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General Ship Modeling
Discuss modeling techniques, experiences, and ship modeling in general.
Simulated wood decks 1/350
javlin
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Mississippi, United States
Joined: August 28, 2008
KitMaker: 106 posts
Model Shipwrights: 92 posts
Posted: Friday, September 17, 2010 - 04:43 AM UTC
I looked through the painting section but did not see anything along the lines I thought I have seen.I am starting the Academy Graf Spee and the planks are 1/32 X 25/32.I was thinking a base coat yellow? a tan of some type lay some pre-cut strips here and there change the tone spary and lay some more strips.Does this work?Any suggestion at all will ne appreciated.Cheers Kevin
blaster76
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Texas, United States
Joined: September 15, 2002
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Posted: Friday, September 17, 2010 - 05:59 AM UTC
I am pretty sure there is a wooden deck for that kit. I did the Trumpeter and got one for it. It looks marvelous. I have been using the precut wooden decks for a while and though they are costly, they look a bazillion times better
TracyWhite
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Washington, United States
Joined: January 18, 2005
KitMaker: 527 posts
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Posted: Friday, September 17, 2010 - 08:05 AM UTC
Hey Kevin, your technique works well and is far cheaper than aftermarket decks.

Here's a couple of links for you that might help as well:
http://www.steelnavy.com/wood deck.htm
http://www.rollmodels.net/nworkbench/onlinebuild/arizona/arizona3.php
javlin
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Mississippi, United States
Joined: August 28, 2008
KitMaker: 106 posts
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Posted: Friday, September 17, 2010 - 09:35 AM UTC
Thks Tracy that helps alot I will try to post pics but have not figured out the site yet.I did the Pola and she actually came out looking pretty good for my first ship in ages.Cheers
javlin
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Mississippi, United States
Joined: August 28, 2008
KitMaker: 106 posts
Model Shipwrights: 92 posts
Posted: Saturday, September 18, 2010 - 04:41 PM UTC
Tracy have you ever gone down that road?In the 2nd article it appears that the author covered every plank I was thinking 25-40% tops should get the desired effect?
potchip
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Australia
Joined: August 19, 2008
KitMaker: 85 posts
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Posted: Saturday, September 18, 2010 - 08:13 PM UTC
Never tried masking individual planks mostly because I work in 1/700 scale which makes the task rather delicate. Currently I use colour pencils to add variation on planks. On decks with clearly scribed plankings, it is also possible to paint on individual planks with a fine brush. Masking assumes airbrush which I don't feel yet necessary at 1/700.

Nevertheless, I fully support the 100% planks masked approach. Sure, there will be an 'equalibrium' between effort and effect, it is however something that's eventually gauged by overdoing! And you'd never know what's just right if you stop short every time in fear of 'overdoing' it.

Similar example to this would be weathering of ships. There is a prevailing view that ships in small scale don't need weathering. I have no particular preference over this opinion or others, but I weather every single one of my ships. Why? If I don't weather, I'll never gain the skills in weathering. And I always enjoyed the visual impact of a heavily weathered ship, regardless it is 'realistic' or not, or that whether the weathering is 'to scale'. It is my hope that eventually by weathering continously, my understanding of the art will improve to the level that I can weather at whichever amount, and with whichever technique!

Modeling, would benefit by moving beyond simply imitating the 'lifeness' of the subject, otherwise you'd think the invention of photography would've rendered all paintings obsolete!
javlin
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Mississippi, United States
Joined: August 28, 2008
KitMaker: 106 posts
Model Shipwrights: 92 posts
Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 - 05:58 AM UTC
Well I tried out the technique and it worked pretty good.I would say that I probably taped off about 50% of the deck over two applications.Now I experimented with the upper deck to get a feel and if I like the results.

TracyWhite
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Washington, United States
Joined: January 18, 2005
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Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 - 09:52 AM UTC
I've done it a few times... obviously it's a lot more fun on the larger scale models that don't require so danged many pieces of tape!

