YUANQING MODELS 1:50 Scale SAN Felipe Build Log.

[Phillipsart]

Technical Builder’s Log – Big Day on the 1:50 SAN Felipe

Today was one of those rare modelling days where the progress surprised even me. I managed to get far more done on the 1:50 scale SAN Felipe hull than I had planned, and seeing the transformation has given me a huge second wind on this build.



Hull Painting – A Change of Direction

Originally, my intention was to give the lower hull a perfectly smooth, car-like finish. Yesterday I spent hours sanding, filling, resanding, and chasing perfection. But the more I looked at it, the more I realised something important:



The SAN Felipe is a 400-year-old Spanish galleon, not a modern show-boat.

These ships were rugged, lived-in, heavily used vessels. Their hulls were not flawless and mirror-smooth like a brand-new fibreglass yacht.

So after reconsidering, I changed course and decided to bring out the history and age of the ship rather than hide it.



Experimenting With Paint – A Happy Risk

I wanted the individual planks under the white hull paint to subtly stand out—not exaggerated, just enough to hint at the wooden construction beneath.

To achieve this, I experimented with a paint I already had:

Rust-Oleum spray paint (very common here in Australia).

To my surprise, it reacted in a way that actually enhanced the plank lines, giving me exactly the subtle texture and historical realism I wanted. You can see in the photos how the grain, seams, and faint irregularities now show through beautifully.

This gave the hull a look that feels right for a ship of this age—weathered but not battered, textured but not rough.



Masking & Painting the Black Strake

Once the white cured properly, I masked the hull and laid down the black band.

I didn’t like how harsh the contrast was between the black and white—it looked too modern and too sharp. So I added a brilliant finishing touch:


A 0.5 × 3 mm wooden strip

I glued this along the entire length of the black/white boundary. This instantly softened the transition and added that refined, old-world craftsmanship the SAN Felipe is known for.

It now looks like a deliberate architectural detail rather than a hard paint line.


Beginning the Ornaments – Weathering Tests

I also began weathering some of the decorative ornaments. The golden trim pieces on this ship are iconic, but straight gold can look too “toy-like.” I’ve started applying subtle ageing to the filigree so the details pop and look more authentic.

Early tests came out great—aged gold with depth and shadow instead of flat yellow paint.


Summing Up Today

• Lower hull fully painted

• Spray paint experiment successfully revealed plank structure

• Black strake completed

• Wood trim installed above gun deck to clean up the colour transition

• Started ageing and weathering decorative elements

• Massive visual leap forward for the build

This model is big, and days like today remind me how satisfying it is when the vision starts to come together. The SAN Felipe hull now has character, history, and presence—exactly what I wanted.

More to come as I move into the next stage of planking the upper half and preparing the ornamentation.

 

[Phillipsart]

Slowly Preparing the Decorative Work – Gold Ornaments & Depth Experimentation


I spent today doing something a little different on the San Felipe build… getting the decorative elements ready. These big, ornate castings are such a defining feature of this ship, so I wanted to make sure I got the finish right before committing anything to the hull.

At first, I tried using a single bright gold on the ornaments. The colour itself looked nice enough, but once it dried I realised it just looked a bit… flat. No contrast, no visual depth, and the details weren’t popping the way they should. On a ship like the San Felipe, the decorations are meant to catch the eye, not look like one solid blob of yellow.


So I changed approach completely.


Step 1 – Duller Gold Base Coat

I started with a darker, duller gold base colour. Something closer to an antique gold rather than a polished one. Right away this made the small recesses, scrollwork and shield details stand out a bit more. It gives the impression of age and weight, especially perfect for a ship like this where the carvings would have been weathered, tarred, and handled over decades.




Step 2 – Bright Gold Dry Brush


Once the base was fully dry, I took a brighter gold and lightly dry brushed it over the raised surfaces. This instantly transformed the piece. The high spots lit up, the shadows stayed dark, and suddenly the whole thing had proper definition. The crown, leaves, scrolls, and shields all came alive. Exactly the type of depth I was after.

