PAINTING AIRCRAFT - Step-by-Step How Aviation Art is Created

[@ronjon7942]

It's beautiful, Mike. Seeing it slowly morph together is stunning.

[@utubejdaniel8888]

Fascinating. It is a little like a magician showing us how the trick is done.

[@ronjon7942]

Ugh, I don't miss that cold. Phoenix just can't get that hot where I'd want to go back.

[@aramboodakian9554]

You are one of my favorite KZbin producers. Fantastic array of aviation goodies! In these turbulent times watching your videos take me back to my youth and more innocent times.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Really appreciate the comment, thanks!

[@garfieldsmith332]

Fantastic. I never realized how much work went into creating these works of art.

[@HRradness]

Thanks Mike for showing us how you create. I had pages from magazines that had artwork of yours on my wall when I was in College since all my $$ went towards flying. After college I managed to pay for some flight time with my meager pencil drawings. Always enjoyed your work. Really enjoying your channel.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Really appreciate the comment, thanks, and how neat you were able to sell your drawings for flight time!

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

This episode proves that you can’t fake Talent…. or hard work … and it’s also a great lesson in composition , and techniques…! I don’t know how the Author does it , but I do believe Mr Machat has very cleverly snuck in a valuable art lesson for the we the viewers … Thanks 😊

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Great comment - many thanks!

[@markfrommontana]

This was such a treat! All of the topics you've covered demonstrate why "Celebrating Aviation" is the perfect title for your channel. Thank you!

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Many thanks Mark. It's comments like yours that make it all worth while!

[@bertg.6056]

You created a beautiful rendition of that Mooney, Mike. Just mentioning, you 'artfully' avoided depicting its vertical tail, which many have described as "designed by committee".

[@atatexan]

Fabulous, Mike. So interesting. Gives me a new perspective on my much-loved Braniff DC-7C departing Rio de Janeiro.

[@jgideon27]

Particularly appreciated the point about tangents - even for corporate powerpoint presentations this is helpful

[@gustavoheberle6265]

Wonderful job, Mr Machat. Its always a pleasure to see talented artist and his secrets of beautiful work. The Bonanza came flashing at FL250. Cheers to the Flying Dentists Association too !

[@ecidaho]

Awesome job. I’m from the twin cities and was cool to see the MSP airport. I really enjoy your videos on how to compose and set up artwork! My late father, who did a lot of painting would have been doing handstands if he would have been able to watch you demonstrations. Watching them make me think of lot of him and how he enjoyed painting and his other art projects. All the best and take care!

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks very much for your wonderful comment, and so glad you enjoyed the video!

[@maxsmodels]

Beautiful work Mike. I was hoping you would do the anatomy of a painting. I have always wondered and been in awe of such artwork. What I have learned from you, Tom Daniel and Brad Leisure has only confirmed that it takes every bit of the talent that I assumed it did.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks Max!

[@maxsmodels]

@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 gave this video a shout out today.

[@PopsP51]

Very cool Mike! I guess I never realized the extent of planning, design and then technical processes were involved in making these paintings and drawings. That is definitely work!

[@BillHalliwell]

G'day Mike, I can't thank you enough for this video. Although, I'm not an aircraft kit box collector, I can truly appreciate the artistic, historic, aesthetic and practical qualities of this specialist art form. Afterall, since I was a young boy, it was 'box art' that fired my imagination and continued love of modelling military aircraft, a modelling subject I've stuck to even after a long break of 'being a busy adult'. Sadly, I had an 'art teacher' many years ago who crushed any artistic potential I might have had by telling me I was no good at drawing, painting etc. This did not stop me, I might add, from going to the small local airport and sketching aircraft like the DC-3s, Vickers Viscounts and Lockheed Electras etc. that regularly flew in. Occasionally aircraft of the RAAF visited the field. All these aircraft I sketched as a kid, had a military variant and this, I think, is one of the reasons I easily gravitated to joining the RAAF when I turned 18. What astounds me is the level of minute detail and methodology involved in making an essentially technical subject into one with true artistic results. I could be wrong but I feel like there is no camera in the world that could reproduce what you have done in this amazing work of art. This is, I feel, one of the most important objectives of art itself. I particularly admire the 'optical tricks' that go into making this aircraft 'pop' out of your canvas and totally dominate your 'mind's eye' on the aircraft. Modelling small, piston driven civilian aircraft is not one of my modelling interests; but I can tell you, if and when I see your work on the lid of a kit box, I'd seriously be hit by the urge to purchase such a kit. Thanks again, Cheers, BH

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Wonderful comment, thanks Bill, and appreciate the kind words on my artwork! In the 1970s, I was fortunate to have painted a series of model box tops for Revell of Mexico: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJevYqNoZdaGb68

[@adamhay2798]

Beautiful work as always, Mike! Your attention to the details really surpasses many! I've always been a big fan of the Mooney, although on the early models you had to be careful between the cowl flaps and gear levers! I also noticed the Aurora Aero Commander box art on your wall. I just finished that kit as a 1957 model 680. Always loved that box art and it was the first model I ever built (with help from my mom!).

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks Adam, and sharp eye on catching that Aurora box art! I was very fortunate to find the original Mort Kunstler painting which depicts Zahn's Airport on Long Island NY where I had my first job in aviation as a line boy, and also made my first solo in a Piper J-3 Cub. Neat that you built that kit as a 680 - great airplane!

[@adamhay2798]

@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 Wow, I should have known that you would have the original painting in keeping with your personal museum! It must have been pretty wild to see your airport depicted on a model box. Mort sure had interesting perspective in his pieces that make them stand out. The Aero Commander box art could have easily been used for a brochure or advertisement for the aircraft. Cool stuff!

