Watercolor Painting: Llynnau Mymbyr and Snowdon, Wales (2017)

Its been a while since my last post - largely because I had little time for painting, and the paintings I have made over the past six months are small journal-style sketches.

So using some new supplies I wanted to try a few new colors, and a new paper.  This was my first use of Canson Heritage, and it seemed to work well.  The subject is a lake view of Snowdon mountain in Wales.  The actual geographical details are not accurate, since this was an experiment.  What I was intentionally trying was to mimic some of the watercolors of JMW Turner.  Many of his watercolors seem to use an underlayment of pale yellows, with darker colors (mostly dark blues) layered on top.  So that was my rationale for the color scheme. 

The paper was 140lb Canson Heritage, cold press finish, 12.2 x 16.1 inches.  The colors were all Winsor & Newton/Cotman.  Only the first in this list was using tube paint, the rest were pan-based:

• Indian Yellow
• Sap Green
• Burnt Sienna
• Ultramarine Blue
• Burnt Umber
• Cadmium Red Pale
• Prussian Blue

Some scratching-out was used for highlights.

Watercolor Painting - Pioneering Aviators of Ohio (2015-2016)

My three paintings in the series "Pioneering Aviators of Ohio" are now on display in Roesch Library at the University of Dayton (see https://www.udayton.edu/blogs/libraries/2017-01-25-art.php).

Here are the captions used for the pictures:

Pioneering Aviators of Ohio

The State of Ohio was home to the Wright brothers, John Glenn and Neil Armstrong. This series of three paintings celebrates and connects the pioneering efforts of these Ohio pioneers of aviation and space flight.

Artist, Dr. David J. Wright is a faculty member at the University of Dayton (Department of Biology). In creating these paintings, he was “inspired by the courage and spirit of exploration demonstrated by these aviators. They lifted us from the ground, took us into orbit and to the surface of the moon. Ohio forms a backdrop in each picture and the changing horizon documents how the Wright brothers, Glenn and Armstrong gave us new perspectives of the universe.”

By carrying artifacts of the Wright brothers Flyer I aircraft to the Moon by Neil Armstrong on Apollo 11, the paintings document an arc connecting these famous Ohio aviators that matches the curving horizons.



Wilbur (1867-1912) and Orville Wright (1871-1948)

By David J. Wright (2015)
Watercolor on Arches cold press artboard, 20 x 30 in.
On loan to the University of Dayton

Although their first powered aircraft Flyer I took to the air at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903, the Wright brothers tested subsequent designs closer to home in Dayton, Ohio. A few miles from the city at Huffman Prairie, they began testing their next aircraft, Flyer II (1904) and Flyer III (1905). Flyer III is shown here, because of its significance as the first truly controllable and recoverable aircraft.

This is a view of Flyer III in 1905, making a flight during summer or early fall, over Huffman Prairie, with Orville at the controls and Wilbur on the ground with a flag. The view is looking across the Ohio countryside towards the North. In the distance on the left, you can see the industrial city of Dayton. Radiating to the East, a railroad carries freight to Columbus, Cleveland and onward. The urban rail carrying a light passenger and freight car to nearby cities was used by the brothers to travel to and from their home and bicycle shop in Dayton. At various times during this period, the brothers would be joined by family or friends - but especially by Charles Taylor, the engineer that created the engine that powered the aircraft. This flight was witnessed by their sister Katherine (who took a great interest in the work of the brothers and did so much to support their efforts), brother Lorin (with the camera) and father Bishop Milton Wright.

Today, the restored Flyer III is on display at Carillon Park, Dayton. Huffman Prairie is a part of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

https://goo.gl/HfkjlA



John Glenn (1921-2016)

By David J. Wright (2015)
Watercolor on Arches cold press artboard, 20 x 30 in.
On loan to the University of Dayton

John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth in his pioneering flight aboard the Friendship 7 capsule in 1962. This view shows Friendship 7 at the end of its last orbit, during the beginning of the re-entry into the atmosphere. Due to a concern that the heat shield was not firmly attached, the flight controllers instructed John to keep the retro rocket pack attached to the underside of the capsule. This made for what was already a risky venture into an even more dramatic mission. The retro rocket pack is shown at the bottom of the spacecraft as it began melting away because of the heat of re-entry.

America’s first astronauts, the Mercury Seven, are represented by the placement of the constellation Ursa Major (Great Bear/Big Dipper) on the left. The placement of Friendship 7 is fairly accurate, since the "splashdown" occurred in the Atlantic.

Today, the Friendship 7 capsule is on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

https://goo.gl/6d5m5Z



Neil Armstrong (1930-2012)

By David J. Wright (2016)
Watercolor on Arches cold press artboard, 20 x 30 in.
On loan to the University of Dayton

The painting documents the critical moments just prior to the first manned landing on the moon in 1969. Neil Armstrong was the commander of the Apollo 11 mission and the first person to step onto the lunar surface at the Sea of Tranquility. He was flying the Lunar Module, Eagle, along with pilot Buzz Aldrin. In the Command Module, Columbia, astronaut Mike Collins remained in lunar orbit.

