ship modeling, they will be viewed by average people with little knowledge of ship building or what a model should look like.
If a viewer has no idea of what exactly they are looking at or leaving a blank for them to fill in unknown detail they are left in the dark. But using artistic expression and giving them an idea of what belongs in the blank maybe some will think hum? looks out of scale or if you have a critical artistic eye may see it as out of balance. Perhaps to some it is obvious planks are nailed in place and no need to show that. Someone else my look and say WOW look at all the tiny nails used god that must of been difficult.