P-47 prep work

The next major project is to be of two P-47 Thunderbolts taking off, with their undercarriage in the course of retracting, and each aircraft laden down with two drop tanks to allow for the long range mission that lays ahead.

The idea was born out of the desire to paint the P-47, and incorporates the interesting shapes created by the fuel tanks and undercarriage. I feel that panoramic canvases work well for aircraft paintings and so have used that idea here as well.

Here is the first thumbnail sketch showing the concept, it is no more than a pencil scribble in a note book.


Work is underway to take the concept and create a more formal layout of the planes, the distance between them, their height above the runway, and crucially the position of the sun, and so the light source.




Whilst the sketchbook was to hand I played with a quick pencil work (copying a drawing by Robert Taylor, just to get a feel for his style).