'Twin-tailed Dragons' pencil sketch ... - Aircraft of World War II

chicoartist · 04-20-2006, 01:15 AM

Hi guys,

Just finished this little pencil sketch for my upcoming Twin-tailed Dragons. The final canvas will be 24 x 32.

Next step is to do a small oil sketch the same size as this pencil sketch to nail down the values and colors. After THAT, I have to put this project aside and finish the final 48" wide The Debden Kidd canvas. The final P-38 canvas is going to the same home as The Debden Kidd, so no problem mixing and matching my time on these two!

I didn't bother with much detail or markings at this small size, but I did 'hint' at the distinctive dragon motif art on the booms (459th FS; Chittagong, India).

The painting will show a few P-38s in mid-May 1944 led by Capt. Walter F. "Bill" Duke's Miss-V. Duke, a 13-victory ace, was KIA in this plane after a sweep over Heho/Meiktila airfield on 6 June 44 when he voluntarily returned to find his missing wingman after the wingman failed to join up after they cleared the target area. Duke said he had plenty of gas and circled back.

Japanese fighters flying at altitude saw his lone P-38 and attacked. After the war Japanese records investigated by US officers confirmed that Duke knocked down three of his attackers before he was shot down himself. These last three victories do not show up on some "official" lists. His wingman actually made it home OK.

The second ship is being flown by Maj. Willard J. Webb.

Twin-tailed Dragons
Pencil on paper
8 x 10 5/8

Gnomey · 04-20-2006, 07:19 AM

Nice Wade, looking forward to seeing the colour sketch.

Wildcat · 04-20-2006, 07:24 AM

Superb as usual mate!

evangilder · 04-20-2006, 11:13 AM

Very, very nice, Wade!

MacArther · 04-20-2006, 11:35 AM

Very nice... Dumb question though, why is it everyone BUT me can draw stuff, and I'm still limited to crude stick figures?

lesofprimus · 04-20-2006, 12:22 PM

I would think that with such a distinctive art job, dragon tails on the booms, that u would have attempted to highlight this area, rather than show the -38 coming almost head on, thereby limitating the view of the booms....

Great pic none the less....

chicoartist · 04-20-2006, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesofprimus

I would think that with such a distinctive art job, dragon tails on the booms, that u would have attempted to highlight this area, rather than show the -38 coming almost head on, thereby limitating the view of the booms....

Very good question and observation, but it was a compromise ... I chose a more dynamic view than a "sitting pretty" side view. Gosh, I'm tired of those (for now). Plus, almost every "good" side view photograph of P-38s shows the plane from the side and slightly above so that you can see the other boom ... You rarely see a good action shot as I show it - from the front.

All my rough sketches kept bringing me back to this arrangment, like you're sitting in a hot air balloon and they're ZOOMING past you. Conveys speed and power. That's the effect I wanted.

The 'compromise' is that the booms aren't as visible as they would be from the side. That being said, the front of the dragon motif is highly visible on both sides (one side visible on each boom), and you will be able to see the 'tail' snaking back on the plane's left boom, so it will actually be visible on the final art.

Wade

lesofprimus · 04-20-2006, 01:02 PM

I find ur compromise to be a very valid one, and I definatly do like the angle at which u are presenting the plane/s.....

cheddar cheese · 04-20-2006, 01:08 PM

Great drawing!

Henk · 04-20-2006, 07:45 PM

Great stuff mate, I wish I could do that.

Henk

the lancaster kicks ass · 04-21-2006, 03:47 AM

i can't draw for sh*t

Gnomey · 04-21-2006, 07:28 AM

Neither can I....