[@danielblythe5337]

I always wished to see a book or video on this subject. I came across this video at a time I least expected to. Brightened up my day. Inspired now to get back to my drawing and painting. Yes, I have a color picture on an F6F on the carrier deck, I have been contemplating trying to paint a picture of using Gouache paints.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Appreciate the comment Daniel, and yes Designers Gouache is a lovely medium - much simpler and much cleaner than oils. Have fun with your F6F Hellcat painting! As for a book on aviation art and how it's produced, I wrote "PAINTING AVIATION'S LEGENDS" in 2016, showing the stories of 60 paintings like this one. This book is part of the special offer series, and if you enter "MIKE" in the Coupon Code at check-out, you get a 25% discount. Link is: www.specialtypress.com/painting-aviation-s-legends-the-art-of-mike-machat-505.html?

[@flyattitude007]

We also finally catch a glimpse of your art studio! Double treat!

[@martinpennock9430]

It's an amazing process. I never knew how much work went into creating art. My dad was a sign painter turned house painter. He studied art, and I still have all of his Famous Artists books.

[@glennweaver3014]

Thanks Mike taking us behind the scenes and walking us through the many intricate steps required to create one of your outstanding pieces of work. Thoroughly enjoy all your videos.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks Glenn, and although models weren't involved in this project, they are a huge part of the story on many of the other ones!

[@normieville594]

Great video, thanks for walking us through your process! Every question I would had was addressed later in the video. Inspirational for this wayward artist :)

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Appreciate the comment, thanks!

[@stevesharonwaller5759]

Wonderful explanation and demonstration of how such a painting is made, very interesting and informative. It is rare to find a video that shows this kind of info, especially with aircraft topics. Keep up the great work. You should develop and sell a DVD video series depicting in depth the methods of creating aircraft paintings and illustrations. This is content and I am very much interested in. Also, I am enjoying the book "America's Round-Engine Airliners". I thought I saw a book shown in another video that was written by you, if so where can it be obtained?

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks Steve - glad you enjoyed this one, and thanks for buying ROUND-ENGINE AIRLINERS! And yes, I wrote "PAINTING AVIATION'S LEGENDS" in 2016, showing the stories of 60 paintings like this one. It is part of the special offer series, and if you enter "MIKE" in the Coupon Code at check-out, you get a 25% discount. Link is: www.specialtypress.com/painting-aviation-s-legends-the-art-of-mike-machat-505.html?

[@johnplaninac9980]

All of us found this very informative and interesting. Jerri really liked and enjoyed this one.

[@markjannakos503]

enjoyed this. thanks.

[@stevecausey545]

Always look forward to seeing a new post. This was very informative and entertaining. Thank you, Mike

[@KW-ei3pi]

Beautiful work. When I first saw this painting, I thought that the background had little color to focus attention on the aircraft. Much like other techniques such as blurred background, or an unfinished portion of a painting. It never occurred to me that this was a winter scene with snow. Perhaps in person, one would be able to tell, but short of that, I wonder is there is some way to convey to the viewer that this is a winter scene? I have run into this problem myself when the viewer doesn't know the story behind the painting. Thanks

[@chuck9987]

Once you apply the charcoal to the back side of the line drawings how can you see the line art to do the transfer? Is there enough contrast to see the original? I remember the days of carbon paper and the carbon paper had the back side a light gray or a pastel color so you could see whatever you were trying to transfer. I love the detailed explanations of the process and the tips explaining why you are doing what you are doing, especially the parts that aren't specific to "painting techniques" per se, e.g. the use of clouds and the airport to draw the eye to the aircraft and the subtle difference in sharpness of detail to impart the sense of motion.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks Chuck, and although it didn't show well in the video, the charcoal on the reverse side of the drfawing is actually pretty subtle in color and contrast. Also, the fine-line marker image has a bit of sheen to it against the flat velum paper, so it's actually easy to see in studio lighting.

[@chuck9987]

@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 Ahh, didn't realize the line drawing was "inked" with a fine line marker. I went back and re-watched and then I could "see" the marker "effect". Thanks for the explanation.

[@viksaini]

A very nice piece of art that I would best describe as a "painted drawing"; nice clean lines. How long did it take to create?

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks Vik, and this was a relatively short project overall at three months from start to finish. The painting itself took ten days on the easel, then two more weeks to cure before varnishing. On larger more complex projects, the research and flying phase can be many months with image development taking even longer.

[@ShakespeareCafe]

You use Winsor and Newton oil paints? I use Graham walnut oil paints; they are a rich color and Holbein when I can afford it....

[@pinoyastronaut]

This is awesome! I would love to continue to learn from you and your work. Been drawing planes since I was 3. I hope to practice aviation art like yours!

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Appreciate the comment, thanks! More aviation art videos are planned.

[@mode1charlie170]

Another awesome video Mike! I think you said you build plastic models. Do you use the same strategies of light and shadows and "tricking the eye" when you paint models? I always thought model painting as a 3d form of portrait painting.....Keep up the great work!

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Terrific question (love your callsign), and the rendering 'magic' actually happens in the painting phase of the project. My artist models are actually pretty crude, as I'm mainly looking for shadows, reflections, and the overall 'feel' of the scene, but I'm in awe of the IPMS-caliber modelers who bring those airploanes to life in small scale!

[@fucqtheworld]

Very oversimplified. I bet its harder than this... skills.

[@celebratingaviationwithmik9782]

Thanks Richard, and yes, I tried to show the highlights of the process in this video. Actual painting time was ten days.