Wed Jan 02, 2008 8:14 pm
Nice work.
Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:19 pm
I put the finishing touches on the background late last night.
After I got the 'mass tones' in place (lit and shadowed green grass, cast shadows, etc.), I spent a lot of time going back and adding "interest" to the masses, like subtle variations in the grassy areas, tiny "dots" of flowers of different colors, and some tiny blades of grass being kicked up that show against the shadows. Unfortunately, most of these subtle effects, which really breathe life into the 'grass', don't show all that well on this hand-held image.
At this stage, even when you're finished with the background, you still feel like you need to add something ... then you realize that once the planes, men and jeep are added, that missing "something" will be in place. I recall Keith Ferris telling us that he gets the same feeling when painting a 50s USAF jet, for example - the natural metal fuselage may be complete, but the thing doesn't 'pop' until he adds the U.S. AIR FORCE lettering and other assorted lettering and markings. The lesson is that you have to 'see' through to the final result (look at the pencil study, in my case) and leave well enough alone, or you'll be tempted to overwork the background unnecessarily, which in this case is a supporting player, not one of the "stars", so to speak.
I'll let this dry for a few days, then I begin with the center of interest - the main Mustang - whose tones will be used for comparison's sake to paint all the other elements. Now, I have some remarqued prints to catch up on!
Wade
After I got the 'mass tones' in place (lit and shadowed green grass, cast shadows, etc.), I spent a lot of time going back and adding "interest" to the masses, like subtle variations in the grassy areas, tiny "dots" of flowers of different colors, and some tiny blades of grass being kicked up that show against the shadows. Unfortunately, most of these subtle effects, which really breathe life into the 'grass', don't show all that well on this hand-held image.
At this stage, even when you're finished with the background, you still feel like you need to add something ... then you realize that once the planes, men and jeep are added, that missing "something" will be in place. I recall Keith Ferris telling us that he gets the same feeling when painting a 50s USAF jet, for example - the natural metal fuselage may be complete, but the thing doesn't 'pop' until he adds the U.S. AIR FORCE lettering and other assorted lettering and markings. The lesson is that you have to 'see' through to the final result (look at the pencil study, in my case) and leave well enough alone, or you'll be tempted to overwork the background unnecessarily, which in this case is a supporting player, not one of the "stars", so to speak.
I'll let this dry for a few days, then I begin with the center of interest - the main Mustang - whose tones will be used for comparison's sake to paint all the other elements. Now, I have some remarqued prints to catch up on!
Wade
Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:42 pm
Looks great Wade!
Would the shadows be so crisp and dark on such a cloudy day?
Would the shadows be so crisp and dark on such a cloudy day?
Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:27 pm
Django wrote:. . . Would the shadows be so crisp and dark on such a cloudy day?
Good question. I'll refer you to the pencil study on page 1 of this thread ... the plan is to have a 'patch' of sunshine (I broke up the clouds a bit with some sky as you can see) shining down on the planes. The darker foreground is the edge of a cloud shadow, and just happens to work as a compositional device (keeps the eye from falling off the bottom edge of the frame).
The whole idea is based on some pics I took at Duxford a few years ago. Same cloud shadow/sunlit grass, etc. The planes in sunlight of course allows the more distinct cast shadows and also the better separation between the lit and shadowed areas on the planes themselves as you can see in the pencil study.
Thx!
Wade
Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:09 pm
Very nice work!
If you have no space to put it, i have an empty wall
If you have no space to put it, i have an empty wall
Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:29 pm
Much appreciated, Mennie - 
- but like almost everything I'm doing these days, it's a commission piece and after it hangs (hopefully) in the next ASAA (American Society of Aviation Artists) juried show in Seattle this summer, it will be off to a new home.
If it comes out half-decently, I plan on publishing it as canvas prints.
Wade
- but like almost everything I'm doing these days, it's a commission piece and after it hangs (hopefully) in the next ASAA (American Society of Aviation Artists) juried show in Seattle this summer, it will be off to a new home.
If it comes out half-decently, I plan on publishing it as canvas prints.
Wade
Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:08 pm
Awesome work.
Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:44 pm
You know what gets me depressed? Is that in this life time I’ll never achieve that kind of perfection or even come close when painting something...
Cheers,
SC.
Cheers,
SC.
Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:09 am
Very nice, as usual ,Wade. You know I've painted airplanes before, they came out pretty good. Of course I did it with a spray gun ! 
Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:32 am
Great stuff as usual, Wade. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Gary
Gary
Sun Jan 13, 2008 2:01 pm
S. C. wrote:You know what gets me depressed? Is that in this life time I’ll never achieve that kind of perfection or even come close when painting something...
Your comment is deeply appreciated, Sean ... thank you very much.
But you know what? I said those exact words (almost literally) the very first time I attended an annual American Society of Aviation Artist's (ASAA) Forum which is where those interested get together to spend most of a week in fellowship. We do some art activities, and some social, but mainly it's a super way to hang out with like-minded individuals and compare notes and talk shop. We're literally a family for a few days, and I've enjoyed each one I was able to attend. We always have a good crowd, too.
The venue for the forums is always set at wherever that year's juried exhibition is held, which is usually aviation related, like the NMUSAF, or Edwards AFB, or Savannah's 8th AF Museum, etc. I got a late start, relatively speaking, in getting serious about my art, so I've been playing catch-up in the 10 years I've been "serious" about it. I had 'talent' before that, but it was undeveloped and earlier I never really had the motivation to really buckle down and work in color, for example - too much work, what's on TV??
Then, out of the blue, over a period of a couple of weeks in 1997, I decided that it was now or never - at age 35 I made a commitment that I was going to hone my talent and see where it took me. Steep learning curve, to be sure, which I'm still climbing ... but I've been blessed with excellent advice and honest critiques, mentors, artist friends, and of course the ASAA, which is dedicated to "excellence through education" for artists who paint aerospace subjects.
Anyway, that very first time in 1999 that we saw "that year's" best aviation artwork hanging all in one place live and in person at the Museum of Aviation at Warner-Robins, Ga., fellow "undiscovered" artist and then-new friend Russell Smith and I said to one another, well ... see your quote above! "Ain't no way", thought I. I recall looking at one painting that was simply beautiful in it's appearance and in the way the brushstrokes flowed in rhythm, and I wondered whether or not I would EVER be able to paint like that ... no, I never considered giving up, however. Actually, I was further motivated!
Encouragement from the "legends" like Keith Ferris, Paul Rendel, and the late Nick Galloway and the late Matt Jefferies, and sticking to it with an almost single-minded dedication (being older, I knew that with a little talent, and a LOT of hard work, almost anything was possible) enabled me to finally quit my full time job in 2003, and now, although at this period of my life my work schedule is reduced somewhat (till our youngest heads off to Kindergarten in a couple of years), I'm busy as ever and folks seem to like my work. Matter of fact, due to that "reduced schedule" I'm temporarily operating under, I'm turning down work on almost a weekly basis now. Russell, for his part, is now widely known and quite successful (as his trophy case will attest) in aviation art and his chosen genre, WWI, circles. See his work at http://www.RussellSmithart.com.
Thanks again for your compliment, but for those reading this who are artists - heck, if I can do it, pretty much anybody with a bit of talent can do it, too! As a mentor told me over and over again a long time ago, "Just Keep Painting!".
Cheers!
Wade
Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:13 pm
With your excellence in painting (and drawing) and with your motivating words you can now consider me a, definitely, number 1 fan. Ok, maybe two... or three... or maybe four... or… whatever... you know, because others may already have taken that position! 
Cheers,
SC.
Cheers,
SC.
Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:51 am
Makin' progress ... a couple of In Prog shots:
Fuselage getting there:
Fuselage tones mainly complete. This area has been worked over with multiple layers. Still need to add a slightly brighter highlight line along the spine - I'm waiting for the paint to dry more before I glaze the highlight line over those invasion stripes! The wispy highlights on the prop disc really make a difference. Compare the subtle differences with the first picture.
Wade
Fuselage getting there:
Fuselage tones mainly complete. This area has been worked over with multiple layers. Still need to add a slightly brighter highlight line along the spine - I'm waiting for the paint to dry more before I glaze the highlight line over those invasion stripes! The wispy highlights on the prop disc really make a difference. Compare the subtle differences with the first picture.
Wade
Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:55 pm
What I find fascinating is catching all of the correct subtle details. I noticed the darker color of the fuselage from the gasoline staining it below the filler port. WOW!!
Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:16 pm
It looks just excellent Wade! You've captured the lighting, the look of the metal, the weathering, just perfectly. The background looks just like England, and reminds me of photos taken at Duxford.
Looking forward to the end result!
Looking forward to the end result!