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94th BG B-17G oil study ...


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Hi guys,

Hopscotching around a couple of projects, I put the final glazes on this one this morning. I didn't intend to get too detailed with this small oil study, but the little sucker (the B-17 is 7.25" long from tip of the nose perspex to the tail guns) just looked so cool that I made sure to hint at everything, if not actually rendered. I'll be working on the final 20 x 40 inch canvas soon as I get a long-neglected B-25 piece finished. I think the client has hit men looking for me ... :woot.gif:

I've included the final pencil study next to the painting for comparison's sake. I stuck pretty much to that study for my tonal structure, but as you'll notice I left off the Mustangs to avoid burnout at this stage. As usual, I overcame a few 'obstacles' with this study, which lessons learned will be applied to big brother to follow ...

These are all hand-held shots, but the final one is pretty close. Have to wait until it's mo-dry before I can scan it properly.

Background complete, fuselage tones underway. Notice the paintbrush at bottom right for relative size comparison of this 8.5" x 17" canvas -

TR_oilstudy_beginnings.jpg

Closer wing laid in. Happy with the aluminum effect. Darker parts of the background glazed a little darker -

TR_oilstudy_beginnings_22.jpg

Complete -

Temporary_Reprieve_oil_study_web.jpg

Meyers_Wade_Temporary_Reprieve_penc.jpg

Wade

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Oh boy... Wade, your talent makes me cry. To say your work is top notch is an understatement. One, question: Do you think a similar result could have been achieved with acrylics? You know, I have acrylics already, all I need is getting a canvas and start painting. I've got so many aviation related ideas on my mind... Also, do you create for all of your oil paintings pencil studies before? Just curious. Thanks for sharing!

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. . . Do you think a similar result could have been achieved with acrylics? You know, I have acrylics already, all I need is getting a canvas and start painting. I've got so many aviation related ideas on my mind...

Thx! I started out a long time ago doing pencil work only, but when I decided that I'd like to try to make a living at this game I began the long, hard road to understanding color. I'm still learning! My first few years were acrylics only, but *I* found that as my personal style developed that the longer drying time of oils were much better suited to my techniques. That being said, in capable hands you can achieve beautiful results with acrylics. Many professionals in all genres of art use acrylics exclusively. In aviation art, well-known artist Mark Postlethwaite does all, or almost all, of his work in acrylics. See his site at: http://www.posart.com/

. . .do you create for all of your oil paintings pencil studies before? Just curious. Thanks for sharing!

98% of the time, yes. The process of pencil and oil studies allows you to not only 'practice' for the 'big show', but you encounter and work out many 'issues' with studies. The goal is to begin the final large canvas with nothing but smooth seas and fair winds ... well, as much as possible!

Thx again,

Wade

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  • 1 month later...

Hi fellas - a quick update on this project:

Just added the pilot yesterday. After the paint sets up, I'll come back in and glaze some darks and light touches to show some sunlight falling across him. Hard to do wet-in-wet -

Arliss_closeup.jpg

For comparison's sake, the final outline drawing before transfer to canvas -

00_Watts_B17G_11.jpg

Two 353rd FG Mustangs, Mascara Maggie and Beautiful Dope, ride herd on this wounded Fort over the North Sea -

00_Watts_B17G_14.jpg

Wade

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ok, please tell me this last post is the 20 X 40 final painting and not still that little sketch painting (hesitant to call it a "sketch" painting as it's better than any final i could do!) If this is still the small one, YOU'RE CRAZY!!!!!! :worship:

this is awesome and really really makes me want to start painting. seems like people like looking at pencil drawings, but they will BUY paintings.

question, do you use any kind of mask or edge or something for the hardline edges or is that mostly freehand when it comes to adding the paint? I'm looking specifically around the nose area where the panels look like hard breaks in the tone variation. very well done btw.

Bill

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Hi Bill -

Yes, the last post is all 'big' canvas - the pilot figure is roughly the size of your pinky nail.

Everything you see on the closeup of the nose is all freehand. If you mess up a line, you just come back with the other color to clean up the edge if necessary. The only time I will use some kind of 'straightedge' is at the very, very last when I'm adding any aerials (if applicable). Then, I'll lay down a straightedge along the path of the aerial and drag a THIN mix of paint along that edge with a fine rigger brush. One pass is all that's necessary - even if every linear inch is not 'covered' by the paint - to avoid making the 'wire' too thick. Like props, in aviation art when showing aerial wires "less is more". :whistle:

If you're serious about aviation art, you might look into ASAA - the member's side of the site has a wealth of resources:

http://www.asaa-avart.org

Cheers!

Wade

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