D.VII Double Portrait Start to Finish

[Russell Smith]

Alright, based on that photo, lets assume 2 things:

1. the the DVII sits on fairly level ground.
2. that the "horizon" we see in the photo is the true horizon and that there isn't more ground in the distance that isn't visible or is washed out or something like that.

based on those assumptions I would look at where the horizon cuts through the DVII and estimate your PoV to be 4'3", give or take a few inches. if that is correct, then every reference point in your image that is 4'3" off the ground will fall on the horizon line.

Now keep in mind that there could be variables - the ground may not be level, the horizon may actually extend up higher that what we can see in the photo, etc. , but all things being equal...

[AAC Cadet Leader]

russ,
hm...okay. your mathematical descriptions on point of view make good sense. i will add your good input into the equation (pun intended) as i continue today. keep the advice coming, russ. much appreciated!

[AAC Cadet Leader]

i transferred the background sketch with white stabilo pencil...


then i went over top of my white stabilo lines with black acrylic paint, painting my longest roof lines with my 4' long brush (my paintbrush tied to a yardstick). also darkened some of the areas that are shaded on the photo...


here's a close-up of my favorite part of the background so far...

[AAC Cadet Leader]

then i painted the D.VII in over top of the backround lines and highlighted the white areas...


before i did any painting today, i must've moved my buildings and the horizon line up and down about a hundred times and the D.VII back and forth and up and down before deciding to place them where they are now. believe me, it wasn't an easy task. i finally chose to put the horizon line about one-third up from the bottom and opt for a bigger sky, and to place the D.VII to the left side, so as not to obliterate the apex on the hangar roofline and to not place the DVII smack dab in the middle of the painting. i also like the way the wheels and hangars off to the right side draw an invisible line that takes your eye back to the vanishing point off to the right in the distance. i think that if i make the roofline above the wing a faded tone relative to the D.VII i will get away with it almost paralleling it. we shall see, anyway.

of course the pilot, the mechanic and the aeroplane builders have to be added in before i start adding color. the builders will be moved to the area to the right side as there is not enough room to put them where i originally planned them to be in my paper rough draft sketch.

tonight at our weekly figure modeling studio session, ernie, one of the artists, insisted that i call this a finished painting right now and start another one.

[Taz]

Martha- Much better proportions on the D.VII. Looking good. That is a pretty large painting. Check your propeller length. Looks like you might be cutting grass on take-off once the tail comes up.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[Butch]

Or is the tail sitting a speck too low? In the original photo the tail skid was about level with the bottom of the left wheel.
Pete

[Der Grüne Flieger]

AAC,

Why does TAZ call you Martha? I think he is right, the lower portion of the prop looks a bit long. But, the plane looks gorgeous, no more bush pilot wheels!

The hangars look like they are off to a great start, I really like the way you inked them out.

Can't wait to see more progress. Good luck.


Phil

[spacecrow]

Originally Posted by AAC Cadet Leader

to my art patron, please do not worry. this is only a very rough, first thumbnail sketch(es) of more i plan to make before developing a detailed plan.

the purpose of thumbnail sketches is to warm up and get some ideas for composition and subject placement within the rectangular format. a specific size has not been committed, but the initial idea is to create a 28 x 40" painting. this dimension is not set in stone, nor is the plan to make it a horizontal format, rather than vertical.
as you can see, i began with a tiny thumbnail on the left, then started another, larger one to the right, and enlarged the boundaries of it two or three times.
more thumbnail ideas to come tomorrow. suggestions and input welcome - but not necessarily paid attention to.

Hi AAC, just a comment, I have looked at a lot of photos of ground crew and never seen bareheaded Germans.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Originally Posted by Taz

Martha- Much better proportions on the D.VII. Looking good. That is a pretty large painting. Check your propeller length. Looks like you might be cutting grass on take-off once the tail comes up.

Taz
Terry Phillips

hmm. perhaps so. thx, terry.

Originally Posted by Butch

Or is the tail sitting a speck too low? In the original photo the tail skid was about level with the bottom of the left wheel.
Pete

i'll have a look at that, too. thx!

Originally Posted by Der Grüne Flieger

AAC,

Why does TAZ call you Martha?

ha. cuz he knows my alias.

I think he is right, the lower portion of the prop looks a bit long. But, the plane looks gorgeous, no more bush pilot wheels!

i've secretly always wanted a bush plane.

The hangars look like they are off to a great start, I really like the way you inked them out.

thanks phil, but my patron on this painting has PM'd me that i might have the hangars off to the right are at the wrong angle.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Originally Posted by spacecrow

Hi AAC, just a comment, I have looked at a lot of photos of ground crew and never seen bareheaded Germans.

what bareheaded germans? one's got hair, the other is wearing a helmut und goggles.