Duchess of Kingston - Beauty of the Seas - Wooden Sailing Ship 1/64

[GazzaS]

Wow, Rob!  Great job on those figures!  They really are nicely made for that scale.  You keep impressing me.

[DocRob]

2 hours ago, GazzaS said:

Wow, Rob!  Great job on those figures!  They really are nicely made for that scale.  You keep impressing me.

Thank you Gary, but I feel, I don't improve my figure painting a lot. I should take your approach and train more constantly, as experience seems to be the only way to get better. I followed your honing of figure painting skills closely and try to find my own path. 
With my attempt, there is lots to improve, specially detail painting, eyes and foremost blending, which to me is the key to good figure painting results. The gentlemen are tiny, but well sculpted, so there should be more to get out of them.
Chris Watton is developing a full gun crew and some cabins furniture in 64 scale, so for HMS Sphinx, there are some possibilities to add some life to her.

Cheers Rob 

[GazzaS]

Rob,

     Great figures make figure painting much easier.  Ambiguous details are so much more difficult to make look right.  Sometimes it its good to practise in really big figures, too.  I need to do another 1/16scale figure, I think.

[DocRob]

1 minute ago, GazzaS said:

Great figures make figure painting much easier.  Ambiguous details are so much more difficult to make look right.  Sometimes it its good to practise in really big figures, too.  I need to do another 1/16scale figure, I think.

Absolutely Gary, I can't tell how I hate it, when due to poor casting a line on clothes just disappears on the back half of a figure. I have loads of figures of various scales in my stash, because like you, I will present my kits along with figures more often, but unlike you, I haven't done so lately .

I have some training objects in mind. First might be this unfriendly character from Scale 75

Then I have these two gents, which will be quite a challenge to get them right in black and white. Both busts are 1/10 scale.

Than it's Diana from DEF Model in 1/16 scale, still in the mail, but due to arrive in the next days. I will have to do an especially good job on her, because she resembles an ex girlfriend a lot, to who I still have friendly contact.

 

Cheers Rob

[GazzaS]

Did the DoK hit an iceberg?  Been pretty quiet lately.

[Peterpools]

Rob

Same as Gaz, just patiently waiting for your next update.

 

[DocRob]

On 8/12/2022 at 5:49 AM, GazzaS said:

Did the DoK hit an iceberg?  Been pretty quiet lately.

 

On 8/12/2022 at 12:37 PM, Peterpools said:

Same as Gaz, just patiently waiting for your next update.

Hola Amigos, no iceberg, no storm, no pirates, just a summer draught. I have only very limited bench time in the moment and it feels hard to concentrate on rigging, when a zillion other subjects swirl in my head. 
I will do the DoK right and with a bit of passion, so I will continue, when there is a bit more time. I'm also travelling around for some days, where I'm not actively at the forum, I just don't like to post from my phone.
Thanks for asking friends, but there's nothing to worry about. The lady will launched, sooner or later.

Cheers Rob

[Kaireckstadt]

Just came across your build here today Rob. You really build a broad range of models: planes, cars, figures, ships…! 

The ship and figures are looking awesome. Great build!
I never thought of building a ship. Should think it over. I just build a Mayflower from Revell when I was a young boy. 

[KevinM]

Rob you are probably already seen this but if you haven't it might be of use.

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/26940-duchess-of-kingston-1778-royal-yacht-by-rustyj-finished-vanguard-models-164/page/6/

 

 

[DocRob]

9 hours ago, Kaireckstadt said:

Just came across your build here today Rob. You really build a broad range of models: planes, cars, figures, ships…! 

The ship and figures are looking awesome. Great build!
I never thought of building a ship. Should think it over. I just build a Mayflower from Revell when I was a young boy. 

Thank you Kai. It's very true, I change my subjects frequently as I get bored easily. I hate redundance and boring routine. I try to learn a bit (sometimes a lot as with the DoK ) from every build and some of my builds, I started only to incorporate new techniques. My interest are wide spread and I build only what appeals my immediate interest.

If you have only the slightest interest into wooden ships, you should try one. There are kits for every level of builders out there in great quantity. The build of the DoK was extremely rewarding, in fact one of the most satisfying builds, I ever started.

Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

2 hours ago, KevinM said:

Rob you are probably already seen this but if you haven't it might be of use.

