Aviation Art for the Newbie

[Ian Warren]

Glen , you will find it really easy , it's to start working then you just slow down, a little at a time, I have gone twenty plus hours in all sorts of light .. I'm very use to it , but rule number - No.1 .. don't look at the whole picture (you need the full of what you are doing/planned) , study the little part part you are working on then expand on that .

[Aviator 1]

Thanks Ian, Yes I am certainly doing that I have drawn lightly the shape that I have wanted of the Harvard, I am currently looking at the window panels and working slowly getting the correct shape.
So certainly taking my time when I get the chance. I was just going to post a picture soon so you can see what I have done.

[Aviator 1]

I have seen you have already drawn Harvard's. There allot larger than mine you will see from the picture when I post it why I needed to have the tip always pointed sharp.

[Ian Warren]

Don't worry about the size of the work , best to start small so you can see the perspective, I do use the wide range of pencil, for the fine line be the HB2 , the 2B then really gets its use after.

[Aviator 1]

I thought about that when I started, I did not want to draw something massive that I was unable to get the scaling right. Or too small that it would be impossible to fill in the detail. I think as it is now its a good size its just like what I said to get the window lines the required thickness I cant let the pencil nip get to rounded otherwise the lines get to thick. At the moment I only have maybe half a hour to do a bit of drawing but its enough and every little bit is progress. Least it takes more time but better that than the stupid art class where I never got to finish a single project.

[Ian Warren]

Well Done, Stay on that track, don't forget, this is a learning process and not a race, you don't compare anything to what I do or anyone else, everyone has there own signature or form.

[Aviator 1]

Cheers Ian

[Ian Warren]

Still looking forward to what you have done so far, you may be surprised what peoples thoughts are, everyone has a different perspective to what is consider as art, a good example and maybe a suggestion to follow is you simple and humble War comic ... me I choose the aircraft ones .. or least I did all the time , now thinking about it, I may even go for a wander to the local bookshop tomorrow.

[Aviator 1]

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes I thought I can post and see as there may not be something quite right that can be commented on. I was never into the war comics, The only war type books were either non fiction or biggles. In my child hood days which I miss I use to draw characters from the simpsons and Garfield the cat from the old comic books. From the look of things its rain all weekend so looks like I will get some drawing in and post something up next week.

[Aviator 1]

I was hoping to post a picture on my progress but just had no time. Maybe I should move to where you get 24 hour day light then will have time to get plenty done

[Ian Warren]

As I said just in your own time Glen, its only a hobby and you will be thinking about it ... and suddenly idea's come straight to you and WHAMO done!

[Splitpin]

Glen , listen to the master ... guru warren .
And maybe that book i sent you will help a little .
You should try and get down this way and visit the "studio" .. I've seen wonderful things going on there.

[Ian Warren]

Glen , listen to the master ... guru warren .
And maybe that book i sent you will help a little .
You should try and get down this way and visit the "studio" .. I've seen wonderful things going on there.

, Your a bloody great Bugger Marty if you sent that book I'm thinking off! ... that would be a Superb learning book and for tips and tricks from the worlds well renown aviation artists .

[Aviator 1]

Thanks Marty its a really good book. Don't get the idea I am trying to rush I have no intentions to do that. Your right Ian you look at the picture and you find things that don't look quite right
and with line there and another there its right. That is true everybody has there own taste on how they like to do things and you can be advised on things but it cant be taught. I post a copy when its
done rather than just some rough outlines that more than likely will be changed when I start slowly adding detail. I would certainly interested in having a look this year maybe.

[Aviator 1]

I found these putty rubbers they are great and leave no smudging. You can get them at warehouse stationary.

[Ian Warren]

You also can see a great selection at the shops like the 'Drawing Room' are great for the supplies.

[Aviator 1]

Cheers I take a look later

[Splitpin]

"Thanks Marty its a really good book." No problem at all ...good luck young fella.
Ian keeps telling me I can do it too ..... and i can draw , but , when I see his stuff ...

I think the trick is not to try and emulate some ones work , take some tips of course .... but do your own thing.

I recently purchased a signed print by Adam Tooby (A great aviation artist) , called "the black tulip" which i will frame .
When I look at it , I know what he did , and how he did it .... but there is no way i can replicate it.
But.... if i put my mind to it, I know I could produce something in his style , but it would be a "Marty" not a Tooby . May sound a little vague sorry.

The same could be said of the screenshot comp ..... different strokes .
I tend to follow one style (most of the time) , sometimes it pays off , and other times your punished ... and that's good as well , keeps it real.

[Aviator 1]

I totally agree there is no problem getting tips and tricks but we are our own artist. If we all did the same thing it would be a very boring world. I would love to be able to do cutaway versions but the time that goes into them must take years.

[Ian Warren]

I would love to be able to do cutaway versions but the time that goes into them must take years.

The old school cutaway drawing is mixture working in tech 3D perspective, ability to draw the aircraft outline from that angle, then you would find the artist has access to the aircraft engineering sheets and knowledge of the aircraft structures.

One thing you can do is create a imagery aircraft/ship/spaceship and put in the structure, controls and the layout showing all the little box's and cables , primary thing is keeping everything in perspective.