The painting is based on photographs taken during the Apollo 11 mission. The approximate placement of Eagle, Columbia and Earth are relatively correct - although the Earth should be higher in the sky, a different face would show of the Earth, Columbia would be further to the right (and too distant to see), and the Eagle would be rotated so the windows would be face down.

On the left side of the "sky" is the constellation Cygnus (the Swan) to call out the importance birds played in helping the Wright brothers understand aerodynamic flight control. On the right is the constellation Aquila (the Eagle).

As one of the items taken to the surface of the moon and returned to Earth, Neil carried in Eagle, a wooden fragment and fabric strip taken from the original Wright Flyer I aircraft. So in a way, the Wright brothers first flight continued all the way to the moon and back.

Today, an exhibit of the Flyer I artifacts carried by Apollo 11 is on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

https://goo.gl/AzSb45

Small Watercolor Paintings of 2016

My paintings seem to fall into two categories... the larger finished works (with their own postings on this blog) and smaller sketches that I group together for postings such as this.  So here is another group made throughout 2016, but mostly during the summer.  I enjoyed the ability to do many of these on vacation days while sitting outside.  The subject materials were drawn from my memories of growing up in Cardiff, Wales.  These are all made using a 5x8 inch Canson Montval paper sketchbook using Cotman pan-based watercolors over graphite pencil drawings.

As a child I would often visit a small grocery store with my mom on Mill Road in Ely. I found a picture showing the original old cottage, circa 1900, that became the store.

St. Fagans Castle was a frequent destination for day trips.  The Elizabethan manor house is a special feature of the property.  And I remember the beautiful grounds that extends down to the National History Museum with its many attractions.  Keeping with the historical theme, I created this painting with characters walking the gardens as they may have appeared around 1620.

The Cardiff docks were once the busiest in the world.  I chose to paint a composite view of the docks from several images to illustrate the rich history of the port.  This shows the Terra Nova sailing with the Captain Robert Scott expedition to the Antarctic on June 15, 1910.  The ill-fated trip sailed from Cardiff because of the need to take on coal.

Even closer closer to home, this was the old railway station (now dismantled) in Ely, close to the Ely Bridge.  I barely remember the station, but strongly remember crossing the railway tracks via a nearby pedestrian bridge.

Despite the heavy losses of domestic ships, there were many ships unloading supplies and troops at the Cardiff docks during the Second World War.  Following on from my painting of Joe Desch, I thought it was appropriate to show the other side of the supply line as ships traveled to Britain from around the world, but especially from the US and Canada.  Here ships are unloading even as a blitz is underway.

A more tranquil scene of the same docks, further back in time - around the 1880's.  With big sailing ships lined up for loading of coal from the valleys.

A frequent destination for me and my brothers while shopping in Cardiff City center, was the Bud Morgan aeroplane shop in the Castle Arcade.  We assembled many of the model kits available from this small store.  I cannot think of the arcades in Cardiff without remembering the anticipation of shopping there.

Perhaps the most pleasant "town square" in Cardiff that I can remember is the Hayes.  Although it has changed many times, I sketched it as it appeared before my time (around 1905) - but containing the elements I remember.  James Howells on the left, the library and St. Johns church in the distance and the statue of John Bachelor.

Although I remember visiting only one time, I was impressed with the age and significance of the neolithic tomb (cromlech) at Tinkinswood, not too far from my high school. 

A view of the bridge crossing the Ely River looking West down Cowbridge Road towards the intersection of Mill Road and Riverside Terrace.  My grandparents and parents home can be seen as part of the terrace of houses on the extreme left.  This would have been the view around 1900 - with a narrow version of the bridge suited for the slower pace of horse-drawn vehicles.

Watercolor Painting: Neil Armstrong, 2016

I have finally finished my series of three "Ohio Aviator" portraits, with the last in the series showing Neil Armstrong.  It has been my great hope and desire to finish these three paintings because they document the amazing contributions the State of Ohio has made in aviation through the lives of these great pioneers.  In sequence, the first portrait shows the Wright Brothers with their Flyer III aircraft, the second is John Glenn with the Friendship 7 Mercury capsule and this is Neil Armstrong with the Eagle Lunar Module from Apollo 11.

As with the others in the series, this is a combination of a portrait and a landscape.  The image is an attempt to document the critical moments just prior to the first manned landing on the surface of the moon.  Neil was the commander of the Apollo 11 mission.  He was flying the Lunar Module (called the Eagle) along with LM pilot Buzz Aldrin.  In the Command Module (called Columbia), astronaut Mike Collins remained in lunar orbit during the landing.  So I must first state that Neil was absolutely a part of an amazing team that made the landing possible.  There were countless other members of this team back on Earth in Mission Control and all the various other NASA centers and contractors that supported the mission and ultimately lead to the success of Apollo.  So I am calling out Neil in the painting because I wanted to document the legacy associated with Ohio.

