Coog
07-15-2012, 14:08
As I have said in a previous post, I found that building and painting a highly detailed ship model was beyond my skill and patience. I decided to go with a model that looked nice enough on the game board but easy to do. Here is my simple method of building a GHQ model. The model is a 32-gun British frigate.
I lay out the parts.
1269
I have found that the holes in the hull for the masts are usually too small for the masts. Using an awl for an x acto knife, I tap it into the exsisting holes then wiggle around until the holes are large enough for the masts to easily fit into them. You can drill the holes if you have the appropriate tools or use a small nail in place of the awl. I then trim any flash off all the parts and file the bottom of the hull to make it smooth and flat. The fore and main masts are usually the same and you will want to shorten the bottom of the fore mast a little.
1270
I then do the pre-painting assembly. On most GHQ models you need to glue the spanker to the mizzen mast and the stern to the rear of the hull.
1271
I spray paint the sails/masts, bowsprit, and a ship's boat that will placed on the deck between the fore and main masts white. It usually takes a few coats.
1272
I spray paint the deck tan.
1273
After the deck is dry, place a piece of masking tape over the top of the hull to cover the deck but leaving as much as possible of the side of the hull exposed.
1274
Spray paint the rest of the hull black, or whatever other color you find appropriate.
1275
After your hull is dry, hand paint the edges covered by the tape and any other parts necessary. One detail I do like to paint is the guns and I put a dab of black paint on them.
1276
Assemble the model, placing the ship's boat on the deck and inserting the bowsprit and masts.
1277
To finish off my model I mount it on a base cut out of matte board and paint it to match the felt I use for the ocean. I also add a flag, like the ones found in my flag files, to the spanker.
12781279
Any other details you feel comfortable in doing can be added to this model.
I lay out the parts.
1269
I have found that the holes in the hull for the masts are usually too small for the masts. Using an awl for an x acto knife, I tap it into the exsisting holes then wiggle around until the holes are large enough for the masts to easily fit into them. You can drill the holes if you have the appropriate tools or use a small nail in place of the awl. I then trim any flash off all the parts and file the bottom of the hull to make it smooth and flat. The fore and main masts are usually the same and you will want to shorten the bottom of the fore mast a little.
1270
I then do the pre-painting assembly. On most GHQ models you need to glue the spanker to the mizzen mast and the stern to the rear of the hull.
1271
I spray paint the sails/masts, bowsprit, and a ship's boat that will placed on the deck between the fore and main masts white. It usually takes a few coats.
1272
I spray paint the deck tan.
1273
After the deck is dry, place a piece of masking tape over the top of the hull to cover the deck but leaving as much as possible of the side of the hull exposed.
1274
Spray paint the rest of the hull black, or whatever other color you find appropriate.
1275
After your hull is dry, hand paint the edges covered by the tape and any other parts necessary. One detail I do like to paint is the guns and I put a dab of black paint on them.
1276
Assemble the model, placing the ship's boat on the deck and inserting the bowsprit and masts.
1277
To finish off my model I mount it on a base cut out of matte board and paint it to match the felt I use for the ocean. I also add a flag, like the ones found in my flag files, to the spanker.
12781279
Any other details you feel comfortable in doing can be added to this model.