Available soon
as a giclee print
"Another Hot Day at Kep"
During an Alpha strike on Kep airfield on 26 May 1967, 2 A-4E Skyhawks from VA-93 tasked with suppression of enemy air defences were struck by 85mm AA fire. One A-4 was destroyed, its pilot, Lt jg Read Mecleary sustained serious injuries during ejection and spent the next 6 years as a POW. The pilot of the second, Lt jg Roger Van Dyke was able to complete his bomb run despite loss of hydraulics, recover from his dive using elevator trim only and return safely to the USS Hancock using manual controls. For this action Lt jg Van Dyke received
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and finally....
so close....
look promising. Not quite right though. Not dramatic enough.
Now it's coming along. Markings and details from the pilot's records and lots of research added. Ran off copies and played with colors. I really wanted that jungle airfield look.
I'm cheating; this is really a couple of steps in one. The green drawing was 9 X 12, the painting will be 18 X 24. Off to Staples to get the final sketch blown up to painting size (it's on the easel), then transfer it to gessoed Medium Density Fiberboard (on the table)... Oh oh, that's the wrong type of CBU.
I show the painting to Roger and he realizes that the tail colors of the far a/c should be blue like his as there hadn't been time to complete the CAG paintjob. He also remembers that the burning a/c had been streaming fuel from a hole in the tanks. I also notice some things that I'm not happy with, such as the nose and the length of the refueling probes. I swear that drawing is morphing even under the paint.
It's finally done! (Actually, it's fun painting).
I grab my trusty acrylics....and reality intervenes. Say goodbye to the jungle. Intel (not the chip maker) and a search on Google Earth for the now abandoned airfield tell me what I already knew: it's not very jungly there, so it's back to good red Vietnamese dirt with a couple of paddies. Now, on to the a/c !
"Practice Makes Perfect"
This is Jochen Rindt driving his Lotus 49B during a foggy, wet Friday practice session for the 1969 US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. Rindt won the race, his first Grand Prix win and went on to win 5 Grands Prix in 1970 before being killed during practice for the Italian Grand Prix. He became World Champion posthumously, the only time that has occured
The image was done entirely digitally, using ArtRage 2 and Photoshop.
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This is what conditions were like on Oct 3, 1969 at Watkins Glen, NY. See if you can spot the approaching Brabham F1 car.
First steps in ArtRage 2. Sketch completed using reference photos posted in work area ( a very useful feature).
Broad areas of color have been applied and the car detailing has begun.
The 49B is effectively finished at this point.
I've added the wet pavement and reflections.
The spray from the tires and fall foliage have been added and some final detailing added to the Lotus. Painting done.
Formated for 12 X 18 print.