question for the ship builders

[doctormax]

has anyone done a free hand version of a boat, well I want to know how you figure the size of the skin over the formers. I am thinking it maybe best to build the formers and then use a tailors measuring tape. that is the problem one runs into when one is not able to use the 3d software.

or is there another way. of figuring this out in photoshop????????????? me stuck big time on my trireme now may have to get ink and do a print and see what happens with what i done so far.

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I make some drawings for a SMALL war ship that is not made with formers... It is in the size of the Micromodels ships. There I just draw the parts by hand using the metric ruler, dividers, etc.

If you make the former parts your self, you can hold paper over them and then trace where the paper falls on the forms and then cut it out. Then trace or draw the cut out as a "part".

I make some 3-D craft things that way.

[2Kamser]

can't you go from the center and out to the railing and then cut away the excess that is sticking out?

[B-Manic]

I've used the measuring tape method. It is time consuming and requires a lot of tinkering. Someone must know of an easier way.

[the hermit]

i have used lalas method to good sucess unfortunately it is time consuming. lol

[Greg S.]

Lala is right. Complete and assemble base & deck with hull formers. Use relatively thin paper. Cut paper so that it overlaps hull sides a bit. Place the paper over the hull skeleton. Loosely wrap string over both to keep the paper in the proper position. Rub the sides of pencil tip againts the edges of the base & the superstructure deck. Cut out and make necessary adjustments by trial & error. Use result as a pattern for the final product. It is an easy process and should take only a few minutes.

[doctormax]

thanks all seems it is just a matter of taking time and having the formers good really and then do it that way be best