Every picture tells a story, or at least it should. I think this is true in general, but even more so when talking about Aviation art. Many people start out just drawing or painting aircraft with no supporting context, a practice which has its place, but pales rather quickly in the grand scheme of things. A well done profile of a plane is very nice to see, in fact I have one hanging on the studio wall, but for the long haul I think it's important to try to have a tale to tell with the painting. This, of course, requires quite a bit of research which in some cases can take longer than the actual artwork. Case in Point: I'm working up a couple of paintings involving a specific C-7A Caribou operation in Vietnam, and while I have a lot of background information to go on, including first hand accounts, there is no apparent information on exactly where the subject aircraft was hit by NVA anti-aircraft fire. The airplane subsequently crashed, killing the crew, but nowhere can I find out specifically what damage brought it down. Even those who were there are hazy on that subject, so I may end up using a bit of artistic licence, though not having the correct details rankles a bit.
Having a story to tell enhances the artwork immensely and if you look at most "great" aviation art, there is usually a good background tale unfolding. Even general scenes are improved by placing them in some kind of context, even if it is somewhat generic. The creation of an atmosphere that triggers a response lifts a painting out of the mundane and adds immeasurably to the enjoyment.
On another note, I've been looking over some of my old sketchbooks recently and it occurs to me that I've slipped out of the habit of always having one along when out and about. I used to carry a small one and at least one pencil and a pen pretty much all the time, but the advent of the ever popular mobile phone has made me and, I suspect, many others a bit lazy. Where I used to pause to make a quick, sometimes very rough sketch of something that caught my eye, I now just take out the old phone and snap a shot. While this may be great for capturing details, it does nothing to catch the 'essence' of the subject. A quick snapshot is also almost always done in passing, so no time to sit and absorb the little nuances that only come from being in the presence of your subject for a reasonable period. For me, the act of sitting in front of a subject, catching the way it reflects the light and dozens of other little elements that you only get when up close and personal give me a much deeper appreciation for it and those impressions can be noted and put down later if I'm developing it in the studio. Certainly photos taken on the spot can help fill in the gaps where the memory or the sketch have let me down, but all in all, the personal touch of on site rendering of a subject can't be beat. It's one of the reasons I look forward to the sketching days organised by the GAvA regions. I also have resolved to get out and do some painting en plein air more often. There are plenty of subjects here in Hampshire and I should get off my backside and get at it. I've always used the excuse that my travelling, the short layovers and jet lag kept me too tired to concentrate, but approaching 18 months of various lockdowns has really put paid to that particular reason for inaction. No one's fault except mine.
A sample of things I did manage to sketch when I was swanning around the globe: (sorry, flat-earthers, it really is round)
Spent the better part of a sunny afternoon at Petworth Park catching this old fellow. I love trees.
Arabic Coffee pot and a couple of hand made metal bowls done during my time in the Middle East.
My old faithful canvas satchel. My constant traveling companion for I don’t know how many years.
Pagoda Tower, Kunming China. I spent too many years there for this to be the only sketch I have.
The upshot of all this soul-searching is that I am going to try and get back to basics and get out and about, recording the things I see the old school way, with paper and pencil. At least that’s the plan.
As far as the art world here in the UK goes, there are things opening up and things still available online:
The Harvard Museum online has a Zoom lecture on one of Edward Hopper’s New England Watercolours on the 13th of this month at 17:30 BST. It’s free and you can register for it here: https://harvardartmuseums.org/calendar/art-talk-live-on-cape-cod-with-edward-hopper
The National Gallery has a series of “Stories of Art Online” starting on the 14th and running into August. The whole series will set you back £75, but it does look interesting: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/events/course-stories-of-art-online-module-7-1900-2021-2021?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NG_2021July_Newsletter_NM&utm_content=version_A&promo=124402
That’s it for this week. Get out there and draw stuff.