Why is a Matte finish so popular ?

S

suspend6

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When I first started building my Bounty kit, I asked what was the most appropriate/authentic finish for wood. The majority of respondents preferred a matte finish, suggesting that a glossy varnish was not readily available back in the day.

My next build (should I survive and complete the current build) will most likely be Cook's Endeavour. I note from some of the historical material published about this ship and its journey that they took on board gallons of Pine Varnish, which I believe has a glossy finish, and would have been used on the hull.

I acknowledge that a kit builder has the license to please themselves regarding many different construction and finish options along the way, but I am curious as to why the vast majority of modelers seemed to favour matte.
 
Almost nothing in real life is shiny unless it is freshly painted, freshly varnished. Take the car for example, it looks shiny when you've just washed it, but when you've driven it for 1 day, it's not as shiny anymore. When you paint models, they tend to look like toys if you paint them shiny, and I think it's connected to the fact that almost nothing in reality is shiny.
Then there are different degrees of glossiness/mattness that you can use. Everything doesn't have to be really matte either.
 
It's a matter of scale. Paint colors and finishes tend to appear very different in small scale than at 1:1. With respect to gloss finishes on wooden ships, the wooden surfaces had a lot of texture to them, which meant there was rarely a glass-smooth surface to evenly reflect light.

To illustrate, put a varnish coat on a board and then stand back an equivalent distance scaled up from the typical viewing distance of your model (i.e.: if your model is 1:35 and you normally view it from a meter away, stand 35 meters from your varnished board). You'll be hard pressed to see much gloss on it.
 
Interesting question. I don't recall ever reading or seeing any reference to suggested type of finish, gloss, satin or matt, in any ship modeling publication or instruction booklet. There is a thread in Model Ship World on the topic, https://modelshipworld.com/topic/19604-best-finish-for-wood-ships/
It seems it's simply a matter of personal preference.

Personally, since building my first wooden ship model, Model Shipways Katy (1982) I have always airbrushed a coat of Dullcote lacquer to the entire build. I used this technique on dioramas. In addition to acting as a sealant it creates a uniform scale appearance. It seems every part that is added and/or painted to the build, including rigging has a different finish, flat, dull, etc., there's no consistency. Further example, consider a build with coppered hull? So, for me, the Dullcote creates a consistent finish. Not to get in the weeds on the topic, I also "tone down" my paint colors to improve a scale look, especially for smaller scales.
 
IMHO, it depends on the model that you’re building. For a large scale Mahogany Speedboat or high class sailing yacht a satin finish is appropriate. For a whaling ship or tug boat it’s a matt finish. In either case keep in mind Namabiiru’s excellent comments about the scale factor.

Also, I believe that no matter the quality of your workmanship working vessels look much better painted. Unpainted with varnished hulls, these models have a “gift shop” appearance

Roger
 
now tell me guys... im sure many of you have visited the real ships at one time or another? has any of them had a brand new spanking gloss finish? no! well do you think your scale model should? no! a nice satin or matte finish looks much more classy and better fitting its scale.
 
but a nicely fresh varnished glossy war ship or cargo ship gleaming in the sun would make them sitting ducks seen from miles off. pirate bootty mate!

:cool:
 
suspend6 said:
What was Captain Cook expected to do with gallons of Pine Varnish taken on his first exploratory journey?
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I suspect he was intended to run a continuous re-painting program as the eighteenth century paint swiftly deteriorated. Remember that pine varnish was not necessarily used as varnish. Until the early twentieth century painters mixed their own paints immediately before use from pigments binder (varnish) and solvent.

(I had this from my father who was a painter in the early 1930's and also the brilliant book The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Tressel.)
 
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Are we talking about presenting a ship as in use, or depicting a ship as a model?

I have fond memories of my visit to London's Science Museum or The National Maritime Museum, back in the day when they truly had a large range of contemporary models on display.

Nearly all these examples were made using quality invisible grained hardwoods, commonly Box. Nine out of ten clearly had the wood burnished, possibly using something as simple beeswax.

Almost all of these were built as MODELS, not working vessels.

It is my contention these models still have the unsurpassed, sublime charm of the craftsman's skills.
 
