Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Port bow detail -closeup view of Mayflower II miniature.
I often wondered what it would be like working around the clock researching notable ships of the past. If the effort would have brought reward or become futile and useless. It was, for the most part, a judgement call that required all my abilities and focus.
Such work had a special class of application that was totally separate from conventional methods. It just wasn't enough to have skill with miniatures, but a sense of purpose relative to the workmanship applied to them. It is an art form like no other...and every detail placed in one of these can truly be appreciated in its presentation. There are no shortcuts, just long hours of dedication.
There have been countless models made of the MAYFLOWER...in every form and fashion. I was always fascinated with this vessel because it was symbolic of the American spirit with its origins beginning in England c.1620. Many kits were surfacing in the 1960s on this ship and 15 years later American maritime featured scratch-built types on the floors of its galleries. From this, I explored and researched the possibilities of honing in on mastering a miniature to the exact detail of the one built in England in 1957. It took forty years, but I was finally able to accomplish it.
This photo show the beginning process of the build.
I purchased a book on Mayflower II during the early '80s. This was the decade when much of my maritime art was making its debut in and around New England and my native New York. As I built my ship models I discovered a great quality in one particular wood. This wood was pine. My contemporaries were using pear, boxwood, mahogany, etc., all fine woods. But I chose this wood because it was not just durable, but carried qualities which assisted my hand skills.
In the photo I utilize the pine effectively, cutting the hull to align with the grain. This process make it easier to simulate planking and trunnels on a solid hull model. Careful application of pencil drawing is necessary for it to work and be believable to the naked eye.
As planking is applied to the outer hull, it usually start at the waterline in the early stage so that I can achieve definition for the topsides. My second, and most important concentration, lie with the interior deck furniture. This may take from two weeks to several weeks -depending on the detail involved. When building the H.M.S. PRINCE c.1670 the interior took a month to endeavor. Here, the MAYFLOWER is less complicated, so her interior was a two-week process which included the ship's boat.
Fast forwarding...
The MAYFLOWER miniature hull and masts are complete and the rigging process now begin. With all these models I keep the hull from being scratched by setting them on a tissue-covered cradle which I custom make out of styrofoam...Portable containers are also made from this material which makes it easier to transport and store the model away to prevent damage to intricate parts. I also use this material to ship the models with a 100% percent success rate.
Here, I am working on the foresail rigging after all the spritsail details are applied. Because running lines are tedious, ratlines (standing lines) are applied in balance so not to fowl the process. By this method I am able to bring to my models true realism with actual threads -as opposed to glued wires.
When taking on this genre, I studied the work of my contemporaries and appreciated the skill of their workmanship. However, in the process, I found that more could be done by going a 'step further' with using antique threads and running them through tiny wood blocks down to their belay points on deck. At shows and other venues, I was always questioned about this process. As a result, serious collectors have commissioned this work based on its purity.
This starboard overview show the exquisite detail of the miniature. The beauty of the work is centered around the entire model. Much credit for this work is to God's glory for giving me the fortitude and ability to achieve a work that so many have produced; yet, build it in a unique way that captivates the imagination when taking a 'second look'...Second acknowledgement go to Mr. William A. Baker who put Hingham, Massachusetts on the map when he designed the ship and sailed with her from England to America. But all that could not have happened had it not been for those individuals in the forefront and behind the scenes that brought this ship into reality. My model is just a reminder of what people can do when they become a united front for mankind. I document my miniatures based on this premise -a united front.
This photo show the rigging symmetry of the 16th-17th century and its romanticism of the period. It is not enough to just build a model without, first, studying its history. Better work can be achieved when one can familarize with the subject to such a degree where a foundation for excellence can be realized. The rigging methods of this period has long been a fascination to me. Working with the builder of the contemporary HALF MOON in 1988, I was able to learn and add to my expertise, as both historian and ship model builder, that experience which assisted in my preparation to produce classic sailing ship miniatures such as the one featured on this page.
MAYFLOWER II in her original colors when first built in 1957...
In April of 1957 a sailing ship set out on a 54-day voyage across the Atlantic from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts. This small vessel was MAYFLOWER II, a reconstruction of the original MAYFLOWER that carried the Pilgrims to North America in 1620.
I have meticulously captured this famed vessel in miniature, based on the plans established by her designer, William A. Baker, who in his own right was a leading authority on early shipbuilding and naval architecture.
Video of the historic voyage of MAYFLOWER II circa 1957 from England to the United States.
The finished model...
This miniature is one of a series of ship models I built in a ten year period, beginning with my model of HALF MOON in 2005. This model is the result of a 45 day process and is built in three woods of pine, birch, and bass. Much of the work is handcrafted in minute detail with accurate interiors and color. The model is full-rigged with linen thread and miniature wood blocks. The sails are especially unique because of its paper content which is carefully treated for longevity under climatic conditions.
The scale of this miniature is 1:200 with an overall length of 8 1/2" inches. All work is accompanied with a custom, plaque hand-scripted display case. For further information, contact the artist at Caseships@yahoo.com or rexstewartoriginals@gmail.com. Phone contact 1-774-757-7137. Website visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexstewart
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