The A2A Simulations Community

Finally managed to remember my password and make it back onto the boards!!!!!!!! Hope everyone is doing well and you guys are still churning out the good work!

Thought I'd post my latest WIP.....I drew the same picture about 7 years ago and wanted to revisit it..its Harry Moody of 602 Sqn, in the cockpit of a Mk1 Spit. Harry was lost on the 7th Sept 1940 and as yet, has still to be found. My small tribute to one of the few who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Drawing is approx 18" x 20" and is done using a 2b 0.7mm lead, so far about 40hrs work over a month, still have the Spit door and main fuselage to complete, but Im happy with it so far.

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'Damn...my photo doesn't show up!'

I don't have a lot of time to post on here much anymore, so I hope my posting here is reflective of how incredible that is looking, Puff. I've loved all your previous pieces, and this one looks set to just as awesome as your previous pieces.
Tell me Puff, I also have a passion for drawing, but recently I have steered more towards using charcoal in place of graphite/lead pencils because of the shine effect the latter produces. Do you encounter this problem with your drawing as well?

Excellent work though, can't wait to see the finished piece!

Thanks for taking the time to reply, in answer to your question...yep I do have 'shine' from the graphite...part of the fun of drawing lol How do you find the charcoal to use??

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'Damn...my photo doesn't show up!'

I gave up on charcoal after my first attempt, which looked spectacular upon completion in my
sketchbook, had turned to sludge a month later when I looked at it next. How do you keep
charcoal works from smudging? I would think you'd have to have a single sheet, mounted
on a board during the period of execution, and then sprayed with something to preserve it
upon completion.

That is absolutely fantastic Puff,as ever.
Have the family of the pilot [if any still exist ] seen this yet?
PV, I think you can fix the charcoal with a fixative ,i did try charcoal but being left handed i ended up with more on me than the paper LOL
http://www.ehow.com/how_2150213_fix-cha ... awing.html

That is simply incredible! You have talent sir!

while your working on it I believe you have to mount a cover sheet to it to keep it from smudging.

Then have to spray it with a fixative spray when your done pal. They have these sprays for this in art supply stores.

Boy, that brings me back to my art school days and then some.


http://www.dickblick.com/products/winso ... 21711-1001

http://drawsketch.about.com/cs/howtoind ... xative.htm


They are also "workable fixatives" That might be another possibility for you to use while your finish your picture.

Wow, that is just brilliant, what a mood.

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Looking for BOB missions, campaigns, and historical resources?

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Thanks folks, really appreciate the comments.

I found a cheap alternative was to use a firm hold hairspray ...plus it smells nicer lol

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'Damn...my photo doesn't show up!'

As Stalker says, I cover areas of charcoal which I might accidentally go over with my hand, whilst working, and then spray liberally with the fixative...
It seems to work well, but as far as presentation in sketchbooks, I'll cover with tracing paper to make sure that no smudging results.
Because I blend the charcoal though, this takes off the top surface, and so (I have found) makes the areas less prone to smudging.
I use both graphite and charcoal together now; graphite for lighter areas, charcoal for darker areas (and also carbon pencils to draw distinctions between the two in some places (such as for detailed shadow lines)). I certainly do really enjoy the charcoal, and ever since reading this book by JD Hillberry (who seems a great chap, BTW, from the brief e-mail contact I had with him) my drawing has improved

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drawing-Realist ... 0891348689

It is odd, though, as I agree that the shine is a nice side-effect of using the graphite. For drawing purposes, graphite/lead is my favourite medium to use, and if it hadn't been brought to my intention that charcoal would work better for these dark areas, I would still be happily sticking to charcoal
Interestingly, when I was in contact with the aforementioned Hillberry, I had bought a set of pencils off of him. This included a 9B graphite pencil which doesn't produced any shine at all So if heavy-shine in dark areas annoys you, then it's a brilliant pencil to use! (the shine is subjective though; to some it's like marmite, although I am indifferent about it).

Anyway, sorry to steer this topic away from your amazing drawing, Puff. I'm doing a-level Art at the moment, so your piece really interested me. I will point out that, personally, since using charcoal, my drawing has improved a lot.



edit-yes, hairspray works really well! I have artistis fixative too, and the only difference I've noticed is the smell ( ) and that hairspray can make the paper slightly damper (although, I think it holds better!)

Hehe, I have that book, his stuff is very nice and love the way he shows how to go about producing the type of work he is renowned for. Did pick up some tips from it too

As for using other mediums...Im a very {insert here either stubborn or lazy } type of person, Im in my comfort zone and don't want to leave it lol...maybe one day

Would love to see some of your work mate....

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'Damn...my photo doesn't show up!'

That's a definite No no pal... I don't really know why. Someone said it was.

damn I should have added that too while I was hunting up the name of this stuff.


well since Philip says it works for him you might be safe after all !

Well.....it has worked for me in the past....but I am currently using artists fixative, so take that comment of mine with a pinch of salt I think it's a subjective issue; 'professional' (can that term be flung around?) artists might swear against it, but I've had others (including a lady in an art shop!) tell me that hair spray works just as well, so I guess one can only try and hope for the best....(or do checks on a scrap piece of paper).

Puff; I agree mate, once you enter a comfort zone, it's nicer to stay put. Unfortunately, doing a-level art, I'm constantly pushed to break out of this zone (which has its merits, I suppose).
I will say that the first time I used charcoal for a drawing, I was extremely nervous! But I was very happy with the result.
OK, you asked for some pictures These ones are my most recent ones; the broken mirror one was part of my art-exam, and the eye fitted into my coursework. I'll try and get some pictures of graphite pieces done before-hand, which might show a progression (both were done with a mix of charcoal and graphite). Obviously it's nothing on your magnificent pieces, Puff! (looking at the pictures, the eye needs some work! But I can't work on it until I get my coursework back)

Before I finally gave up drawing, long ago (just drifted away from it), I had settled on
using a black Pilot Fineliner felt, on letter sized paper, and as the Fineliner is water soluble,
I would just xerox the final result. The copy was pretty much indistinguishable from the
original, but in indelible baked toner. I could never do that now, you can't make any
mistakes with a felt.

I first got into drawing watching my much older brother, who eventually became an architect;
he had a fantastic book, probably from the early '50s, by a dutch guy, I think, who had a
wonderful technique for drawing buildings, using the broad side of fat pencils he carved to
wedge points. This guy would use the side of the tip to draw whole shingles and planks with
one stroke. I was not yet six, but I would struggle to make something that sort of vaguely
looked like the book, and of course fail utterly, as I didn't yet have the motor control. I was
utterly amazed by the way I could plainly see that the pictures were just made of pencil
lines, yet at the same time they looked photographic.

Get rid of the embarrassed smiley mate..those are fantastic...that eye is amazing and really lifelike...as for the mirror..wow!!!

Sounds like a good way to draw PV, I started out using biro's to draw..was the same thing, couldn't make mistakes...

You should get back into drawing,I remember being told, drawing is like riding a bike..you may be rusty, but you'll never forget how to do it

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'Damn...my photo doesn't show up!'