Thought I'd post a few sketches done over the last wee while to brighten up what feels like a forgotten corner.
Most are initial studies for future projects but that's not to say they'll ever go beyond this.

This is an old one I found while clearing out random junk. It was almost the last page in a small sketch book so I tidied it up and added some finishing touches.



In turn it inspired me to update the scene a little.



This one is a close up study of a FRADU Hunter GA-11 for something larger I've been thinking about since finishing the SHAR painting.



As is this one of a SHAR-2. There's a chance both aircraft may appear in the same scene once I get a chance to do the necessary research.

Very nice indeed!

I do envy you your ability to draw. That Hunter looks terrific.

cheers

Grant

Col you've got to do the Hunter as your next painting, the sketch is great but I'd love to see that one in colour.

Wonderful work!

I particularly like the updated approach drawing...not because I'm biased either!

Thanks MM.



Thanks also Grant. I go through phases of models or art, the two seldom happen at the same time.



It has Ant, sort of. A friend asked me to do an FGA-9 for his father and this ended up being expanded into a full-length painting. I've still to do some work on that but I'll post it up once finished and delivered.
Sometime in the future I want to return to the idea of a FRADU Hunter, most likely in mock combat with a SHAR.



Wanted to get this one looking like she was landing in crappy weather, coming on-board at the viewer out of fog and drizzle with a lot of contrail streaming off the wingtips, but can't find enough reference photos to really do the effects justice just yet.
In the meantime, here's one getting a little closer to the easel that may interest you Phreak

Oh, those is nice Phantooms

Col - do you sell your stuff at all?

Thanks mate, most of the time I've just given them away as I ran out of wall space to put up the next one but lately been trying to get prints made, especially after the positive feedback I had from First Light, the SHAR I did on ARC.
This has, however, proved more difficult than I anticipated. The only local printers with a giclee machine can't quite capture the colours or give a clean copy, I really should look further afield but may wait until I've finished one or two more and built-up a better portfolio.

A mate has asked me to paint his 'plane so this may yet prove to be the first work to make me some money. Got an initial sketch planned out and the paper is stretched waiting for him to decide what backgroung he wants.

Ah yes, I think I saw some of your preliminary sketches over on ARC sometime ago. I'd buy your work mate... 'specially if those 'tooms come out like I think they will

Once I get around to them you can have first refusal on either the original or a print if I ever find someone to run off a few.

Great work Col.

You really catch the feel and character of the various aircraft. I especially like the Tornados I can just imagine a blurred scottish mountain scene in the background.

MarkC

Cheers Mark, we're on the same wavelength background wise but I'll just have to wait and see if Andy agrees with us.
Short of a smilie with it's hands tied this is as close as I can get to how I feel

'ere - what about that company that does prints aviation & christmas cards? I bought a load of cards last year, and noticed they do a lot of prints, varying from about £95 for a straight print, to silly money for the originals. They're excellent quality stuff though, so if you've got that kind of cash slooshing around burning a hole in your pocket, they're worth every penny.

Want me to look out the details for you, or do you know who I mean?


Your creative urge is being directed by another hand... I guess that's the price you pay for doing commissions - the loss of a bit of freedom

Thanks Mike, I would apreciate that.
The only thing is I've wanted to cut out the middle-man as much as possible and give a potential customer better value for money, the printers I've delt with so far charged £25 to set-up the scanned image and run off a test print about 30cm x 40cm. Also, most agents and galleries dictade the artists next subject to very exacting requirements, whereas I'd much rather paint the subjects I'm interested in.
Andy's Tornado fits into my area of interest so I don't feel I'm compromising anything by doing it and having someone's opinion along the way helped me focus to a certain extent while prepairing the initial scetches.

If you want to do it yourself you could get your artwork scanned to a high resolution, get an A3 printer and have at it. You could also get high quality prints done at a digital printshop to larger sizes using archival inks.

As a sideline, I used to do paintings for a print seller and could choose my own subjects. Here is a link :-print seller . I haven't done any for a few years now but you could dip your toe in the water with them.

If you google my name you will find some other possible outlets for your work

Iain

They are good Col, really good mate.