How To Build A Waterline Ship Model Display Base In 8 Easy Steps

A waterline plastic ship model kit is best displayed in a simulated ocean or sea environment

. This can be done in eight easy steps.

1. Find a suitable wood display base. Craft and trophy stores are the best places to find finished and unfinished wood bases suitable for displaying a waterline ship model. A piece already finished with a dark wood stain or veneer is best, but unfinished bare wood will also work. The wood base must be large enough for the particular ship model. Usually allow three inch clearance on the sides and two inches for the bow (front) and stern (end) of the ship model.

2. Mask the wood base. The water area on the base will need to be masked off to paint. Any masking material will work, especially painters masking tape or plain masking tape. Measure in from the outside edge of the board at least half an inch. This allows a margin for the wood on the display base to show through after the painting is done in the next step.

3. Paint the water area. The unmasked portion of the base must be painted in a blue, gray or deep green color to depict the ocean or sea color desired for the water. Generally an enamel base paint should be used, but water based acrylic paints will work as well. Allow the painted area to dry completely before the next step.

4. Apply acrylic gel medium. Acrylic gel medium, available at major art and hobby supply stores, is a paint stiffener. Artists mix it with oil or acrylic paints to give texture to a canvas painting. It slowly dries clear and can be spread and sculpted with a paint spatula or smooth metal cake frosting spatula. Like frosting a cake, use the spatula to spread the gel medium over the painted area of the base. Sculpt and peak simulated waves across the base perpendicular to the ship model's planned direction. Rather than sculpting at right angles to the base, picture the model being set in the water at a slight angle and sculpt at right angles to the direction of travel.

5. Place the built up model. Before the gel sets, place the completed waterline ship model into the wet gel medium. The gel will rise and coat the bow and edges of the kit slightly giving the appearance of the ship resting in the water. The gel medium is still white at this point, early in the drying stage. Once dry it turns clear enough to see the undercoated sea color beneath it.

6. Tease in the bow wave and stern wake. While the gel continues to stiffen as it dries, tease in the model ship's bow wave and stern wake using the spatula to give the illusion of movement to the model ship kit. The bow wave rolls out at an angle from just past the bow of the ship. To show a fast speed the bow wave should be teased up high and extend out to the edge of the gel medium. This should approximate a 30 degree angle extending out from the front on either side. Represent a slower speed by a smaller teased height to the bow wave. The stern wake will be teased to look choppy just behind the model kit to represent the ship's propulsion churning through the water. Extend this wake in about a five or ten degree angle from the back corners of the model kit. The length of the stern wake also contributes to the illusion of model ship's speed. The faster the speed the longer and frothier the wake will be. Study photographs or online images of the actual ship being modeled while at sea to get a better idea of the proportions for the particular subject.

7. Paint whitecaps on wakes and wave tops after drying. Once the gel medium is completely dry add wave and wake highlights using white acrylic or oil based paint. With a small paint brush lightly paint the tops of the gel medium around the bow wave and the stern wake. Sporadic wave tops can also be painted in the same manner to show sea foam or rough ocean waves.

8. Name or display placard. Remove the masking tape protecting the wooden base from over paint once the gel medium is completely dry. The dried gel medium will firmly hold the model ship in place on the board. The waterline model kit is now displayed in its natural water environment. Add an engraved metal plate with the model ship's name centered on the front edge of the wood base to identify the model subject and provide a professional look to the finished display.

Building a model sea base, by following these eight easy steps, provides a professional and realistic way to display waterline model ships.

by: Ryan Round

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