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

[chicoartist]

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 only 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 ...

I've included the final pencil study next to the painting below 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 -



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



Complete -




Wade

[David Ransome]

Hi,

Excellent work! I particularly appreciate the way you include work in progress shots - amazing to understand the stages of development.

Regards

David

[edwest]

Hello Wade,


As someone who works with graphic artists, I must say you are very good. One way to judge good color work is to turn it into black and white to check the tonal values and the overall composition.



Regards,
Ed

[chicoartist]

Thanks David and Ed! Now I just have to duplicate the 'success' of this little study on the final 20 x 40 inch canvas!

Originally Posted by edwest

. . . One way to judge good color work is to turn it into black and white to check the tonal values and the overall composition.

Excellent point - I put a LOT of effort into the large pencil drawings before I pick up the first brush. Not just to make the drawing itself 'pretty', but while I'm working on the drawing I'm constantly comparing and contrasting the tonal structure in a mirror, working on the piece upside down, etc., all in anticipation of how everything will work when 'color' is added to the tones.

The goal, as you imply, is to be able to convert the final color painting into grayscale and have it be pretty darn close to the pencil drawing - or maybe even an improvement since I'm "that much more" familiar with the composition. That is done by working on the darks first, establishing the lowest values, then working my way up, carefully placing the highlights and final glazes at the very end.

Wade

[chicoartist]

A little update on this project -


Just added the pilot yesterday on the final canvas. 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 -



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



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


Wade

[drgondog]

Wade - it looks like the 51s are flying at a high angle of attack which is a nice touch at perhaps 30kts above stall speed in straight formation.

[chicoartist]

Forward section done -




Wade