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pugwash said:
It is my contention these models still have the unsurpassed, sublime charm of the craftsman's skills.
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I agree wholeheartedly. The Napoleonic French POWs also produced some amazing models from soup bones and their own hair. Some of them are buried in my local churchyard (the prisoners, not the models). Three centuries later I see some astounding 3D realisations which don't even exist (usually I only see things that don't exist after a heavy weekend on the sauce). Model-making is certainly a broad church with room for all. Hurrah for modelling!
 
A number of years ago Duluth, Minnesota’s historic Kitchi Gammi Club had a dinner combined with a showing of the movie Master and Commander. The food was supposed to be based on that would have been served at the time of the Movie. Actually, I think that it was left over from Royal Navy stores dating from Nelson’s time; It was awful! As part of the event, I brought two ship models to discuss. One was a POF Boxwood, Pear, Holly dockyard style model with exposed framing. After the event, a nice lady in all seriousness wanted to know how the ship could float without the bottom being planked. I explained to her that it was one of several accepted ship modeling conventions. For example, in addition to the Boxwood Admiralty style there are the shipping office steamship models with polished brass and steel parts. Neither are intended to be strictly speaking, realistic. In addition, various builders have their own signature styles. Examples are those built by Harold Hahn and Bob Wilson’s wonderful waterline models.

A centuries old patina from a rubbed down finish on boxwood planking is a far cry from Wipe on Poly applied to the open grain mystery wood planking supplied in some kits. In my opinion, a natural wood finish also looks better on some TYPES of ships than others. While a natural finish might look ok on a Nelson era sailing warship, a painted finish does a better job of showing off the lean hull lines of a Clipper Ship.

Given the time and effort spent building any ship model it pays to spend time before starting to think of the overall artistic effect that you are trying to achieve. This includes, baseboard, and supports as well is the model itself. Of course this is easier to do if your scratch building. With a kit, you’re somewhat (pun intended) boxed in.

Roger
 
suspend6 said:
When I first started building my Bounty kit, I asked what was the most appropriate/authentic finish for wood. The majority of respondents preferred a matte finish, suggesting that a glossy varnish was not readily available back in the day.

My next build (should I survive and complete the current build) will most likely be Cook's Endeavour. I note from some of the historical material published about this ship and its journey that they took on board gallons of Pine Varnish, which I believe has a glossy finish, and would have been used on the hull.

I acknowledge that a kit builder has the license to please themselves regarding many different construction and finish options along the way, but I am curious as to why the vast majority of modelers seemed to favour matte.
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Gloss doesn't scale. Instead it gives any build a toy like appearance. I use Humbrol matt enamels, when hardened the suface can be polished with 0000 steel wool which give a finish slightly less shiny than satin. Although these paints will give a good enough finish even with a brushed coat (far superior to acrylics)
See Tom Lauria's video on Scale and the Compelling Impression.
 
suspend6 said:
When I first started building my Bounty kit, I asked what was the most appropriate/authentic finish for wood. The majority of respondents preferred a matte finish, suggesting that a glossy varnish was not readily available back in the day.

My next build (should I survive and complete the current build) will most likely be Cook's Endeavour. I note from some of the historical material published about this ship and its journey that they took on board gallons of Pine Varnish, which I believe has a glossy finish, and would have been used on the hull.

I acknowledge that a kit builder has the license to please themselves regarding many different construction and finish options along the way, but I am curious as to why the vast majority of modelers seemed to favour matte.
Click to expand...
The best reason that I can give you is that flat paints are considerably easer to work with. Coverage is better and if you are painting small parts flat modeling paints have finer pigments and will not tend to cover up the detail. If you want a simi or full gloss coat you can always use a clear coat. It’s your model you don’t have to follow the herd. Finish the model the way you like it.
 
I have been a cabinetmaker for 40 odd years. Finish is a personal preference.
I however I prefer timber to look natural.
Most of what we have manufactured has been polished in a 30% gloss level (matt/satin) pre cat or Nitrocellulose finish clear lacquer.Usually sprayed.
These days, I prefer a sealed finish, cut back with 320g,then buffed with 0000 steel wool with a light wax.
I even tint the wax for different effects including aging as it gives a very natural patina.
It is extremely tactile and looks the part.
The secret is not to coat anything too thick or it will look like plastic.
 
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