Off the Edge of the Map

[AardWolf]

Hey all, here is my latest build for the Lands of Roawia LEGO role-playing game on the Merlin's Beard forum.

This is my first large scale ship and I really hate using LEGO prefab pieces of any kind, so I wanted to create a realistic brick-built curved hull. I present the Spirit of Lenfald:

Four Masts Fully Rigged Ship 4A

She's a solid 77 centimeters long from stem to stern and all LEGO except for custom sails and rigging. All comments and criticism are most welcome!

Aaron

[Captain Dee]

The bow looks somewhat crude but I know it's difficult in brick-built form. Other than that she's a beauty. This time period predates the so-called golden age of piracy by such a long time that we don't see many of these vessels in this forum. The overall shape and colors are very good and the custom rigging is great. I like the water effect in the second photo. It looks more realistic than just using 1x1 trans round plates. I'm curious to see how you so seamlessly achieved the forward slope of the sterncastle. It looks brilliant and is much smoother than layering plates horizontally. I'd like to see more detail pics if you have them. Good work!

[AardWolf]

The bow looks somewhat crude but I know it's difficult in brick-built form. Other than that she's a beauty. This time period predates the so-called golden age of piracy by such a long time that we don't see many of these vessels in this forum. The overall shape and colors are very good and the custom rigging is great. I like the water effect in the second photo. It looks more realistic than just using 1x1 trans round plates. I'm curious to see how you so seamlessly achieved the forward slope of the sterncastle. It looks brilliant and is much smoother than layering plates horizontally. I'd like to see more detail pics if you have them. Good work!

Thanks for your feedback! I totally agree with you about the bow and I think there is definitely something that can be done to improve it. Do you have any suggestions or personal experience with building this kind of bow?

I really appreciate your words and I'm glad that all of the features you mentioned turned out well. I do have some additional photos and some WIP pictures, I'm just not sure if I have any of the inner design of the sterncastle. I can try to describe the technique to you: The sterncastle is sloped both forward and inwards to achieve its look, so I had to have multiple axes of rotation. To accomplish this, I used these pieces:

http://www.bricklink.com/PL/3700.jpg?0

http://www.bricklink.com/PL/2780.jpg?1

http://www.bricklink.../PL/32013.jpg?0

http://www.bricklink.com/PL/4519.jpg?0

http://www.bricklink.../PL/32054.jpg?0

http://www.bricklink.com/PL/2817.jpg?0

The 1x2 technic brick with pin hole is then attached by only one of its studs to the edge of a column of bricks. This is mirrored on the opposite side of the ship as well. The single attachment points allowed range of motion from side to side (to match the angle of the curved hull) while also slanting anything placed on top of the modified plates both forward and inward. I added long reddish brown plates on top of the modified plates on which to build the sides of the aftcastle. These plates are also supported near the very stern by support columns topped with tiles so as not to put pressure on the already-stressed curved hull beams.

I'm not sure how understandably I explained that, but I am currently away from home so I can't build and photograph an example. If you'd like me to to do that I will do so upon my return home, as well as post some WIP shots.

Thanks again!

[Captain Braunsfeld]

What a great historic ship. Custom rigging and sails are impressive.

But the brick-built curved hull is definitely a highlight. Curved in so many directions....

BTW: please feel free to link to slightly larger pictures (800 x 600 is not a problem at all) - the ship would deserve it.

[Captain Dee]

Some WIP photos would be very nice if it's not too much trouble. I understand the concept but I'd like a visual aid to see how you built the curves so seamlessly from front to back. And how do you classify her? I see elements of carracks and galleons - the bow reminds me of the former while the rigging looks more like the latter. Again, nice work!

[AardWolf]

What a great historic ship. Custom rigging and sails are impressive.

But the brick-built curved hull is definitely a highlight. Curved in so many directions....

BTW: please feel free to link to slightly larger pictures (800 x 600 is not a problem at all) - the ship would deserve it.

