Vasa - 1:65 DeAgostini [COMPLETED BUILD]

[Stargazer]

Totally agree with you Brian - Heinrich, is that a kit? What model is it? I definitely vote for the pear!!

 

[Heinrich]

@Brian077 Thanks Brian!

@Stargazer Hi Stargazer. Yes, it is the Leudo kit from Russian manufacturer, Falkonet.

 

[Uwek]

Like mentioned already by Heinrich
Pear - and also correctly I would take black hornbeam for the wales. This timber is much easier to work with than ebony
These wood species are also easier to work for planking easier to bend without cracks etc. and very small grain
Maybe you should contact @bibigon so you can get a sample of the hornbeam

 

[Pathfinder65]

Hi Jan. Would you be willing to share a picture with me? I'm new to this and seeing something in situ would be really helpful.

This is my work in progress.



Lots more to do to finish, I like the texture and contrast.

Jan

 

[dockattner]

This is my work in progress.

View attachment 185493

Lots more to do to finish, I like the texture and contrast.

Jan

Thanks for sharing your work Jan. The walnut really is lovely and the color variations add visual interest. I wonder, though, if the very thing I like about the walnut might distract from the painted decorative bits on the Vasa. Would the combined effect be too much???

 

[Pathfinder65]

Hmm, very interesting point. The rest of my build has lighter wood colors, ie. the deck and furnitur.e. So I have no color conflict to worry about. But I would surmise a slightly darker background for the multitude of decorative fixtures on your build would be a plus. Just my humble opinion

Jan

 

[Pathfinder65]

Google Images of Vasa models, all kinds of variations here. I would say it’s the preference of the builder.

Jan

 

[Jimsky]

The choice and final decision are yours. As mentioned by @Heinrich, my preference for a long time is Swish Pear in combinations with boxwood and black Grab (Russian for Hornbeam). Those three types of timbers make an unbelievable appearance under the oil of any kind. Personally, I use Linseed or Flaxseed oils straight without diluting with turpentine.

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

This is to show the results of what you can expect from kit supplied wood and simple Krylon spray Satin Finish, to compare with the other methods used by esteemed ship makers that use oil. The look is colorful, and the mahogany on the bottom is more of an artistic than realistic effect. It has a flecked, spotty, reflective effect, and appears exactly the same as using Chinese supplied sapelle wood, which was used on the transom. The wales are walnut, which you can see came as a mix of dark and light pieces, and the sides were maple. I like the realistic appearance of the walnut. The bottom was not painted white to simulate "white stuff" because I didn't have the heart to cover that nice mahogany, although for realism, it should be. I recommend if you can get pear wood and want a colorful brown, get it. Walnut wales would look great in contrast with pear. Oak is so open in grain that it would look course on a scale model. Walnut appears to look like aged, darkened wood as it is, but you may have to hand pick the light walnut from the dark to put the contrasting parts where you want them. The lowest wales on my hull below have more contrast that I like, but at the time I used the random wood that was in the kit and did not search for replacement wood to make the hull match better. Being choosey with your wood will yield better results.

 

[dockattner]

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your expertise. It takes a village to build a model ship and this SoS forum has been really helpful to me.

I think I'm going to try to secure pear for the hull. My thinking has tracked along these lines: the painted decorative bits are really quite exotic on the Vasa and I feel like they need a 'frame' that will not compete with them. The pear has less color variation and as much as I like natural wood and it's movement of color (I live in a timber-frame home made from Douglas fir and American cherry) I am concerned that an 'active' hull will compete with the decorations. The Vasa hull also has lots of metal nails/spikes and treenails (trenails?) and I think I will try my hand at some of that (not committing to that quite yet but I will be making a trial board to sample some techniques and see if these hands of mine can pull it off). A more open grain wood species would hide those finishing details - or at least that's my theory.

I'm going to hold off on making a decision about the wales for now. The leading contenders in my brain are a darker walnut, mahogany, or the black hornbeam mentioned above. By the way, Sergey (@bibigon) has been really helpful. He can source black hornbeam in 400 mm lengths and, I suspect, all sorts of other species. If you are looking for something I recommend contacting him - he is responsive and kind.

Well, that's enough insight into the vagaries of my mind for a single post. Again, I am humbled and encouraged by your assistance!

 

[Maarten]

Hi Doc,

I will not try to mess up your plans but I don't expect the wales of Vasa were in a different color. Black wales is an English thing and Vasa is a Swedish ship build by a Dutch shipwright so most probably the wales were just oak, or pear on the model.
Check Batavia replica of the same era, plain oak wales as also all contemporary Dutch ship museum models.
I would go for plain pear wales.

Have added some pictures of dutch ship models, no black wales.

 

[dockattner]

Hi Doc,

I will not try to mess up your plans but I don't expect the wales of Vasa were in a different color. Black wales is an English thing and Vasa is a Swedish ship build by a Dutch shipwright so most probably the wales were just oak, or pear on the model.
Check Batavia replica of the same era, plain oak wales as also all contemporary Dutch ship museum models.
I would go for plain pear wales.