You can see on the photos how the darker undershading gives the bright areas much more presence. It no longer looks like a single monotone casting – now it has proper dimensionality.




Testing a Few Variants


I ran a couple of pieces side-by-side (you can see the two shield ornaments on the table). One has slightly heavier dry brushing, while the other has more of that aged golden look. I’m leaning toward the more balanced one – bright enough to stand out, but not so shiny that it looks toy-like.

I also painted a section of the trim with gold over black to test contrast, but that style didn’t feel quite right for this ship, so I’ll stick with the antique-gold-plus-dry-brush combination.




Fitting the Bow Decorations


I did a quick test-fit of the large bow ornament and the sweeping rails that run down the hull. Seeing them in place really gives a sense of the scale and presence of the San Felipe. The decorations are huge and dramatic, so getting the paint finish right was essential.


Still a lot more decorative parts to go, but I’m really happy with this direction. The layered gold gives that proper baroque richness the ship deserves

Next step will be attaching everything permanently after I finish the planking and get the hull colours finalised. But for now, it’s great seeing these elements finally coming to life.

 

[Phillipsart]

Preparations continue on the decorative pieces

 

[Bob Cleek]

Hull Painting – A Change of Direction

Originally, my intention was to give the lower hull a perfectly smooth, car-like finish. Yesterday I spent hours sanding, filling, resanding, and chasing perfection. But the more I looked at it, the more I realised something important:


The SAN Felipe is a 400-year-old Spanish galleon, not a modern show-boat.

These ships were rugged, lived-in, heavily used vessels. Their hulls were not flawless and mirror-smooth like a brand-new fibreglass yacht.

So after reconsidering, I changed course and decided to bring out the history and age of the ship rather than hide it.


Experimenting With Paint – A Happy Risk

I wanted the individual planks under the white hull paint to subtly stand out—not exaggerated, just enough to hint at the wooden construction beneath.

To achieve this, I experimented with a paint I already had:

Rust-Oleum spray paint (very common here in Australia).

To my surprise, it reacted in a way that actually enhanced the plank lines, giving me exactly the subtle texture and historical realism I wanted. You can see in the photos how the grain, seams, and faint irregularities now show through beautifully.

This gave the hull a look that feels right for a ship of this age—weathered but not battered, textured but not rough.

It's your model and you certainly can paint it however you wish, but if your intent is a realistic appearance, your initial approach was the correct one. The "... faint irregularities" which "now show through beautifully" are in your mind, but, if a compelling sense of realism is your goal, what you've produced would not be in your eyes. Your brain thinks "historical realism" should demand a rough surface, but at your scale viewing distance your eyes wouldn't see that. What's the scale of your model? 1:48? If so, for example, then if your model is being viewed from a distance of three feet, what the viewer's eye should see is what the full-size vessel would look like if viewed from 144 feet away. In other words, what you see in the model should be what you'd see in real life from the scale viewing distance.

Scale viewing distance is a concept that is not addressed often enough by ship model kit manufacturers in their instructions if the majority of finished kit models are any indication. It is, however, a concept that is difficult to explain with words. To develop an instinctive sense of scale viewing distance takes a fair amount of experience and I realize that many kit assemblers have limited experience with full-sized ships, particularly period vessels. The solution is to set up "experiments" which visualize full-scale viewing distance and use those for templates. (Photographs may also serve this purpose, but only if they have sufficient depth of field.) For example, when modeling at 1:48 scale and your mind tells you that copper sheathing on a hull was applied with lots of small copper tacks which are visible when viewed full-size from three feet away, ask yourself, "Can these be seen from 144 feet away?" Or if your mind knows planking was fastened with 3/4" trunnels, "Can these be seen at a scale viewing distance of 144 feet?" The best way to answer questions like this is the "eye chart test." Pace off 144 feet and find out if you can "read" the detail you're contemplating adding to your model.

