Boat Painting

[Water Rat.]

I am quite new to the narrow boat scene. I have had my little boat for nearly a year and buying it has been one of the best experiences of my life. My boat is 20 years old, a bit tatty and needs a new paint job so I have been looking for ideas. Of course I have had a good gongoozle of every boat I have seen in passing, but been reluctant to photograph other people's boats for obvious reasons. Well. I have just taken delivery of A J Lewery's book, Narrow Boat Painting, and wow! What a mine of infomation. I know all you old hacks will already know this book, but anyone new and looking for ideas should take a look. I am now going to sit down with my new book and a cuppa - well it is raining today!

[David Schweizer]

I am quite new to the narrow boat scene. I have had my little boat for nearly a year and buying it has been one of the best experiences of my life. My boat is 20 years old, a bit tatty and needs a new paint job so I have been looking for ideas. Of course I have had a good gongoozle of every boat I have seen in passing, but been reluctant to photograph other people's boats for obvious reasons. Well. I have just taken delivery of A J Lewery's book, Narrow Boat Painting, and wow! What a mine of infomation. I know all you old hacks will already know this book, but anyone new and looking for ideas should take a look. I am now going to sit down with my new book and a cuppa - well it is raining today!

I really would not worry too much about photograsphing other people's boats as long as you are not intrusive, and ask first if someone is around. Most people are flattered and will often make photographing details by moving stuff out of the way.

 

If I had a quid for every photo taken of my boat I could probably afford to have it re-painted. Like yours it is looking a bit tired nowadays, but the traditional decoration on the back panels and cabin doors is what most people still want to phoptograph, and I don't mind at all.

Edited January 28, 2009 by David Schweizer

[Neil@CanalVoyagers]

'Colours of the Cut' by Edward Paget-Tomlinson may give you some good ideas.

[dave moore]

Hi Water Rat

I can only endorse your own findings and the recommendations so far...stick with a traditional style livery and you won't go far wrong. It's a persoanl opinion and I stand to get shot down, but many economic single colour/coach line jobs ( I know, they're not expensive, compared to a trad livery ) do little for the boat itself. Canal boats cry out for colour and Edward Paget Tomlinson has captured that brilliantly in "Colours of the Cut" You'll also find inspiration in Tony's later work "Flowers Afloat"

If I can help further, pm me

Cheers

Dave

[Water Rat.]

Hi Dave, thanks for that, I bought Colours on the Cut today, still waiting for it to arrive by post. I am fed up with the dull colours, the greys and dull greens and blues. Why paint the boats like cars when you can have all that colour?? I have access to a fab bloke who will help me - and I am going to go for it!

[bibliotechno]

...this chap finds colour difficult - I love the look of a new sailaway dressed in grey primer - .....boring I know!

 

edit: although I did see a nb on the Thames last summer that ticked my box.....dark green minimalist paint job with gothic lettering in black (of course) - also flew the jolly roger (as I imagine most of you do??) - anyone know that nb as I fail to recall it's name. Fairs fair not everybodies cup of tea...

Edited January 28, 2009 by bibliotechno

[Roger t' Bodger]

Hi Water Rat

 

There is also a strong element of our heritage of boat painting that was stimulated by the fact that working boats worked all the year round and an isolated waterway in midwinter can be a depressing place of greys and browns. So like most travelling folk the world over, they brightly decorated their immediate surroundings to give a sense of home and lift the spirits on a dreary day. Of course this colour scheme in all it's different combinations and layout of lettering etc was also a way of identifying the boat and owner even if they couldn't read and also marked out the boat in a way that moving around it at locks, etc, the colour diffentiation defined their working space like yellow lines painted on the floor of a factory denoting safe areas to operate.

 

The two books suggested are those which will give a multitude of options from which to chose - the hardest part of creativity! My suggestion is to go for practical and pleasing.

 

My favorite liverly was the Ovaltine boats and I've seen a boat using the same typeface and colour combination which looks gorgeous!

 

You can catch a glimpse of it here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jFhtxQtVVp4&...re=channel_page

[Pluto]

If you go to my downloads page at http://www.mikeclarke.myzen.co.uk/Downloads.html you can find a colour pdf about traditional boat painting on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal under the L&LC Society section. You could also look at http://www.mikeclarke.myzen.co.uk/brightwork.htm to see more details and aslo if you want to subscribe to a book on the subject which I will be publishing at the end of May. The tradition is completely different to that found on the narrow canals of the Midlands, but equally colourful.

[kitman]

Hi Dave, thanks for that, I bought Colours on the Cut today, still waiting for it to arrive by post. I am fed up with the dull colours, the greys and dull greens and blues. Why paint the boats like cars when you can have all that colour?? I have access to a fab bloke who will help me - and I am going to go for it!

 

Good for you!