Aviation Art and Artists
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Aviation Art and Artists
Just curious as to whose artwork fellow pruners would wish to have hanging in their mud huts.
As my interest leans more towards military aircraft, I have to confess to a financially unrealistic love of Robert Taylor's work. I think it is nothing short of fantastic, and I have to respect the lengths he goes to in order to ensure the painting is as authentic as possible. Gerald Coulson too has created some beautifully observed (and perhaps better known) pieces of very fine art, with tremendously atmospheric backdrops. For more modern subjects, I do like Michael Rondot's work, as he tends to show the aircraft in a very aggressive pose, but the picture seems to lack some of the clarity of Turner and Coulson.
I know there are plenty of other artists, but there is something about the style, or the colours which don't seem quite right. Without wishing to sound like Brian Sewell, what do you all think?
As my interest leans more towards military aircraft, I have to confess to a financially unrealistic love of Robert Taylor's work. I think it is nothing short of fantastic, and I have to respect the lengths he goes to in order to ensure the painting is as authentic as possible. Gerald Coulson too has created some beautifully observed (and perhaps better known) pieces of very fine art, with tremendously atmospheric backdrops. For more modern subjects, I do like Michael Rondot's work, as he tends to show the aircraft in a very aggressive pose, but the picture seems to lack some of the clarity of Turner and Coulson.
I know there are plenty of other artists, but there is something about the style, or the colours which don't seem quite right. Without wishing to sound like Brian Sewell, what do you all think?
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Witchdoctor:
Agree with your comments re Turner and Coulson etc - one of my other favourites is Keith Woodcock whose work is generally clear and accurate, with a fantastic feel for English summer evenings and Merlins popping and crackling over the boundary hedge....
Agree with your comments re Turner and Coulson etc - one of my other favourites is Keith Woodcock whose work is generally clear and accurate, with a fantastic feel for English summer evenings and Merlins popping and crackling over the boundary hedge....
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Those names are fine if you are a member of the Spitfire owners club with the exception of Rondot. Nicholas Trudgeon (sp?) is another example of how GB has some of the finest Aviation Artists in the world. I have just purchased a print by Charles McHugh of a Puma helicopter and the attention to detail of the background is v impressive. I had owned it a fortnight before realising there was a sniffer dog and handler in the forground!
Not too many people appear to be painting 50s + aviation art which is a shame, but I guess supply meets demand. Having attended this years GAvA Exhibition and seen the present display at RAFM Cosford, we are blessed with some excellent work in this country, perhaps we may be allowed some links to foreign artists if the moderator will allow, assuming that there are some to be had:
Not too many people appear to be painting 50s + aviation art which is a shame, but I guess supply meets demand. Having attended this years GAvA Exhibition and seen the present display at RAFM Cosford, we are blessed with some excellent work in this country, perhaps we may be allowed some links to foreign artists if the moderator will allow, assuming that there are some to be had:
Iconoclast
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Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
When I was working in Italy I was introduced to a young (25 year old) artist that had never attended art school. He however did a lot of advertising art for Ferrari and a lot of artwork for Italian and German aviation magazines.
I commissioned him to do twenty-one different aviation subjects of his choice. One of the paintings was stolen (A fairy swordfish-String bag) and one hangs in the Vice Presidents office at TWA. The other nineteen are hanging in my office. I think that Robert Taylor and the other English artists are top notch but I can’t afford an original of their paintings however I have nineteen original paintings by Angelo Colombo and they too are top notch.
I commissioned him to do twenty-one different aviation subjects of his choice. One of the paintings was stolen (A fairy swordfish-String bag) and one hangs in the Vice Presidents office at TWA. The other nineteen are hanging in my office. I think that Robert Taylor and the other English artists are top notch but I can’t afford an original of their paintings however I have nineteen original paintings by Angelo Colombo and they too are top notch.
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I rather like the work of the guy who does the Caricature Aviation prints - I have one on my study wall.
In my defence, I do have a signed Coulson print of a Tiger Moth over my fireplace and that was the very first thing I bought for our new house!