Thank you! I really appreciate your words Ok I will post some 800x600 pictures on here right now then- thanks for the info!

Some WIP photos would be very nice if it's not too much trouble. I understand the concept but I'd like a visual aid to see how you built the curves so seamlessly from front to back. And how do you classify her? I see elements of carracks and galleons - the bow reminds me of the former while the rigging looks more like the latter. Again, nice work!

That's no trouble at all! I'll just need a bit of time as I am traveling at the moment. I don't have as many WIP shots as I wish I had taken but it should be enough for you to get a good warm-and-fuzzy about the technique. I'm glad you picked up on that! This is actually intended as precisely what you mentioned- a fictional carrack/galleon hybrid. I've been calling her a galleon because of her rigging just to keep things simple, but I'm very happy that you noticed the elements of a carrack. That makes me quite happy

Edited June 5, 2015 by AardWolf

[Staslegomaster]

This is a super model LEGO ship. She is much more impressive than The Imperial Flag Ship 10210 and The Flying Dutchman from LEGO Ideas. Let me know if you uploaded any projects there - I would vote foe such a ship there, too. The only thing I 'd criticise is that you used LDD but not real LEGO bricks - it's harder but worth it and gives more satisfaction at the end!!! Keep on creating!

[AardWolf]

This is a super model LEGO ship. She is much more impressive than The Imperial Flag Ship 10210 and The Flying Dutchman from LEGO Ideas. Let me know if you uploaded any projects there - I would vote foe such a ship there, too. The only thing I 'd criticise is that you used LDD but not real LEGO bricks - it's harder but worth it and gives more satisfaction at the end!!! Keep on creating!

I appreciate that! I don't actually have anything on LEGO Ideas at this time but maybe sometime in the future I'll post something. Just to clarify, this is legitimate physical LEGO, not LDD. The backgrounds are edited in after I take pictures but I always build with real LEGO. And I totally agree; I'm not a fan of building in LDD and I find it much more satisfying to build with actual LEGO.

[Ltfalcon]

Aardwolf,

Nice Carrack! This is the second one I've seen in recent months. Great work on the custom built hull. The sails look great too, the only change I can think of would be a fore course with no top sail, but it looks superb as it is since it's fictional.

Great work,

[AardWolf]

Aardwolf,

Nice Carrack! This is the second one I've seen in recent months. Great work on the custom built hull. The sails look great too, the only change I can think of would be a fore course with no top sail, but it looks superb as it is since it's fictional.

Great work,

Thanks LTFalcon! Yeah I had originally planned on rigging it much more carrack-like, but I just couldn't help myself and ended up rigging her like a galleon. I do plan on doing something more distinctly medieval in the future

[Gary The Procrastinator]

Great work Aaron, really was a surprise to see this on LoR. Far exceeded my expectations.

[AardWolf]

Great work Aaron, really was a surprise to see this on LoR. Far exceeded my expectations.

Thank you Gary! I'm glad it was better than you were expecting:)

Ok, here are the few WIP pictures I have. I wish (and thought) I had taken more, but unfortunately I didn't, so I really hope this sheds some light on the hull technique I used. The basic concept is to build long strands of 1x4 tiles layered over 1x4 plates and then attached them to technic bricks attached to supported lift arms that are set at an angle.

I'm sorry I don't have more pictures, but I hope this helps!

[Captain Dee]

Thanks for the pics! I was mostly interested in how you achieved such a smooth look and this certainly shows how. It's interesting how one basic concept allows the hull to curve out and down but it's not really that complicated.

[AardWolf]

Thanks for the pics! I was mostly interested in how you achieved such a smooth look and this certainly shows how. It's interesting how one basic concept allows the hull to curve out and down but it's not really that complicated.

No problem! Yes it's really not bad shaping the hull like that Adding additional attachment points helps to control the curve and make the sides a bit sturdier, so I'll try to do that on any future ships. The hardest part was adding the fore and aft castles, but those just took a bit of fiddling. As you said, it really isn't too complicated!