Viewing distance also affects the colors and finish that our eyes see at a distance due to the behavior of light passing through the atmosphere. At a distance, colors aren't as vivid and gloss is flattened. These considerations are addressed in any basic art textbook and modelers who are interested in "realism," (and who among us isn't,) would find reading up on the subject quite helpful.

Additionally, while a commercial cargo vessel might show a lot of wear around the edges, your assumptions about the appearance of period wooden warships being "rugged, lived-in, heavily used vessels" are incorrect. Warships had huge crews and there was never any shortage of available labor. They were not only functional fighting platforms, but also "diplomatic billboards." (Hence, all that gold leafed gingerbread carving many carried.) Sailing warships, when in commission, were maintained to the highest standards possible, often with no expense spared. Heavy "weathering" is not an historically accurate look for a model of a ship of the line.

Look at the two photos below and note how the detail definition drops off the farther away the hull gets from the viewer. (The lowest photo shows a closeup of a removed piece of copper sheathing from USS Constitution. While the hull section in the background would show less definition than the copper sheet in the foreground, in this particular photo, I believe a contributing factor to the marked loss of definition is also an artifact of the camera lens' depth of field.)

Cutty Sark


USS Constitution

 

[Phillipsart]

It's your model and you certainly can paint it however you wish, but if your intent is a realistic appearance, your initial approach was the correct one. The "... faint irregularities" which "now show through beautifully" are in your mind, but, if a compelling sense of realism is your goal, what you've produced would not be in your eyes. Your brain thinks "historical realism" should demand a rough surface, but at your scale viewing distance your eyes wouldn't see that. What's the scale of your model? 1:48? If so, for example, then if your model is being viewed from a distance of three feet, what the viewer's eye should see is what the full-size vessel would look like if viewed from 144 feet away. In other words, what you see in the model should be what you'd see in real life from the scale viewing distance.

Scale viewing distance is a concept that is not addressed often enough by ship model kit manufacturers in their instructions if the majority of finished kit models are any indication. It is, however, a concept that is difficult to explain with words. To develop an instinctive sense of scale viewing distance takes a fair amount of experience and I realize that many kit assemblers have limited experience with full-sized ships, particularly period vessels. The solution is to set up "experiments" which visualize full-scale viewing distance and use those for templates. (Photographs may also serve this purpose, but only if they have sufficient depth of field.) For example, when modeling at 1:48 scale and your mind tells you that copper sheathing on a hull was applied with lots of small copper tacks which are visible when viewed full-size from three feet away, ask yourself, "Can these be seen from 144 feet away?" Or if your mind knows planking was fastened with 3/4" trunnels, "Can these be seen at a scale viewing distance of 144 feet?" The best way to answer questions like this is the "eye chart test." Pace off 144 feet and find out if you can "read" the detail you're contemplating adding to your model.

Viewing distance also affects the colors and finish that our eyes see at a distance due to the behavior of light passing through the atmosphere. At a distance, colors aren't as vivid and gloss is flattened. These considerations are addressed in any basic art textbook and modelers who are interested in "realism," (and who among us isn't,) would find reading up on the subject quite helpful.

Additionally, while a commercial cargo vessel might show a lot of wear around the edges, your assumptions about the appearance of period wooden warships being "rugged, lived-in, heavily used vessels" are incorrect. Warships had huge crews and there was never any shortage of available labor. They were not only functional fighting platforms, but also "diplomatic billboards." (Hence, all that gold leafed gingerbread carving many carried.) Sailing warships, when in commission, were maintained to the highest standards possible, often with no expense spared. Heavy "weathering" is not an historically accurate look for a model of a ship of the line.

Look at the two photos below and note how the detail definition drops off the farther away the hull gets from the viewer. (The lowest photo shows a closeup of a removed piece of copper sheathing from USS Constitution. While the hull section in the background would show less definition than the copper sheet in the foreground, in this particular photo, I believe a contributing factor to the marked loss of definition is also an artifact of the camera lens' depth of field.)

Cutty Sark
View attachment 561452

USS Constitution
View attachment 561453

View attachment 561455

Excellent post. Thanks for the info.

Not something I’ve considered. I certainly will from now on.

