Another new study - Fokker DVII - Page 3

greatwarpilot · 22 October 2008, 06:34 PM

Looking great Russ. What is that stuff on the ground in the LH foreground, in front of RK? A piece of wood or a matt of some sort and a dog?

Cheers,

Russell Smith · 4 November 2008, 02:28 PM

back to this one. I've added four more figures and a dog.

In the figure grouping back by "50", the second guy from the left (in the straw hat) is F.G. Ericson - the fellow who owned leased Leaside airfield after the war, and whose employees assembled the Fokkers. The fellow on the far right is none other than

William Barker himself.

The dog is simply for composition.

There are still a couple more figures to add in the background, a few shadows and the minor tweaks here and there, but I am hoping to start the color study this weekend.

Russ

greatwarpilot · 5 November 2008, 06:57 AM

If anyone would like to know more about the historical context and background story to the scene Russ has so vividly depicted in this scene, some of it has recently been published by the UK Journal Cross and Cockade International.

http://www.crossandcockade.com/pdf/Dominion.pdf

Somewhat of a companion piece will be published next summer in Greg VanWyngarden's issue of Over the Front under the title of ""Doughty and the D. VII: German War Trophy Aircraft On Canadian Soil In 1919". See the bar on the RH side of the following website for details:

Welcome to The League of WWI Aviation Historians

Both are samples of my research for a book that will deal comprehensively with the topic of German war trophy aircraft that were allocated to Canada after the Great War. At the moment I'm writing my Masters Thesis at the Royal Military College of Canada on this topic and I've basically been immersed in the research for over a year.

Cheers,

Russell Smith · 11 December 2008, 11:02 AM

Back on this piece.

I finished up the color study a couple of weeks ago and have started on the final, finished version. I've made a few small changes to the image based on how the study turned out. Most notably, I've added another figure to the left side of the image, back towards "RK", which will balance out the verticals of the figures in the middle and on the right. The colors of the lozenge patterns will be tightened up a bit in the final version as well.

this study was spoken for by one of our forum members long before I even started it.

color study for Spoils of War
16" x 8"
oil on Masonite

Russell Smith · 11 December 2008, 11:03 AM

Back on this piece.

I finished up the color study a couple of weeks ago and have started on the final version, finished version. I've made a few small changes to the images based on how the study turned out. Most notably, I've added another figure to the left side of the image, back towards "RK", which will balance out the verticals of the figures in the middle and on the right. The colors of the lozenge patterns will be tightened up a bit in the final version as well.

this study was spoken for by one of our forum members long before I even started it.

color study for Spoils of War
16" x 8"
oil on Masonite

JonathanS · 11 December 2008, 11:28 AM

Russ,

Having watched this one develop, I must say it is a pleasure to see everything come to life in colour! The piece looks great, btw. I am especially impressed by the little touches you've worked into the painting - all that lozenge, just the right amount of light hitting the tail end of E8102, those distinctive fitting trousers on our friend in blue... I could go on. I should add I think you've also nailed the feel of what it must have been like at Leaside just after the war. Congrats. Can't wait to see the final

Russell Smith · 12 December 2008, 04:46 AM

Thanks Jonathan. This one has been a fun one to develop, and I've gotta say that Ed has been a pleasure to work with. He's provided me with all of the details and facts that I've needed, but he's given me enough flexibility to be creative and put together a good, strong composition.

I can't wait to see how the finished version turns out, either.

Russ

greatwarpilot · 13 December 2008, 06:21 AM

Thanks for the kind words Russ. The whole commissioning experience has been an extremely positive one from this side too, and one I'd recommend to anyone out there who wants a first class piece of art that depicts a subject of their choosing.

After looking at so many b/w photos of Leaside and these aeroplanes as part of my research, its really nice to see how things might have looked in living colour.

Cheers,