Albert Ball Portrait

AAC Cadet Leader · 30 May 2007, 06:30 PM

today i resumed working on the small portrait of Albert Ball i began two years ago. i decided it needs a complete overhaul. this first photo shows where i left off two years ago, followed by photos of today's stages to lower his eyes, lower his ear, raise his lips, and give him the underbite that he had...

AAC Cadet Leader · 30 May 2007, 06:46 PM

the portrait is on 8 x 10" canvas board and i am painting it initially in acrylics. once i'm happy with the placement of eveything, i'll overpaint it in oils to get richer tones and more beautiful blends.

AAC Cadet Leader · 30 May 2007, 06:47 PM

my mini studio for today was on the desk of a high school english teacher who had three empty classes at the start of the day, as his seniors had gotten out a week earlier than the rest of the high school kids. i was his substitute teacher today, so i had an easy and artfully productive day. as you can see, albert ball's photo on my laptop computer is my reference.

AAC Cadet Leader · 30 May 2007, 06:51 PM

in addition to relocating albert's facial features, i decided his uniform might not be olive green, but is probably light greyish blue. i probably got this feeling from watching the movie,
FLYBOYS. of course, any one of you who know the accurate colors of Albert's uniform are welcome to enlighten me.

5 hour's worth of painting showing today's progress side-by-side comparison:

1Mark66 · 30 May 2007, 10:13 PM

Oops - put the blue away...

The Lafayette boys flew for the Frennch, and so wore horizon blue - Albert was in the British RFC and wore khaki.

Mark66

AAC Cadet Leader · 30 May 2007, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Mark66

Oops - put the blue away...

The Lafayette boys flew for the Frennch, and so wore horizon blue - Albert was in the British RFC and wore khaki.

Mark66

oh man...

oh well, as i said, i am going to overpaint the whole thing in oils anyway, so...

many thanks to you, mark66!

Sreiko · 30 May 2007, 10:35 PM

Excellent work!!!

Ginger. · 31 May 2007, 01:04 AM

Excellent work missus.

Stick with the Khaki, them little things on his collar are Regimental badges, he never served in the Raff.

crankcase · 31 May 2007, 04:06 AM

...and keep the "elvis presley" sneer which you have captured so accurately!
crankcase

AAC Cadet Leader · 31 May 2007, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sreiko

Excellent work!!!

thanks, sreiko. i've got a long way to go before i called it finished.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ginger.

Excellent work missus.

er, "miss" - or "miz" is closer.

Quote:

Stick with the Khaki, them little things on his collar are Regimental badges, he never served in the Raff.

ah, good! more knowledgable people to help me out with this. got a detailed pic of his regimental badge, ginger?

and any pics of his buttons?

Quote:

Originally Posted by crankcase

...and keep the "elvis presley" sneer which you have captured so accurately!
crankcase

thanks, crankcase! hey, he does look a little like elvis without lambchops, doesn't he?

as i've been studying his face and trying hard to replicate it accurately, i've also tried thinking of the words to describe his facial expression and pose in front of his aeroplane. the best i can do knowing a little of his fatalistic history is that i think he has the look of "determination amidst hopelessness."

does anyone know what aeroplane he is standing in front of? is it a sopwith camel?