 

[Phillipsart]

SAN FELIPE 1:50 SCALE – SECOND LAYER PLANKING BEGINS (STARBOARD SIDE)

The next big chapter of the 1:50 scale SAN Felipe build is officially underway — I’ve now started the second (outer) layer of hull planking, and I’m happy to report that the starboard side is now mostly completed. This stage is always one of the most satisfying parts of any wooden ship build, because the model finally begins to transition from structure to true visual form.

After spending a huge amount of time carefully preparing the hull during the first planking phase — getting all the fairness sorted, filling low spots, correcting minor dips, and sanding everything dead smooth — it was time to move on to the final visible skin of the ship.



⸻



HULL PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING

Before a single second-layer plank went down, I made sure the first planking was as fair and true as possible. This included:

• Filling any minor imperfections using fine wood filler

• Extensive hand sanding to remove hard edges and high spots

• Checking symmetry from bow to stern

• Making sure the keel line and waterline were visually clean

This stage cannot be rushed — once the second layer goes down, every mistake becomes permanent and highly visible. Time spent here saves regret later.



⸻



PLANKING STRATEGY & LAYOUT

Rather than simply starting at the bottom and working up blindly, I took time to plan the plank runs and tapering properly, especially toward the bow where the curvature tightens dramatically.



Each plank was:

• Dry-fitted first

• Individually tapered where required

• Carefully edge-shaped for tight seams

• Checked constantly for alignment

This ensures:

✔ No forced planks

✔ No twisting

✔ No unnatural bends

✔ Clean, flowing lines along the hull



⸻



STARBOARD SIDE – MOSTLY COMPLETED

The starboard side is now mostly planked in its second layer, and I’m very pleased with how it’s turning out. The hull shape of the SAN Felipe is bold and powerful, and you really start to appreciate the ship’s presence once this outer skin begins to wrap around her.

The planks are sitting:

✔ Tight

✔ Fair

✔ With continuous smooth runs

✔ No visible steps between strips

Even before final sanding, the hull already has that unmistakable Spanish galleon presence.



⸻



REALITY OF THIS STAGE

Second-layer planking is where patience truly matters:

• Every plank must land cleanly

• Glue control is critical

• Alignment errors are unforgiving

• The curves at the bow test everything you’ve learned so far

This is definitely not a “rush through” stage — it’s slow, methodical, and highly rewarding work.



⸻



NEXT STEPS

With the starboard side nearing completion, the next phases will be:

→ Complete remaining planks on the starboard side

→ Begin second-layer planking on the port side

→ Final hull fairing and sanding

→ Preparation for hull paint scheme and detailing

Once both sides are complete and the hull is fully sanded smooth, the SAN Felipe will truly start looking like a warship of the Age of Sail.



⸻



‍ FINAL THOUGHTS

This kit continues to be challenging but incredibly rewarding. With only plans to work from and some parts missing from the original kit, every stage feels like true craftsmanship rather than just assembly. Seeing the second layer going on cleanly confirms that all those hours spent correcting and preparing the first planking were absolutely worth it.

Slow progress — but solid, accurate progress.

As always, thanks for following along, and I’ll post another update once the port side is underway.

 

[CoastHiker]

Still thinking of tackling this kit myself in the new year, but currently procrastinating. Can I ask what timber you used for this project? I'm guessing you used the supplied 2x7mm lime(?) for your first hull planking, then you used the supplied 0.3 x 7mm beech (?) veneer for second planking- then you filled and sanded to get the smooth hull. As I understand it, after painting, you're now doing a 3rd planking layer, which strips are you using for that? Is it more of the beech (?) veneer?

 

[Phillipsart]

Still thinking of tackling this kit myself in the new year, but currently procrastinating. Can I ask what timber you used for this project? I'm guessing you used the supplied 2x7mm lime(?) for your first hull planking, then you used the supplied 0.3 x 7mm beech (?) veneer for second planking- then you filled and sanded to get the smooth hull. As I understand it, after painting, you're now doing a 3rd planking layer, which strips are you using for that? Is it more of the beech (?) veneer?

