Shipbucket

Hello there! I've drawn two fictional ocean liners, SS Neritic and SS Pelagic. They're based on a few different classes of ships built around the turn of the century, mainly RMS Oceanic, the Big Four and to some extent Lusitania/Mauretania. This is my first attempt at the Shipbucket style of drawing, and I've tried to stick to the style guide as much as I could, so let me know if I've made mistakes or where I can improve (both in terms of the drawing and in terms of the design itself).

First up, SS Neritic in civilian service with the Westlandian Steamship Company.


Next, SS Neritic either still in civilian service shortly after the start of WWI or just after requisitioning as a troopship. She's been painted grey to reduce her visibility, and has had two guns added to defend herself from enemy submarines.


Then we get SS Pelagic, painted completely grey in service as a troopship or auxiliary cruiser. She's now flying a naval flag and has had 4 more guns and a number of extra lifeboats added. I'm not sure whether this kind of all-grey colour scheme was actually used in WWI, but it's easy to draw and it was definitely used in WWII (although these ships would very likely have been scrapped by then).


Then the most tricky version to draw, SS Pelagic in dazzle camouflage. This would have been used later on in the war to make it difficult for submarines to estimate her bearing and speed. Don't know whether it's any good but it certainly looks nice I think.


Finally, SS Pelagic in service as a hospital ship. Instead of the swung out extra lifeboats of the troopship versions, this one has collapsible lifeboats underneath the regular ones, and in order to comply with international treaties the guns have been taken off again.

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I am colourblind, so please let me know if my colours are off.

Welcome aboard, and this is nice looking at someone doing a merchant ship as a first go (even if you had to go and arm them...).
Two things about the design itself
One is the bridge structure which looks too modern, it doesn't have any noticeable bridge wings. BTW I'll comment only about your first drawing.
Second are the masts, as they look like they are on the side of ship and not in centre. It comes from the fact that the structure end in front and starts again aft of them. Also the derricks on the fore and after most masts look too short.
Style wise there is complete lack of shading on those drawings, apart from a darker patch on the aft side of the funnels.
Also the portholes look too large, especially when as of late most of us are doing the 3X3 size portholes.
I also would like to give you a huge thumbs up for the camouflaged ship, shading issue aside, as it is beautifully done.
Any way just keep drawing, and again welcome.

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Thanks! I wasn't going to arm them, but it seemed fitting on the camouflaged troopship one. After having spent so much time drawing them I didn't want to see them end like poor Lusitania.
I tried to draw it with those enclosed bridge wing cabins that some White Star liners had. I'll try switching it out for an open bridge wing to see if that looks better.
Maybe leaving more of a gap between the superstructure islands would help show that the masts are in the centre, or perhaps the other way round by making the gap smaller so they partially cover the masts? The derricks did give me quite a bit of trouble, mostly because I haven't been able to find much in terms of reference pictures. I figured they shouldn't be much longer than they are because of where the hatches would be (the ones in the well decks aren't visible, the one on the forecastle is), I guess if they need to be longer they'd have to keep them at a higher angle to lower cargo into the hold?
Are you referring to the hull? I thought I'd done an okay job on the superstructure (masts, vents, lifeboats, promenade overhang, etc), did I not do it right? I'm not sure how to do it on the hull, especially towards the stern, but I'll give it a go.
3x3 as in one blue pixel with a black one above, below and to each side? I'll try replacing them and seeing how that looks.

Many thanks for the feedback.

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I am colourblind, so please let me know if my colours are off.

These are great work - I think obviously can be moved to AU forum and out of beginner area

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

Bridge wings which are enclosed, like on old White Star ships, are well represented in drawings of the RMS Titanic, and sister ships in the main archive.
Ports holes are one black above and below and to each side with a single blue in the middle.
Hull shading is a bit more complicated. Old Shipbucket style was a single darker tone at the bottom, but than it progressed to a more elaborate shading practice. The Titanic drawing is a good example of that. The shading is explained Here.

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Nice work and welcome aboard.

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Thanks to both!
I had a look at Titanic (and a number of other ships), the bridge on there actually looked very similar to what I already had so I'm not sure what I did wrong. The only major difference I could find apart from different windows and a light was that the front wall of the bridge wing itself was a bit higher so I changed that. I also noticed that they actually have the same size portholes that I have, so I left them alone for now. I did attempt shading on the hull and fixing the masts, please let me know if this is better.

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I am colourblind, so please let me know if my colours are off.

Looks much better now.
The hull shading apart from adhering to the site's guidelines is more a preference of the artist. BTW the Titanic was drawn a long time ago, hull shading was at its infancy (originally the ships drawn were only above the waterline only).

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

These are great! Excellent work!

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MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

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