Part 2 Pimping My SampansSo we have some basic sampans - ho hum. Not too exciting. On to it then - this is the part I like.
Let's add some sheltersCut out two pieces of cardboard to size. Trim with scissors until get desired shape.
Glue them together in position. The laminated cardboard once dried will hold it's shape.
Cut out some covering material. This one is from a cheap kitchen place matt with an interesting woven texture - bought to make some jungle huts at some point. I digress.
And this one from a burlap sack originally used to hold rice.
Glue onto your cardboard shape.
Cabin shelter versionMake some wall panels from coffee stir sticks. Cut out two cardboard panels to size to make the roof.
Glue the panels in place and add some strapping pieces.
Glue the two roof cardboard pieces together and while still wet place on a convenient form so that it dries in that shape.
Cut and glue some coffee stir sticks to make the roof.
Once dry glue roof to side panels.
Adding a sailMake a strengthened section on the deck where the mast will be. I doubled up the cross piece and added an extra piece to make a solid foundation. Once dried, drilled a hole the diameter of the dowel piece I will use for the mast.
Glue the mast spars in place. I've added a base made from cardboard strip wrapped around the mast and hardened with superglue that will help keep mast upright.
Here are the spars tack glued in place. This will not be strong enough. I will wrap wire to the joints and add more glue.
And some rigging.
Add pva glue to the spars, and place on some cloth. Let dry and trim with a sharp craft knife.
Deck gear and merchandise.Every sampan needs to be covered with trade goods. Here I glue two craft blocks together (42 1/2" blocks for $1. Woot!) to make a crate pile - should have done this after I finished the crates. Anyways live and learn. The goods will be glued together in groups, stacks, and bundles for easy placement. I also glued in a circle some extra kitchen place matt material to make a woven basket; wrapped it around a plastic pen as a form so the glue won't stick to it.
Scribed some planks into the cubes using a craft saw; a craft knife or even a ball point pen would work - the cubes are made from a soft wood. Then glue some strapping cut from coffee sticks to finish the crate but cardboard would probably be better.
Here I cut frames from cardboard instead for some crates. Add one to each visible side.
And a few simple open boxes made from coffee stir sticks. Once done you can add a thin cardboard bottom and fill with various items(Das modelling clay, sand, plastic beads, barley, rice, etc) to represent spices, fruits and veggies, fish etc.
Here I make some coils of rope keeping them flatish so figures can be places on them still. This is a bit messy but cover string in PVA. I then use tweezers for better control when coiling it, doing it on a piece of parchment paper so it won't stick to the work surface. Let dry.
Here is part of the merhandise before paint and gluing. Will also make pots and jars from some craft beads, rolled up carpets from fabric scraps, etc. There are bags made from air-dry modelling clay and bags from folded over burlap also.
Ta-da! Much nicer. Oops, noticed I need to add strapping to outside of the curved shelters.
Happy building!
Cheers