In my defence, I do have a signed Coulson print of a Tiger Moth over my fireplace and that was the very first thing I bought for our new house!
Last edited by hjc; 13th Sep 2003 at 18:43.
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On the basis that I won't be able to fly my own plane forever, my wife very kindly commissioned Jim Brown to do an oil-painting of my Airtourer as a memento. The end result was terrific and Jim took a great deal of trouble over selecting the background by hiring a Robin and getting his wife to video Grafham Water from all angles. This was the chosen background. The end result was a very personal painting of an individual aircraft. He advertises in the flying mags and used "my" painting in his ads for some time. One point is that he retains the rights to the further use of the painting i.e. for prints and postcards etc.
By the bye I have Gerald Coulson's "Misty morning Lancaster print on the other wall. That's pretty good too
By the bye I have Gerald Coulson's "Misty morning Lancaster print on the other wall. That's pretty good too
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Every so often I have to mod this forum, not often, but I am glad that it runs as well as it does. In fact I am rather proud of it.
However, I have had to delete a link to a commercial site that hjc put up simply because we do not allow commercial links. Sorry, but those are the rules.
As a matter of fact some of them are good and fit very well with the title of the forum but like I say - rules is rules.
You can always check with me first if you wish but if the site sells anything it is commercial.
CP
However, I have had to delete a link to a commercial site that hjc put up simply because we do not allow commercial links. Sorry, but those are the rules.
As a matter of fact some of them are good and fit very well with the title of the forum but like I say - rules is rules.
You can always check with me first if you wish but if the site sells anything it is commercial.
CP
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I've got several prints by Geoff Nutkins, who I first met about 20 years ago when he did freelance visualising and illustrations for the design company I worked for at the time.
He specialises in Battle of Britain subjects, often set in his native Kent.
As well as being a superb artist, he is also involved in excavating crash sites, and has a museum and tea room at his home in Shoreham (Kent) which is open every Sunday from May to September and is well worth a visit.
A search on Google will provide more details.
RD
He specialises in Battle of Britain subjects, often set in his native Kent.
As well as being a superb artist, he is also involved in excavating crash sites, and has a museum and tea room at his home in Shoreham (Kent) which is open every Sunday from May to September and is well worth a visit.
A search on Google will provide more details.
RD
Free Man, Not a Number
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Being a novice in this subject I should stay silent, but it's never slowed me down before.
Robert Taylor - I've got a couple of his books and they are excellent. A real "Dear Santa..." I lean more towards the days of sail Nelson era for most of my artwork hung on the wall though.
Robert Taylor - I've got a couple of his books and they are excellent. A real "Dear Santa..." I lean more towards the days of sail Nelson era for most of my artwork hung on the wall though.
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Can anyone give me the names of artists who don't do military (either current or WWII) and preferably whose names a google search will enable be to view some of their work.
I would like to see more work in the light aircraft arena both to enjoy and to help provide inspiration for a novice watercolourist.
ps I have a couple really enjoyable prints by Coulson and Roderick Lovesey
I would like to see more work in the light aircraft arena both to enjoy and to help provide inspiration for a novice watercolourist.
ps I have a couple really enjoyable prints by Coulson and Roderick Lovesey
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The big names in aviation art are truly great, but there are many others who also deserve recognition. I met a chap called John Rayson at Elvington in '89. I eventually bought an original watercolour from him - 'Contact!' - a Spitfire on start up, and two copies of another watercolour - 'Spitfire Blues' - both were, and still are, outstanding. John could turn his hand to anything, but his great love was aircraft. His wife told me that even on commissions for non-aviation pictures, there would always be an aircraft somewhere in the background. Sadly John died from MS in the late 90's - a great loss.
On a lighter vein, when my Grandfather died, he left me a few hundred quid and I decided to spend it original water colours. My then wife left me in no doubt that: "I didn't want any more aircraft pictures', so I had Graham Bradshaw (a great watercolourist) paint a couple of birds - 'a hen HARRIER' and a female 'sparrowHAWK' - the missus never did see the joke!
