Research

Now that we have done a bit of research into the basic shape of the ship, we have discussed the roles we want to do.
I will be a Concept artist (and i will work on the blue prints of the ship)  and will also do some modelling,
my other team mates will also do modelling, animating,lighting texturing and other jobs.

I have started with a basic plan for the ship , not bothering to add any objects , simply making sure the ship inst a death trap if it burns or sinks, (clear walkways throughout) and the main thing I am doing  at  the moment is getting bits from everyone research into one concrete idea, i have done a few blue prints:

pic to be inserted!!

And also a small plasticine model to help our main modeller:

More Research!

Junks where very well designed, they could withstand massive amounts of damage at sea and still stay a float, this was due to the hull begin split into sections which could be sealed, this will be a very important design feature for our model as we will mostly have hatches rather than doorways for the lower decks.

As there is very little visual evidence of their interior we have decided to apply what we have learnt from our research to what we can easily find about European ships, here we see a basic plan which we will use, although we have taken everything out of the bottom level, as in Junks these would be used for ballast (large pieces of stone to balance the ship out, and fresh water tanks and even water tanks containing fish!

I happen to have read this book a few years back , it described the whole treasure ship journeys and had some very detailed descriptions of the ships, their travels and their occupants.

I chose this for the kitchen/eating area

Research of pulleys and other ship details

Not much detail but it shows the characteristic curve of junks

usefull for panels

One of my favourite ships, i've seen it a few times and i love the design of it.

Few basic design for junks, mainly smaller vessels, as were not going to make the huge treasure carriers.

Not too detailed but i like the feel of it!

Some details I liked for the interior of the captains room,  sailing charts, paintings wood carvings and writing 

Research

from our research we have been mainly focusing on the basic structure of the ship, as Junks are so different from contemporary European Galleons and Caravels.

As opposed to:

You can see some of the main differences are in the sails, galleons had big cloth sails hanging from the masts, rather loose, while the junks had "Ribs" in theirs, they were also made from bamboo, which was much lighter than the cloth.

Junks also have a very broad hull, which allows them to be shallower, they also have a very nice curve running all the way through it , which , combined with the tilt of the sails gives it a fast, sleek and deadly look.

"On 2nd February 1421, China dwarfed every nation on earth" (-1421-the year china discovered the world, by Gavin Menzies)

At the start of the 15th century china had reached a point of technological and cultural level that couldn't be matched by any other nation in the world. their government, science trade and manufacturing enabled them build the biggest ships the world had seen, begin rivalled only centuries later by the Victorian trading ships.

My first project this year will be on Environments, this will be a group work of arround 4-6 people

We have decided to base our project on the massive Chinese Junk ships of the 15th century. Especially the massive treasure ships from Zheng He's treasure fleet, which roamed the indian ocean and even as far as the western coast of Africa, recieving tributes from vassal nations , establishing trade contacts and charting the oceans.