Across all three paintings I use the curvature of either the Earth or the Moon's surface to spotlight the fact that these aviators revealed new horizons and changed our perspective of the world or universe.  In the case of Neil - and his first steps on to the lunar surface - this was to take us to other worlds.  But the painting also shows another "arc" that connects the three paintings in the series.  As one of the items taken to the surface of the moon and returned to Earth, Neil carried in the Eagle LM, a wooden fragment and fabric strip taken from the original Wright Flyer aircraft.  So in a way, the Wright Brothers first flight continued all the way to the moon and back.  Consequently another link between all three pictures is that the State of Ohio is visible as part of the backdrop. 

The painting is based on photographs taken during the actual Apollo 11 mission (see https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/a11.html).  At one point I used actual lunar maps to help create the lunar surface to show the Sea of Tranquility, but the sharp black-and-gray contrast was not particularly pleasing, so I ended up doing my "own thing" with a largely fictional lunar surface.  But the approximate placement of the Eagle, Columbia and Earth are relatively correct - although the Earth should be higher in the sky, a different face would show of the Earth, Columbia would be further to the right (and too distant to see), and the Eagle would be rotated so the windows would be face down.  Artistic license was at work here!  I tried to accurately represent the colors of Eagle and used reference photo's from the mission along with my own pictures of the LM at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. It is my impression that each of the constructed LM's had some minor variations in external color and structural features - so I hope this rendition captures as much of what Eagle looked like.

On the left side of the "sky" is the constellation Cygnus (the Swan) to call out the importance birds played in helping the Wright Brothers understand the importance of aerodynamic flight control.  On the right is the constellation Aquila (the Eagle) to continue the bird theme - since the Lunar Module was called Eagle.

The painting was made on Arches 20 x 30 inch artboard with a cold press finish.  Tracing paper was used to create the underlying graphite outlines.  PowerPoint was used to help arrange the various reference photo's.  The tracings were made by pencil using an inverse copy of the slides, and then transferred onto the artboard.  No masking fluid was used and very little gouache was used for highlights (e.g. clouds).  The lunar surface was created using two colors (Payne's gray and Davy's gray) which produced a wonderful granulation.  The craters were simply created by scrubbing out the highlights and darkening the shadows with the same combination of gray.

These are the Winsor & Newton/Cotman watercolors used (a combination of pan and tubes):

• French ultramarine
• Permanent rose
• Vandyke brown
• Payne's gray
• Davy's Gray
• Raw sienna
• Burnt sienna
• Cobalt blue
• Cerulean blue
• Cadmium yellow hue
• Cadmium orange
• Yellow ochre
• Cadmium red deep hue
• Emerald
• Lamp black
• Zinc white (gouache)

Finally, here are views of the painting in progress...

Watercolor Painting: University of Dayton Science Center (Sherman Hall; 2007) 2016

I created this quick watercolor sketch as as a gift on the first page of a journal for a colleague at the University of Dayton.  Hopefully it can inspire him to create his own sketches.  This shows the Science Center (in particular the wing of the building called Sherman Hall) in which my home academic department (Biology) is located.

The details: 5x8 inch, Moleskine watercolor album with cold press paper and Winsor & Newton, Cotman pans.  The painting is made using several photo's taken in December 2007.

Watercolor Painting: Remembering the 1966 Aberfan Disaster

In creating paintings of my homeland, Wales, it struck me how much of the history of the country and its people is so closely tied to the coal mining industry.  For example, the growth in the size and prosperity of Cardiff could be clearly linked to the surge in coal exports through its port.  That coal came from the mines located just North of Cardiff in towns like Merthyr Tydfil and the nearby village of Aberfan.

Despite the jobs and prosperity, the coal brought a terrible price in human suffering.  On the 21st of October, 1966, one of the slag heaps (created from all the waste generated during the extraction process) just above the town of Aberfan gave way and the debris slid down into the town.  28 adults and 116 children were killed.  The children were located in the Pantglas junior school in the path of the debris avalanche.

So 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of Aberfan.  I was only two years old at the time - but I do remember the terrible impact on the community, not far from my home.  I remember my dad taking me on a trip through the valleys one day, and he showed me the location.

To help me remember and to pause to consider what is lost, I tried to capture the disaster in a small watercolor painting.  Instead of my typical precision using photographs, this was actually a painting that was very spontaneous and drawn from my memories of seeing the pictures that have found their way onto the Internet.  So forgive the fact that details are blurry and probably very inaccurate.  But this is what popped into my head.  Ironically, this was painted in just a few minutes as I took an opportunity to sit outside on an unusually warm spring day in Dayton, Ohio.  Such a contrast - from a spring day full of life and sunshine to remember a much darker day in the fall of 1966.  But remember we must.

More information can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberfan_disaster and http://www.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/politics/aberfan/home.htm

Watercolor Painting: Tribute to Ronald White Jr., 2016

This simple portrait was created from a small passport-sized photograph of Ronald White Jr. (Dayton, Ohio), who was tragically killed in 2010 through gun violence (see http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dayton/obituary.aspx?pid=144597741).  I wanted to thank Ronald White Sr. for the opportunity to honor his son's life and allow me to expand my painting skills by making this tribute.

The painting was made on Canson Montval board with three Winsor & Newton colors:

• French ultramarine
• Permanent rose
• Burnt sienna