When I first started getting interested in aviation art I used to imagine those producing it slavishly working for hours sketching their winged masterpieces for their traditional or digital paintings. It was only later I realized that the aircraft in many of their paintings were actually traced copies of aircraft from photos. This method worked well for the more popular aircraft. It just required a lot of photo reference work to find the aircraft you were looking for in the right pose.The drawbacks to this are perspective problems associated with camera lenses as well as copyright issues and the possibility that the aircraft you're doing doesn't have many if any photos of it. Although this is a common way there are artists that use other methods as well. Other methods used are descriptive geometry, photographing plastic or metal models, and more recently 3D modelling.

I've come to use the last method, 3D modelling as a preference. I start by using a 3 view 2D drawing of the aircraft to build the simple 3D wire frame model. Once I have the models I need I can set them up in any perspective or composition until I get something I like. These are just base outline wire models to use for perspective and composition.

Once I have the perspectives I want I transfer the base outline into my other software. I usually work up a quick study to see how it all looks. I then layout the line drawing and colour blocks in vector. From this point on I "paint" like a traditional painter, except my canvass is the screen. The skyscapes or backgrounds are done the same way, first starting with colour blocking in vector, then finishing with painting. The time required to complete a piece of work from start to finish is usually in the 60 to 80 hour range.

HOW I CREATE MY ART

Yak 15 wireframe

Ryan Fireball wireframe

Curtiss SBC-4 wireframe

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

PLANES, TRAINS

and AUTOMOBILES

The steps in producing the P38 work called 'Slugger' are shown to the left and below with first the line drawings followed by the colour blocking and final step of painting.

P38 "Slugger"

Ryan Fireball