I guess it depends on desire... even the thin wood decks don't look all the right to me, so it depend on if you're desiring to slam through a kit or take your time and enjoy the journey and process...
javlin
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Mississippi, United States
Joined: August 28, 2008
KitMaker: 106 posts
Model Shipwrights: 92 posts
Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 - 10:20 AM UTC
Well Tracy have to see on this one but usually I am a slammer.I will pick kits to detail in a/c and take my time or lets say make a slower go at it.I like my hands to be busy and see finished products.yes I looked at the wood deck for this kit and the way the mouldings on the deck protruded through just did not look right and out of scale.I was thinking of glossing with future and inlaying some diluted brown of some type? ever tried that?
Angeleyes
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Drama, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: December 14, 2008
KitMaker: 154 posts
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Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 - 10:56 AM UTC
Hi.May i add my advise here?
Just paint with a base acrylic of your choice , and then with a fine brush, and a fine diluted darker or lighter tone of the base color, go over a few planks.Remember to avoid the build up of paint just dilute the color enough so it leaves only a semi-transparent hue over the base color.

Once dry ,apply several washes of oils usually mixed browns at different places on the deck , not everywere, and wipe the excess with a small brush at random places as well.Repeat that process a few times with a variation to the tone of the oil washes and the location you applying them on deck.Remember to stroke the brush when painting or applying/cleaning excess of oils at the same direction with the planks.This will help create 'extra' grain detail on deck.

This is an example of my recently finished 1/350 Hood plastic deck , painted with that technique.
I forgot to say:I never mask.I find it to tedious and usualy doesnt help much.It makes the deck look like a tetris wall if you ask me.You HAVE to blend the colors at the end .


javlin
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Mississippi, United States
Joined: August 28, 2008
KitMaker: 106 posts
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Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 - 11:51 AM UTC
Very nice deck Kostas!!Now I have a couple of tubes of oils kinda dark though sienna umber and burnt umber.Is your brush cut short and stiff or stiffer?to create the grain effect?

Need to note Kostas not much of a acrylic guy I always had issues running it through the AB.All I have done thus far is MM enamels thus the thought with the future then back to enamels but the oils will mess with the enamel laid to dry.Unless I cleared it again.
Angeleyes
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Drama, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: December 14, 2008
KitMaker: 154 posts
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Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 - 07:00 PM UTC
Just a fine brush.With a pointy end sort of..The grain is achieved by the extra oil thats been left when you do the clean up , after the oil wash, and as you stroke the brush along the planks.The trick is to apply several washes and not cover each time the entire deck as that way you only cover up the previous filter layer with another one and you end up with only one tone(the last oil wash ) on your entire deck area.Remember you need a slight variation.

Use acrylics.
a)They dry much much faster.
b)A lot thinner, build up of paint a lot more difficult.
c)Healthier as you dont have to use white spirit .
d)Oil washes behave much better on them ,and you can apply them almost instantly afterwards you finish painting.
Gremlin56
Joined: October 30, 2005
KitMaker: 3,897 posts
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Posted: Monday, September 20, 2010 - 07:16 PM UTC
That is a seriously good looking Hood Kostas ! Magnificent work. Using an oil wash helps avoid the major pitfall of after market wooden decks: the "stepped down` look you get at anchor chain runs, bollard bases etc. If I had to choose between a PE set or wooden deck I would opt for PE in all cases.
Just my 2 cents,
cheers,
Julian
javlin
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Mississippi, United States
Joined: August 28, 2008
KitMaker: 106 posts
Model Shipwrights: 92 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 - 03:32 AM UTC
It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks Kostas I have been using enamels for 35+ years and the times I tried acrylics in a/c just did not suit my purpose well.The smell does not bother me or the family.I have a 16'X30' shop out back I work out of that is all mine.I will figure something Kostas and maybe incorporate some of yours down the line along the learning curve.I have already got 1/2 the deck of the GSpee taped thus far.Jullian could not agree more about the wood decks.Now if the wood deck manufacturers made it to replace the plastic with bits to be placed on top ??and somebody might already????Not to say a true scratch guy could not pull that off by himself now P.Reader could he does some fine work.

Kostas have I said your deck looks frigg'in NICE!!one day maybe I will get there still an a/c guy.
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