Thank you Kevin, I have this build pinned along others, which guided me through my build. MSW is really a great source of knowledge, when it comes to ship modelling.

Cheers Rob

[KevinM]

1 hour ago, DocRob said:

I have this build pinned along others,

That's some nice rigging off the crowsnest adds alot.

[DocRob]

Long time no see and there is a reason for it, RIGGING. I built some WNW biplanes over the years and found the rigging difficult but manageable, but this is something completely different, this is frightening and I don't know, how the talented builders over on MSW manage to rig their ships to perfection.

BUT, I will not give up, I will try to finish the Duchess of Kingston as good as I can, but I can tell you, never in my modeling career I felt so lost. Luckily there are many good build threads on MSW, which helped me during the earlier stages of the build and will help with the rigging too.

This is where I restarted, Hull and decorations are complete, all masts and yards are prepared:

Then I started rigging, adding several blocks and deadeyes to the bowsprit and yard. The process is complicated and my seizing looks terrible in places. CA glue for securing my simple knots is the savior. The bowsprit and yard are not permanently attached to the hull, as I want the maximum possible freedom of movement as long as possible.
I will continue to pre-rig all the masts, before adding them to the hull.

Cheers Rob

 

[KevinM]

7 hours ago, DocRob said:

Long time no see and there is a reason for it, RIGGING. I built some WNW biplanes over the years and found the rigging difficult but manageable, but this is something completely different, this is frightening and I don't know, how the talented builders over on MSW manage to rig their ships to perfection.

[GazzaS]

Glad to see you back at it, Rob!  Looks lovely.

[DocRob]

7 hours ago, GazzaS said:

Glad to see you back at it, Rob!  Looks lovely.

Thank you Gary, it feels good to continue with the DoK.

Cheers Rob

 

[DocRob]

I can't seem to find building time lately. Nonetheless, I added all the wooden fittings to the yards, glued the PE footrest holders in with CA and inserted brass rods for pinning the yards to the masts. Then all was sprayed matte black.
 

Cheers Rob

[Peterpools]

Rob

So glad to see the Dutchess of Kingston is back on the bench and underway once more. I can only imagine how much self-will and fortitude it took to pick up the project again, as you had often said ... it's the rigging that has kept her in the model drydock.  You're under way and just go slow and take your time, as I'm sure the results will be brilliant. 

  

[DocRob]

Since more than a week, we have 35° C in the day- and more than 30° C in the nighttime and in between some days of storm, so watering the garden and Siestas in the shadow are the way to go. The humidity is about 15%, which dries nose, eyes and brain and the weather will stay at least for another week like this, phew .

Modelling wise, I made only little progress with the DoK and only managed to prepare one spar with lifts, footrests and other fittings. I should emphasize a bit more on the knots, as my basic household knotting isn't up to the game. I will simplify, but not too much. 
I will pre rig all the spars next, followed by the pre rigging of the masts, but it will take some time and maybe a tiny in between build .

Cheers Rob

[Peterpools]

Rob

Looking forward to your next update and hopefully the weather will improve and allow for things to return to somewhat normal.

 

[Martinnfb]

Not envying your water at all Rob, with -2C in the morning, bleeding  nose from the lack of humidity.... But (knock on wood) , no storms this year. Anyway , lovely detail and fine work as always.

Cheers

M.

[DocRob]

On 10/6/2023 at 6:52 PM, Peterpools said:

Looking forward to your next update and hopefully the weather will improve and allow for things to return to somewhat normal.

 

On 10/7/2023 at 1:07 PM, Martinnfb said:

Not envying your water at all Rob, with -2C in the morning, bleeding  nose from the lack of humidity.... But (knock on wood) , no storms this year. Anyway , lovely detail and fine work as always.

Thank you Peter and Martin, the bleeding nose and burning eyes, because of air dryness persists here and so my lack of modelling urge. I jump into the ocean in the morning to cool down and the rest of the day is a lazy affair, hiding in the shadows whenever possible. Summer heat is normal here, but normally it cools off in the night Not this time and it's not summer anymore . It seems, the weather will stay like this for at least another week. 
The next update will be in awhile, as I won't show some blocks and pre rigging on every single spar and bore you out.

Cheers Rob

[Peterpools]

Rob

Feel better and hand out in the shade as much as possible.