Guido brilliant work with the wave more info for me to take in and learn
A question if I may also is the gel spread out by brush and then teased out while it is starting to dry and do you use a tool such as a hair dryer to speed up the process or is it done on a natural drying time

Gentlemen-
Many, many thanks for your kind comments.
@ Keith: I start by using a 1" putty knife to apply the gel to the base. Trying to smooth out all irregularities of the styrofoam surface, I try to spread it as even as possible. It's like making the perfect peanut butter sandwich (not crunchy!). I take care to smooth over and over in the directions the wave would be moving. The artist acrylic gel I use starts to set on the surface already after about 8-10 minutes. So basically, the setting starts as soon as I have applied an evenly thick and smooth layer over all. You can feel the setting sets in as soon as the gel starts sticking to the putty knife better than to the sea-scape: This is your time to go and clean the spade thoroughly, allowing for a tad bit of additional drying time. Out comes the 1.5" wide brush. Its one of those cheap-s***, hardware store, 5-in-a-bag brushes, that you would usually use for painting your fence and throw it out afterwards (the brush - not the fence!). Slightly moisten this brush before starting to move the tip of it carefully over the surface of your sea-scape. Use no pressure whatsoever. You'll see the brush will pick up the dried surface and drag the layer below with it. This is all it takes.
When creating the surface of your seascape take care to start at the crest and continue towards the trough in short and smooth flicking motions. The bigger the scale the longer the flick. (does that make sense?!) If you do picture in your mind the intended weather conditions (light wind or storm, rain, shine, etc.), you’ll automatically know when you overdo the “turbulence at the surface”.

As said, with my type of gel I do not need to wait that long, but I certainly would recommend against using a blow dryer to quicken the process of dyring. Natural drying time is best. The effect of the blow drying may be – worst case scenario – that the surface is dry while the underlying layer, has no time to “exhale” its liquefying solvent, staying in a sticky, half-dry condition. The other effect would/could be that you get too high a tension on the surface. The gel will contract a little while drying, giving tension to the Styrofoam and lifting up the corners and edges of your display. It even happened to the 3” sandwich that I created for his wave. I assume that quick-drying could essentially worsen the effect.
On top of it: Go slow! The art of model building is not a sprint race, it is long distance running: Sometimes it’s the track, sometimes it is cross country, but it’s hardly ever quick.
One more tip for painting: No long straight strokes with the brush. Long motions may be zigzagging lines for working in shades into the first dark layers (see my application of blue after black). Short flicks and dabbing do the trick for surface painting better than anything else. Painting this wave took a total of 3 hours including intermitting drying periods.

HTHH

Cheers,
Guido

Gentlemen-

With the sea-scape basically ready, I decided to place the boat before fixing the seascape to the wooden socket. So I put the AG into her final position and traced the hull outline with a white pencil. Then I cut the outline with an Exacto11 blade and lifted the hardened surface off the styrofoam.




With a few cuts I adjusted a cavity to fit the hull. Satisfied with the position and setting of the AG I painted the water churned up by AG’s hull and propeller.




With a blend of gel and white paint I filled the gaps along the hull and build up the bow and stern wake.



After an hours time I blended the wakes by dry brushing, this time using clean while as the highest colour.




… next stop: Fixing the seascape to the wood base.


Cheers,
Guido

I agree with the others Guido, that dio is going to be sweet! I took the easy way out on mine, but I needed a quick pick me up verses a long build.

The S-boote is mostly finished. The clear coat has been applied. All that is left is some radar work, figures and weathering.



Work on the water base has been started and finished. I used my traditional light panel method but added did more to the surface to make it look a bit more realistic.

These projects are coming along great, guys! I will be organizing some pics from my first entry over the next several days. Keep 'em coming!



--Karl

Guido Thanks for sharing your vast information always something more to learn here.

Anthony graet work on such a small project I have trouble getting the details painted on 1/72 never mind that scale

Awesome work guys.

Hi Anthony

CONGRATULATIONS!
The Schnellboot turned out a beautiful little model, with a nice setting (I must say, has I usually say to Carl Musselman, that I would prefer other types of seascape, either watercolor paper or my sea made with Das Pronto paste).

Either way, you have managed to make a convincing little Gem!

Just one question: Did you make the decals?

Guido

One request: Side Photo (or 3 quarters) with the AG in the WAVE, please
Good tutorial on making BIG FRANTIC WAVES (as usual with your works!)