A
On a lighter vein, when my Grandfather died, he left me a few hundred quid and I decided to spend it original water colours. My then wife left me in no doubt that: "I didn't want any more aircraft pictures', so I had Graham Bradshaw (a great watercolourist) paint a couple of birds - 'a hen HARRIER' and a female 'sparrowHAWK' - the missus never did see the joke!
A
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paintings/prints
dont have a favourite artist, i collect signed limited commemorative prints of early british jets.for example, 30 yrs of lightning signed by tim nolan the artist plus roly beamont and jimmy dell. also last flight of the vulcan signed by pilots and
groundcrew,last flight of buccaneers[9] signed by all 9 pilots etc.
i collect commemoratives of lightnings especially as i was once sqn storeman on 5 sqn!!
groundcrew,last flight of buccaneers[9] signed by all 9 pilots etc.
i collect commemoratives of lightnings especially as i was once sqn storeman on 5 sqn!!
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Being a Tiger_mate I was interested in Spot 4s comments on a Puma painting. Found it with a Google "web" search (not image search) " Bessbrook Mill ", ordered mine already with a remarque
Am told by the artist that a Wessex is now available also, makes a nice change for a minority subject to be available. I also like the work of John Young and have a nice print of some spitfires over london. Dont know if it was limited edition due to the frame blocking any ifo out. Anyone help on that one?
Am told by the artist that a Wessex is now available also, makes a nice change for a minority subject to be available. I also like the work of John Young and have a nice print of some spitfires over london. Dont know if it was limited edition due to the frame blocking any ifo out. Anyone help on that one?
I'matightbastard
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I've got a print of Dawn Patrol by Coulson hanging on my wall. The odd thing is that I saw a photo in a book once and its the same picture...except he'd changed from about nine aircraft to three, changed the angle of the sun, and I think changed the squadron letters. Odd.
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My brother has done quite a few large scale paintings in acrylic on canvas of classic airliners like the VC-10, 707, Trident and DC-8s. His favorite artist is a guy named Dietz I believe.
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Thanks guys (and gals?).
Just the sort of info I'm after for the day when I'm a wealthy pilot(Ha ha ha ha ha ha
- yeah, right!
). I think my creditors would have something to say about my spending habits first.
I'm glad there are so many others to check out. There's just something about a good painting of an aircraft that nothing else short of being there can match. It's good to know I'm not alone.
If anyone feels like making a loan to the Witchdoctor Gallery................
Just the sort of info I'm after for the day when I'm a wealthy pilot(Ha ha ha ha ha ha
- yeah, right! ). I think my creditors would have something to say about my spending habits first.I'm glad there are so many others to check out. There's just something about a good painting of an aircraft that nothing else short of being there can match. It's good to know I'm not alone.
If anyone feels like making a loan to the Witchdoctor Gallery................
Nemesis of the Proot Dynasty
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Tongue in cheek.
SOKOL.
Who was/is SOKOL? Some of you must remember him. Rumour had it that he was a Flt Lt. in the RAF and produced a monthly full page colour cartoon for a very large circulation glossy. Damn funny some of them were too.
Anyone remember which magazine?
SOKOL.
Who was/is SOKOL? Some of you must remember him. Rumour had it that he was a Flt Lt. in the RAF and produced a monthly full page colour cartoon for a very large circulation glossy. Damn funny some of them were too.
Anyone remember which magazine?
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The late John Rayson also produced brilliant caricatures of RAF "types", ranging from oil-stained knuckle-scraping "Chiefies" to wet-behind-the-ears sprog Pilot Officers etc. I know this is getting away from aviation art, (possibly!) but they are very good!
I also recall seeing a fantastic Rayson Lightning thundering out of Binbrook in murky Lincs weather - you can feel the ground shaking!
I also recall seeing a fantastic Rayson Lightning thundering out of Binbrook in murky Lincs weather - you can feel the ground shaking!
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Witchdoctor I can ask my brother if he would make a donation. I don't think he would mind. Right now he's trying to get his work out there to be seen. Just email him for what airline and type you're interested in and size of work. His name is George and his email is [email protected]