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Interview to Luciano Zara: model shipwright

Updated: Sep 25, 2019

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When did you start modeling ships?


Officially in 1975 he began his career as a ship modelist with the construction of the ROYAL SOVEREING. In fact, the first approach was about a year before when I happened to "by chance" an assembly box for the Golden Star. Until that time and during construction I did not know in the least that once finished I would continue, reaching today even after 44 years and that I continue to build.


How to build a model ship?


Building a ship model today is very easy as the innumerable sources of information that can be drawn, the choice of materials and the equipment used are not at all comparable to twenty years ago. What comes to mind is for example how to bring back the ribs and keel to the construction wood, in this case 5 mm or 6 mm birch or pear. First every single piece was traced by hand with carbon paper on wood, and we know very well that having a steady hand even if of proven experience, the lines are never perfect, except the straight ones, but the curves can be imagined. Now, instead, a photocopy is enough and you stick it on the wood and you're done. And if we talk about 3D printers, we even have the maximum, but we lose the charm of building and I stop at the photocopy.


How many years have you spent learning the art of ship modeling?


Not to say the usual phrase, but since it is naval modeling art, you never stop learning. But to give an idea I have to say that at least the first 5 years are very intense as there is the desire to learn, to build, to learn.


How many models did you build?


To date I have built 90 modelship, some of them are even in naval museum or in a monastery in Trentino


What is the model that best represents you?


I would say that the first was the Royal Sovereign that began in the fall of 1975 and ended two years later, as I started with that model to learn the Art of Naval Modeling, with all the defects of construction, inexperience, things never seen in building an ancient model like the rest of the rest. But with great natural dexterity, an innate predisposition I would say in knowing how to use wood and a good ability in knowing how to read drawings (it was the first year in the Institute for Surveyors 1975), it allowed me to fall in love immediately with Art of Modeling.





What was the most difficult model you built?


I think it is the ROYAL WILLIAM, first-rank English vessel, because, not surprisingly, I started construction in September 2017 and exactly 42 years after the first model and that once completed I said: this model before I could not build it , it was really challenging.

What is the future of the Zara Naval Shop and your art?


The future of the Naval Workshop Zara and the Art of Naval Modeling and that you can not lose this heritage of mine, a little inherited from my paternal grandfather, then from my father, but then the undersigned alone was able to proceed and learn so many things continuing to do so, and therefore it would be nice to be able to pass on to the new generation what is the motion par excellence of BNZ and that is: the Passion that reconstructs History. Learning to use your hands, knowing how to build an object that has certainly made history and through our ingenuity and passion to see objects from ancient times grow up before our eyes that man has been able to majestically create.



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