There was not enough 0.3 x 7mm beech in my kit.

In its place I used some oak strips that are used for edge of tables. And cut it down to 7mm wide. In some places I did not cut it down. Instead I draw a line with a pencil to mimic the joins.

I went with this method because it was a lot cheaper. The nearest store I could find that had any of this size plank in stock was 1000’s of kms away. And it was either to late or to dark.

 

[Phillipsart]

SAN FELIPE 1:50 SCALE – GOLD ORNAMENTS & FINAL SIDE PLANKING UPDATE

A solid and very satisfying session on the 1:50 scale SAN Felipe today, with a lot of visual progress finally coming together on the hull sides. This stage really feels like one of those turning-point moments in a build where everything you’ve been working toward suddenly starts to reveal the character of the ship.


Final Side Planking – Now Fully Complete


The last of the side planking is now complete, and I’m really pleased with how it’s all tied together. Every plank has been individually aligned to follow the natural sweep of the hull, and a lot of time was spent ensuring the plank edges remained tight with minimal visible seams. At this scale, even the smallest mismatch stands out, so patience was absolutely key here.

The oak timber really shows its quality at this stage. The grain variation from plank to plank adds natural life to the hull, and once all the sanding was done, the surface ended up beautifully smooth without losing the timber texture.


⸻


First Coat of Satin Water-Based Clear – Huge Visual Difference


Late this afternoon I applied the first coat of satin water-based clear over the entire timber section of the hull side. As expected, the moment the clear hit the timber, the colour deepened slightly and the grain instantly came alive.

The oak planks darkened just enough to give them warmth and depth without looking artificial or over-finished. This is exactly the look I was hoping for — not glossy, not flat, but a natural aged satin timber finish that still feels authentic to a working wooden ship.

Once this coat fully cures, I’ll lightly de-nib it before laying down the second coat to really lock in the finish.


⸻


Gold Ornaments – Detailing in Progress

Work also began on the gold ornamentation along the upper hull, and this has made a massive difference already. These decorative elements completely transform the profile of the ship and give it that unmistakable Spanish flagship presence.

Each ornament was:

• Cleaned up before painting

• Base coated to avoid blotchy gold

• Then carefully hand detailed so the raised sections pop while the recesses stay darker

This gives the gold depth instead of that flat “toy-gold” look. Once fully finished and sealed, these details are going to absolutely stand out against the bold blue and rich timber tones.


⸻


Blue Upper Hull Meets Natural Timber


With the deep blue upper sections now sitting directly against the freshly sealed timber, the contrast is really starting to shine. The crisp gold pinstripe between the blue and timber breaks everything up beautifully and adds a high-end museum finish look.

This colour combination is exactly why I chose to let the timber remain natural instead of painting the full hull. I really want the wood to be a feature on this ship — because after all, it is a timber ship, and that craftsmanship deserves to be seen.


⸻


Current State of the Hull

At this point:

• Side planking is fully complete

• First satin clear coat is on the oak

• Gold ornamentation is well underway

• Upper blue band and detailing are locked in

• Gun port openings remain clean and consistent along all decks

Seeing the full length of the hull now in one continuous finish is incredibly rewarding.


⸻


Next Steps

Next on the list:

• Second satin clear coat on the timber

• Final touch-ups on the gold ornaments

• More detailing around the windows and trims

• Preparing for the next major stage of assembly


⸻


This ship is really starting to look like a proper flagship now, and the combination of natural timber, deep blue paint, and rich gold detailing is exactly the bold, classical look I was aiming for.

More updates coming soon — this build is finally hitting that exciting visual phase where every session adds something dramatic to the finished appearance.

 

[Phillipsart]

1:50 Scale SAN Felipe – Side Ornaments, Satin Finish & Early Work on the Fencing

Another solid day of progress on my 1:50 scale SAN Felipe build, and things are really starting to come together visually now. The sides of the ship are finally developing that classic Spanish warship character with the combination of deep blue, rich timber tones, and the newly-added gold ornaments.


