Drawing Boats and Ships

Yngve Edward Soderberg

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9780486460338
• eBook ISBN: 9780486146317
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art Techniques

Any artist who loves the beauty of nature and is drawn by the majesty of the sea will want to try sketching boats and nautical scenes. American painter Yngve Edward Soderberg, who spent much of his career mastering this art on the Mystic coast of Connecticut, was known for his breathtaking maritime art. In this concise guide, he makes it look easy with step-by-step instructions perfect for novices and anyone wanting to brush up on his drawing skills.
From sailboats and dinghies to cruisers and whale ships, Soderberg shows how to observe and draw all that is seaworthy. Enhanced by expert commentary, over 100 illustrations include gulls, buoys, lighthouses, water surfaces, skies, clouds, and more. He even demonstrates how to sketch a boat's crew in action and offers valuable tips on perspective. Easy to follow, this essential guide helps hone all the valuable skills needed to create beautiful nautical compositions.

RACING CLASSES

Hull of the Star Boat

The Star has a deep 800 pound keel, which is necessary to offset the pressure of the wind on the sail area.

Star Class (Etching)

Star Boat

This is an International Class of racing boat that originated in the 1920’s. It was designed purely for racing and is still one of the most popular classes of boats in all the yachting centers of the world.

The Star Boat is very interesting to draw. The crew is a definite part of the hull as they climb out to windward.

Hull of a Twelve Metre

This shows the smooth lines of the underwater part of the hull. The deep keel is finlike in shape to cut through the water.

Eight Metre Class

The metric system of measuring the waterline gives the name to these classes of racing yachts, such as six, eight, ten, and twelve metres.

Notice the tall mast and the slender lines of the sails when they are trimmed in flat for windward work.

Twelve Metre Class

This class was used in racing for the America’s Cup in 1958. The sleek hull with long overhang at the bow and stern makes for great speed through the water with the least resistance. The large jib is called a genoa jib and overreaches the mainsail. It has a tremendous pull and is used mainly in light airs.

International One-Design

This class is sailed by some of the most famous yachtsmen of our time. Sketching the buoy in the foreground dramatizes the act of approaching the buoy, which is often used as a turning mark of the course. Here again, the graceful lines of the sails are contrasted with the straight lines of the mast and stays.

A Close Finish (Etching)

Crossing the Line (Etching)

Hull of Lightning

The hull of a Lightning has straight sides and forms a sharp edge with the V bottom. It uses a centerboard, which is lowered in going to windward and raised when sailing before the wind.

Lightning Class

The Lightning Class is another International Class which is very active. The boat carries a crew of three, who are kept busy when setting a spinnaker, as in the above sketch.

On the opposite page are two etchings of Lightnings. One is crossing the line cross-hauled and shows the crew on the windward rail. The other is a close finish of two boats with spinnakers set.

210

The 210 and 110 Class boats have elongated double-ended hulls. The short boom and large genoa jib are characteristic of these boats. The sails are well inboard of the long hull.

On the Rail (Etching)

Snipe Class

The Snipe Class is the largest International Class of small boats. They are very popular on inland lakes and rivers as well as along the coast. These boats are interesting to draw as the crew is continually in action. In the sketch above notice how the action of the crew counteracts the diagonal line of the mast and sails.

A Sudden Gust (Etching)

Thistle Class

This is a very fast light type of boat that is gaining in popularity. It is a great thrill to sail a Thistle, especially with a good breeze astern. The boat starts to plane as the bow comes up and water moves under the hull. It takes a lively crew to handle a Thistle.

VARIOUS TYPES

Chesapeake Bug-Eye

This boat has been a familiar sight on the Chesapeake Bay for...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Dedication
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• INTRODUCTION
• BASIC FORMS IN HULLS
• PERSPECTIVE
• COMPOSITION
• TYPES OF SAILBOATS
• RACING CLASSES
• VARIOUS TYPES
• ACTION OF THE CREW
• SAILS
• BILGEBOARD SCOWS
• LIGHTHOUSES
• POWER BOATS
• MOTOR SAILER
• FISHING BOATS
• SMALL BOATS
• FISHING SHACKS
• TUGBOATS
• OCEAN LINERS
• OTHER BOATS
• NAVY SHIPS
• SKY AND WATER
• MARINE PAINTINGS
• IN CONCLUSION
• GLOSSARY