Cheers,
Rui

Thanks everyone. I'm still not quite done yet. A few more additions and it will be complete. I'll be using a better camera on the finished model so the photos should be clearer and have better color.

Some people I show the photos to ask where I got the 6 inch novelty dime from.




Well... Yes and no. I found several photos and artwork of the S and U boat logos online on several different sites, I corrected the color to be a solid white background, these I then imported into MS Publisher and scaled them down to to 700 scale, flipped a few and touched up here and there. I then printed them out using the Testors Clear Sheet Decal making kit and bonding spray.

PS Rui, did you notice the drilled out vents?

Hi Anthony
Thanks for answering my question about the decals

As to the drilled out vents question... Yes, I had
I might say that on the 6 inch quarter photo, it was the first thing that popped out.

Cheers,
Rui

Patience, Grasshopper!

Great work, Anthony! I'll be looking forward to seing more of your S-Boot.

Cheers,
Guido

LOL
I have been called a lot of things (and not always nice), but this is a first!
Danke Guido - I had a laugh (I was needing it, also, btw)

Cheers,
Rui

May I just say that there is some incredible work in this thread, I am in awe of your skills gentlemen

Gentlemen -

I am getting there... slowly.

There are so many little things to be made and painted. Progress is slow and I am sick again, with a runny nose and a bit of all-out numb day. (Thats from standing on the too cold football pitch too poorly dressed for this weather. Got consolation from my boy scoring three goals for a 6:5 win after a halftime 0:4!!! score) Anyway...

The focsel is complete. The roof of the wheelhouse is almost complete: Position lights are still missing. Getting to do the fishing rigg and some more deck detail. Main stays are in place, as well.





Cheers,
Guido

PS.:
@ Neil: Do you "ship", too?

Really impressive work!

Yes!

It is a show stopper, Guido!!!!
At this moment I have nothing more to say than:
- Congratulations and keep your excellent work comming;
- Get well soon (colds are very harmful for us, especially to the moral)
- May we expect your son in the Bundesliga in a near future? Is he the new Schweinschteiger? Beckenbauer? I hope so!

Tschuss,
Rui

Look at that little boat go! You can tell if an action diorama is working when you can hear the accompanying sound in your head and this one does!



--Karl

Guido, That boat is top notch! One awesome build and Dio all around. The big wave looks so real.

Again, I took the easy way out on the water but hope it is sufficent to qualify to complete the campaign.

As for me I've finished my little S-Boote. I have been very hesitant to do 1:700 figures because I don't think they look to good in this scale. My mind has been slightly changed on this after this project. Anyone considering putting figures on their 1:700 ship should strongly consider the New Flyhawk set I reviewed here. There are micro lines where the knees, elbows and waist is and with the variety of poses they are some of the most real I've seen. A few did need fattening up with a bit of white glue on both sides. I think my favorites are the two crew on the stern. One checking the depth charges the other taking a break by watching him.

Very impressive work Anthony - scratching something so small and delicate is way out of my league!

Same goes for you Guido - you guys are really pushing the line here!

Cheers/Jan

Hi guys ..I have yet to start my contribution to this campaign, as I am waiting for some photo etch to make its way across the pond..
I have a question regarding masts.....I will be building a 1:700 scale kit and the mast needs scratchbuilding. Does anyone have suggestions as to how to do a mast that is tapered? tapered yardarms?....
I picked up the white Russian minelayer AMUR last week at a show and Ill try my hand at that one ..

Hi Anthony

Top Notch modeling here!
Congratulations
Another well deserved ribbon

To Jim
You can get Burkhardt's (BMK) tapered brass masts in 1/700 - you just have to check the needed length, since they have them in three sizes (25mm, 30mm and 35mm if I remember correctly). Just check your preferred online dealer

Rui

... and if you need more than 35mm contact NNT.

Great Schnellboat! I'll have to try one of the PitRoad models sometime soon.

Guido

Thanks again fellas !..I really appreciate all your help..

Gentlemen-

With a few more moves I have finished the Andrea Gail. Sorry I let the detail slide a bit, but I had had my camera under repair (again!!!).

So here are just the final progress shots:












The final product over all looks like this:










For the next posting I will take care to get some dramatic effects into the show!

Maybe later tonight!

Cheers,
Guido

Guido,

Wow, is all I can say. This is great, and true to the movie. If possible, please take a photo at the same angle as the ship shown in the movie poster. I love looking at model photos taken the same way that have a matching real photo to compair to. Even photoshoping it to get colors and lighting to match would be ok in my book.

Great job!