Gold Ornaments Added Along the Upper Works

I spent a good amount of time today installing more of the decorative gold pieces along the hull sides. These ornaments are such a defining feature of the SAN Felipe, and now that they’re all dry-brushed and shaded, they pop beautifully against the blue hull. The darker gold undercoat with the lighter dry-brush really gives them a sense of depth and aged richness—far better than the flat single-tone gold originally suggested in the kit.

Between the wreath-style gunport surrounds, the angelic motifs, and the large decorative crest near the stern windows, the ship is finally starting to look like the ornate flagship she is meant to be.


Satin Clear on Both Port and Starboard Sides

I also applied the first coat of water-based satin clear over the timber planking on both sides. I’m absolutely loving the finish—just a subtle sheen, nothing glossy or plastic-looking. It darkened the oak planks ever so slightly, which actually enhances the contrast between the natural timber and the painted blue upper hull.

The satin gives that polished, well-kept wood appearance without losing the grain detail. To me, it’s the perfect finish for a ship that’s meant to look period-authentic yet still visually striking.


Bump Rails Starting to Take Shape

Another job I’ve begun is installing the bump rails (the long horizontal decorative bands running the length of the ship). These instantly add structure and definition to the hull layout. Once they’re all on and aligned, they’ll help break up the broad blue sections and tie everything together visually.

Still more rails to fit, but already they’re beginning to add that layered, stepped look that Spanish ships were famous for.


Rear Fencing – Missing Parts & A Change of Plan

While going through the stern components, I discovered that some pieces of the rear fencing timber are missing from my kit, along with the brass deadeye side fittings that normally mount against the hull.

Rather than let this slow me down, I’m considering going a different direction:

• Use eyelets left over from my other builds

• Lash the deadeyes with rope directly through the eyelets instead of the brass brackets

• Possibly decorate the fence entirely in gold ornaments for a more elaborate stern presentation

Honestly, I think rope-through-eyelets could actually look more authentic and visually interesting—especially on such an ornate ship. Sometimes the “forced workaround” ends up being the better option!

General Thoughts

The SAN Felipe is a massive ship at 1:50 scale, and this build has its challenges—missing parts, vague plans, odd laser-cut inconsistencies—but moments like today remind me why I stuck with it. Every new ornament, every newly-finished area transforms the hull just that little bit more.

Looking forward to continuing the fencing, adding the remaining rails, and eventually moving toward the deck fittings and stern balconies.

This ship is finally starting to look alive.

 

[Phillipsart]

SAN FELIPE 1:50 – Stern & Deadeye Platform Progress (No Instructions Edition)

Made some solid progress over the last couple of days on the 1:50 scale SAN FELIPE, although I’ll be honest – this stage has been a bit more challenging than usual due to the ongoing lack of instructions and missing kit parts.



Deadeye Platforms – Solving Another Kit Mystery

I started work on the deadeye platforms along the hull sides. My kit was supplied with 12 platform pieces, however only 6 are actually required – 3 per side. At first glance, it almost looks like they were intended to be doubled up and laminated together, but once dry-fitted it quickly became obvious that doing so would make them far too thick and completely out of scale.

Using a single platform piece is more than sufficient, and once the planking was added on top it brought the thickness up nicely anyway. The proportions now look correct and sit well visually against the hull. Another example of why dry-fitting everything first is absolutely essential on this kit.

To say this model keeps you thinking is an understatement.



Continued Work on the Stern

I then shifted my focus back to the stern, which is really starting to come together now. The blue paintwork combined with the gold ornamentation is beginning to give that unmistakable Spanish galleon presence. Even at this stage, the stern already has a lot of depth and character.

Aligning everything here is critical – once the upper structures go on, there’s no hiding errors. I spent a fair amount of time just test-fitting, checking symmetry, and making sure nothing looked forced or rushed.



A Lucky Find – Vintage Decorative Trims

Today I had a bit of a breakthrough. While digging through my parts stash, I came across some very old decorative trim pieces that I had forgotten about. They turned out to be perfect for adding extra detail around the stern windows and doorways.