Maarten, thank you for this important revelation! I found several models of early 17th century ships that had wales different from the hull and that's where I got the idea from. They must have been English (or other). I am on the SoS forum SO THAT my plans get messed up so I am grateful that you spoke up and caught my mistake before it would have been difficult to correct. I am willing to take creative license only so far! To be sure, I'm kind of sad - though the Batavia replica is strikingly beautiful. I'll use her for inspiration!

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Maarten, thank you for this important revelation! I found several models of early 17th century ships that had wales different from the hull and that's where I got the idea from. They must have been English (or other). I am on the SoS forum SO THAT my plans get messed up so I am grateful that you spoke up and caught my mistake before it would have been difficult to correct. I am willing to take creative license only so far! To be sure, I'm kind of sad - though the Batavia replica is strikingly beautiful. I'll use her for inspiration!

I agree! That is MOST USEFUL information!

 

[dockattner]

So, I took a little break today from thinking about wood and worked on a few of the decorative castings. I chose some simple pieces but still struggled. I am unaware of any other model ship that presents a painting challenge like the Vasa. This has all come about in the past ten years or so. Research at the museum has uncovered that the fantastic carvings found on the original ship were multichromatic. Suddenly a faithful rendering of this ship in model form requires equal parts woodworking and painting. I do enjoy the artistic aspects of both though they are obviously quite different. The DeAg castings are high quality - but that does little to remedy the simple truth that these pieces are very tiny!!!

I painted three sets of griffins but strangely I can only see one set on the 1:10 model at the Vasa Museum.



These wreaths are placed at the stern of the ship adjacent to the rudder (they festoon openings for ropes/chains). You may not be impressed with my painting here but this was the third time I attempted they little guys...Ugh!



And, finally, these vase-like things will sit on the aft galleries port and starboard (the galleries probably have an official name but...).



Thanks for checking in!

 

[Bryian]

All that gingerbread will certainly make the model look great.

..

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

The ornaments look great! The paintings you have so far look very detailed for their size. It's sort of like painting miniature wargaming figures. It takes time. Luckily we know more about Wasa than any other ship from that age, so you don't have to fill in the blanks. Having the real ship as a source, the hard parts is packing as much detail in as you can, because at full scale, the carvings are very detailed.

 

[dockattner]

A planned big day of painting turned out to be a near wash-out (but I did get to practice my grandpa skills!). I completed some little guys (bears?) that will show up later holding up a part of a wall...



And I also finally got around to following up on a suggestion a few of you made a while back - I added some shading to the lion heads that will decorate the gun port covers. The image with the coin is the original version. Better? I'm thinking I might add back in some highlights...



As an added bonus (not that I didn't trust your near-consensus recommendation of pear ) I made a test panel. This pear has been treated with Danish oil (linseed oil). I liked it enough that I placed an order for a ship hull's worth from Cornwall.



And based on @Maarten's testimony I'll be ordering pear wood strips sized for wales from @bibigon... Thanks for checking in!

 

[Dean62]

A planned big day of painting turned out to be a near wash-out (but I did get to practice my grandpa skills!). I completed some little guys (bears?) that will show up later holding up a part of a wall...

View attachment 186289

And I also finally got around to following up on a suggestion a few of you made a while back - I added some shading to the lion heads that will decorate the gun port covers. The image with the coin is the original version. Better? I'm thinking I might add back in some highlights...

View attachment 186293 View attachment 186290

As an added bonus (not that I didn't trust your near-consensus recommendation of pear ) I made a test panel. This pear has been treated with Danish oil. I liked it enough that I placed an order for a ship hull's worth from Cornwall.

View attachment 186292

And based on @Maarten's testimony I'll be ordering pear wood strips sized for wales from @bibigon... Thanks for checking in!

I would try your hand at dry brushing highlights on some of those pieces. But you’re doing good so far!

 

[Heinrich]

Hi Doc. I am glad that you followed my advice on the Pear Wood. Now as to @Maarten comments about the wales: Of course he is right ... but tell him to practice what he preaches .... On his build of his superb Friesland the wales are .... hold on for it ....



So sometimes, there is nothing wrong with some artistic licence. I would still go for the Black Hornbeam.

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

A planned big day of painting turned out to be a near wash-out (but I did get to practice my grandpa skills!). I completed some little guys (bears?) that will show up later holding up a part of a wall...

View attachment 186289

And I also finally got around to following up on a suggestion a few of you made a while back - I added some shading to the lion heads that will decorate the gun port covers. The image with the coin is the original version. Better? I'm thinking I might add back in some highlights...

View attachment 186293 View attachment 186290

As an added bonus (not that I didn't trust your near-consensus recommendation of pear ) I made a test panel. This pear has been treated with Danish oil. I liked it enough that I placed an order for a ship hull's worth from Cornwall.

View attachment 186292

And based on @Maarten's testimony I'll be ordering pear wood strips sized for wales from @bibigon... Thanks for checking in!

The painting looks SUPERB. Shaded lions look more detailed. Perhaps let a little more yellow stand out, sort of in-between? You Wasa is going to be great. What color of Danish Oil did you use ?