The hull for the ice-bound frigate is finished. I stained it with special walnut, put a layer of thinned acrylic over that, and weathering was done with 220 grit sandaper. I sculpted the figurehead with sculpey and made the wings out of wood. Both are gold leafed, sealed and painted with a little acrylic to age it. I am not an expert sculptor and making a face that small proved a challenge.
One of my first posts on this blog was a concept painting I did for the shot I am working on now.
The character in this story has been trekking across the ice after his own vessel broke up and sank below the pack. He is out of supplies, exhausted and on the verge of hypothermia when he sights this ship locked in the ice. With things always shifting on the ice it is miraculous that the ship is even there, much less in a state to offer shelter or supplies. The figurehead is an angel, kind of symbolic.
I carved the hull out of styrofoam and then glued the planks in place. Like every other part of the project this frigate is coming together too slowly—but it is definitely coming, as evidenced by these photos of my progress.
Gardner Art and Stuff 