Should models be painted or left natural wood?

Indeed, it is an artistic decision that must be made by the builder. In the same category is whether to paint brass parts. Very, very few parts on a real ship were brass (bronze, maybe, but not brass). So, one thing to consider would be consistency. Not painting because of the beauty of the construction material may say no paint on either wood or brass parts.

This is one advantage of building older ships. Many older merchant ships, and warships earlier than mid seventeenth century were painted only in a few areas, oiled on top, and various tallow mixtures applied below the waterline (that stuff is really ugly if scale!). A similar "artistic choice" is how to depict rigging. Many modelers do not add sails for two reasons. One, it is hard to make good sails, second, some feel the sails hide some of the detail. Yet, the running rigging adds much detail to ship. So, many people display (particularly on warships) model with yards raised and much running rigging displayed, but no sails. Actually, there may have been times when this was done for a review or special ceremony, but was not normal.
{Don Stauffer}

Seriously, you have raised questions to which there are no "right" or "wrong" answers. I believe that there is no inherent superiority or inferiority of a model that is painted over a model that is not painted. That decision is a reflection of the creator's vision for a model -- what is attempting to be accomplished?

There are styles that traditionally have called for unpainted models (Admiralty). There are styles that call for highly accurate painting (dioramas). There are style that call for something in between (some of the cutaways ache for portions being painted and portions remaining bare wood). But they are exactly that -- styles.

Whether you paint a model, or use bare wood depends upon what your goals are. If is to create a masterpiece of joinery, or follow a style such as an Admiralty, unpainted is a probably the way to go. If it to depict life aboard a 16th century ship, you probably need to paint it.

As to whether a model is art form or craft, that too depends upon the intentions of the creator and the interpretations of the audience. You can get art from traditional craft media (including modeling or quilting), just as traditional art forms can be used for crafts. (I'm sorry, but I do not consider either the "starving artist" massed produced oils or paint-by-number kits to be anything other than skill demonstrations.)

I occasionally amuse myself by showing some of my models to local artists in Palestine, TX and listening to them argue over whether my work is just a craft or whether it is "really art." While all agree that my stock kits (out of the box) are craft (then again, so do I), they do debate about the diorama ships, such as my Nina. Because there is a message in those ships beyond "this is a depiction of a ship" they feel those models qualify as "art." (Not great art or fine art, just art.) (I don't care either way. I just enjoy listening to the debate that ensues.)

The main rule to keep in mind is that for most of us this is a hobby. And a hobby, by definition means that you do what you enjoy. If you enjoy bare-wood models, treenailed to show your meticulous craftsmanship, go for it. If you enjoy highly accurate representations, where every knot is correct, you match colors to the last percentage point, and you even add details such as brown-colored smears on the hull downwind from the heads, go for that. Just be consistent to the internal rules that you set. That is what the hobby is about.
{Mark Lardas}

Back?