This was a huge win, because all of the decorative pieces that were meant to go around these areas were completely missing from my kit. These older trims suit the SAN FELIPE extremely well and actually add a bit more depth and refinement than the original parts likely would have.

Sometimes having missing parts forces you into better solutions than the kit intended.


Missing Parts – A Recurring Theme

It still amazes me just how much is missing from this kit. Between decorative elements, fittings, and now structural questions with no instructions, this build has turned into far more of a scratch-assist project than a straight kit build.

That said, I’m not overly frustrated – just taking it one section at a time, thinking things through, and adapting as needed. In many ways it’s actually quite satisfying to solve each problem as it appears.


Overall Thoughts

Despite the challenges, I’m very happy with the progress over the last two days. The stern is developing nicely, the deadeye platforms are sorted, and the additional decorative trims have lifted the whole look of the upper works.

This is definitely not a kit you can rush, but it’s starting to reward the extra effort now. Onwards and upwards.

 

[Phillipsart]

SAN FELIPE 1:50 SCALE – STERN FENCING DECISION TIME

A bit of a crossroads moment on the SAN Felipe stern fencing, and I thought I’d share my thoughts and see what others think as well.

The original plan was always to paint the stern fencing gold, to tie it in with the rest of the lavish stern decorations and ornaments. Historically, many Spanish ships of this era were heavily adorned, especially around the stern, and gold certainly fits that grand, ceremonial look.

However… once I dry-fitted the fencing and stepped back, I started to second-guess myself.

What you’re seeing here is the fencing left natural, just as it sits straight off the bench. No paint. No gold. Just the clean contrast of:

• Deep royal blue stern planking

• Rich timber tones

• Crisp white balusters



And honestly… it looks really good.

Why the natural finish is growing on me:

• The natural look breaks up the gold, stopping the stern from becoming visually overloaded

• It lets the timber speak for itself, which has been a big personal goal on this build

• The white balusters add a clean, refined elegance rather than pure opulence

• The eye is drawn to the carved details and structure, not just colour

There’s already a lot going on at the stern:

• Heavy gold ornamentation

• Blue painted panels

• Sculpted relief details

Adding even more gold could tip it from “ornate” into “too busy”.


But the argument for gold is still strong:

• Gold fencing would visually tie everything together

• It would reinforce that classic Spanish flagship grandeur

• It would match the original intention and many historical interpretations


So now I’m genuinely torn.

At the moment, I’m leaning toward keeping it natural, because it adds contrast, balance, and a touch of restraint — and sometimes restraint actually makes the surrounding details stand out even more.

That said, this is one of those decisions you only get one clean chance to make.

So I’ll throw it out there to fellow builders and ship lovers:

Gold fencing for maximum grandeur?

Or natural as shown for contrast and elegance?

Either way, progress continues — and this stern is really starting to come alive.

As always, appreciate the feedback and the discussion

 

[Chris B]

Gold fencing for maximum grandeur?

Or natural as shown for contrast and elegance?

Either way, progress continues — and this stern is really starting to come alive.

As always, appreciate the feedback and the discussion

For me, the choice is definitely gold. It would bring the ship its maximum majesty, and that was precisely the main purpose of the magnificent decorations of that era—to display wealth and power. White is certainly not a bad choice, but I don't think it truly does justice to the intricate detail and visual impact of the railing spindles.

 

[Phillipsart]

For me, the choice is definitely gold. It would bring the ship its maximum majesty, and that was precisely the main purpose of the magnificent decorations of that era—to display wealth and power. White is certainly not a bad choice, but I don't think it truly does justice to the intricate detail and visual impact of the railing spindles.

I’ve already glued in the bottom deck fencing. I think it will be to difficult to paint it gold now.

I’ve just completed making the top stern fencing. Have not glued in place thus far.

I’m thinking leave as is.

 

[Phillipsart]

Started on the cannons last night and also added more ornaments to the stern