Shipbucket

Hi all,

I'd like to try my hand at drawing some sailing ships - what better than to start with the original six frigates of the USN?

Will welcome anything useful - photos, line drawings, sources, etc.

Thanks
Ian

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

As I suggested in the chat, I'd look around for what the National Archives has. For example, they have the 1817 sail plan for Constitution.

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𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐍𝐄𝐓- 𝑻𝒐 𝑪𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆

I've found a site that has some scans from "Anatomy of a Warship". They're pretty nice: http://lion4k.com/Still_images.html

I'd like to draw Constitution and Constellation if possible.

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

The History Of The American Sailing Navy The Ships And Their Developement
Howard Chappell.

One of the old "must haves" on the subject.

Have you been reading "Six Frigates"? Great history of the formation of the USN.
CraigH

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In active progress
More Ships with Sails
Early Torpedo Boats in SB and FD Scales
Some railroad stuff
More random stuff that strikes me!

Yep... I actually ordered the Chappell book earlier this week. It may actually have arrived but I haven't had time to go check my mail...

And yes, I'm about 90% of the way through Six Frigates. It's pretty good and what made me want to draw these ships.

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

Looking forward to this Colo, I'm glad to hear someone's finally taking them on.

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Worklist

"If people never did silly things nothing intelligent would ever get done." ~Ludwig Wittgenstein

I can't wait to see what you come up with! I work on USS Constellation (1854), not the original frigate, but the closest thing out there with the exception of USS Constitution. You probably won't find a better book for what you're looking for than Chappell and Toll is the only book out there on the subject that you won't need a dictionary of sailing ship terms to understand. Unfortunately there aren't any blueprints or anything useful like that in our collections. I looked a while ago because I wanted to draw my ship. Let me know if you need anything.

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"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did." Thomas Edward Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Most or all the original 6 in Chappell are double page drawings based or traced from the surviving original plans. Down side (from memory) is they have the page split down the middle. Lovely drawings though!

CraigH

_________________
In active progress
More Ships with Sails
Early Torpedo Boats in SB and FD Scales
Some railroad stuff
More random stuff that strikes me!

I just finished Six Frigates and it was really an excellent read. I am normally not too interested in early American history but I have to say this book got me back into it... I'm a bit embarrassed by my previous lack of knowledge...

Hoping the Chappell book arrives today but given the seeming week-long time delay at receiving packages at my apartment complex, I am not too hopeful. At any rate I have too much going on with work this week to get started. Hopefully in the next few weeks.

I have also assembled some nice lineart from across the web to use as reference - but I wanted the Chappell book as the "primary" source.

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

Colo,

What time period interests you for these ships? They ALL went through significant cosmetic changes. OK and one or two sank.

Just got home and broke out Chapelle. They are all there as expected but the spectacular hull plans are split onto 2 pages. I can't quite squish them down enough to get a good scan, even doing one page/side at a time. There will be LOTS of detail for you to pixelate.

Now you've got me toying with doing the sloop Wasp (2nd) of 1806. It's a favorite of mine...don't know why and semi set up for Corel Draw. Maybe FD and SB scales since it'll start off as a vector drawing.

And, found my copy of 6 Frigates. Like I need another distraction.
CraigH

_________________
In active progress
More Ships with Sails
Early Torpedo Boats in SB and FD Scales
Some railroad stuff
More random stuff that strikes me!