Pisis · 04-21-2006, 08:45 AM

Yeah, it's a superb artwork mate!

cheddar cheese · 04-21-2006, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

i can't draw for sh*t

Why would you want to anyway, **** is an inanimate object and cannot appreciate the efforts of skillful drawing

I dabble in a bit of drawing every now and then, im not very good at all though. If I had the time I would do so a lot more.

the lancaster kicks ass · 04-21-2006, 03:32 PM

you assume i would be drawing for the purpose of entertaining the sh*t, i could have been drawing in order to recieve some sh*t

04-20-2006, 01:15 AM	#1
chicoartist Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Alabamastan Posts: 127	'Twin-tailed Dragons' pencil sketch ... Hi guys, Just finished this little pencil sketch for my upcoming Twin-tailed Dragons. The final canvas will be 24 x 32. Next step is to do a small oil sketch the same size as this pencil sketch to nail down the values and colors. After THAT, I have to put this project aside and finish the final 48" wide The Debden Kidd canvas. The final P-38 canvas is going to the same home as The Debden Kidd, so no problem mixing and matching my time on these two! I didn't bother with much detail or markings at this small size, but I did 'hint' at the distinctive dragon motif art on the booms (459th FS; Chittagong, India). The painting will show a few P-38s in mid-May 1944 led by Capt. Walter F. "Bill" Duke's Miss-V. Duke, a 13-victory ace, was KIA in this plane after a sweep over Heho/Meiktila airfield on 6 June 44 when he voluntarily returned to find his missing wingman after the wingman failed to join up after they cleared the target area. Duke said he had plenty of gas and circled back. Japanese fighters flying at altitude saw his lone P-38 and attacked. After the war Japanese records investigated by US officers confirmed that Duke knocked down three of his attackers before he was shot down himself. These last three victories do not show up on some "official" lists. His wingman actually made it home OK. The second ship is being flown by Maj. Willard J. Webb. Twin-tailed Dragons Pencil on paper 8 x 10 5/8 __________________ Site: http://wademeyersart.tripod.com Blog: http://wademeyersart.blogspot.com

04-20-2006, 07:19 AM	#2
Gnomey "World Traveller" Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK Posts: 15,220	Nice Wade, looking forward to seeing the colour sketch. __________________ "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts" Sir Winston Churchill "To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today" Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum My Photo Collections on Flickr

04-20-2006, 07:24 AM	#3
Wildcat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Queensland Posts: 4,543	Superb as usual mate! __________________

04-20-2006, 11:13 AM	#4
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,807	Very, very nice, Wade! __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

04-20-2006, 11:35 AM	#5
MacArther Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 876	Very nice... Dumb question though, why is it everyone BUT me can draw stuff, and I'm still limited to crude stick figures? __________________ http://www.fictionpress.com/u/478009/ Hillary 2012: The world has to end sometime!

04-20-2006, 12:22 PM	#6
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,500	I would think that with such a distinctive art job, dragon tails on the booms, that u would have attempted to highlight this area, rather than show the -38 coming almost head on, thereby limitating the view of the booms.... Great pic none the less.... __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

04-20-2006, 01:02 PM	#8
lesofprimus Minister of Whoopass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi Posts: 17,500	I find ur compromise to be a very valid one, and I definatly do like the angle at which u are presenting the plane/s..... __________________ My IL2 Video Tribute to My Grandfather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk

04-20-2006, 01:08 PM	#9
cheddar cheese Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: WSM, England Posts: 20,387	Great drawing!

04-20-2006, 07:45 PM	#10
Henk Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: George - South Africa Posts: 2,780	Great stuff mate, I wish I could do that. Henk __________________ The ultimate revolution in aircraft designs during WW2

04-21-2006, 03:47 AM	#11
the lancaster kicks ass Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 19,945	i can't draw for sh*t __________________ "Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy."

04-21-2006, 07:28 AM	#12
Gnomey "World Traveller" Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK Posts: 15,220	Neither can I.... __________________ "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts" Sir Winston Churchill "To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today" Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum My Photo Collections on Flickr

04-21-2006, 08:45 AM	#13
Pisis Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Praga Mater Urbium Posts: 5,859	Yeah, it's a superb artwork mate! __________________ "He's a menace to himself and everything else in the air... yes, birds too." - Airplane! Memory of Nation Why Did Hitler Want Czechoslovakia WW2 Was A War That Had To Be Fought! What Really Happened in Israel? Children of Hamas

04-21-2006, 03:32 PM	#15
the lancaster kicks ass Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 19,945	you assume i would be drawing for the purpose of entertaining the sht, i could have been drawing in order to recieve some sht __________________ "Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy."

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