http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); ]]> Copyright 2010, Rob Chapman Rob Chapman en-US SPHPBLOG 0.5.1 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry090702-161408 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry090702-161408 Rob Chapman Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:14:08 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=09&m=07&entry=entry090702-161408 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry090609-093126
However, I'll finish it soon.]]> http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry090609-093126 Rob Chapman Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:31:26 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=09&m=06&entry=entry090609-093126 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry090531-140803
I am working on a WOP/AG of 1940. It is based on the father of a close friend who flew in Fairey Battles during the fall of France. Obsolete planes manned by crews on a hiding to nothing. Ron, the father, was comparatively lucky, he spent 5 years as a POW after his plane was shot down. A lot of men were killed in those slow and ill-armed sitting targets. It all happened in the weeks before Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain and their part in the War has been sorely neglected.

And how often do you see paintings of aircrew - plenty of pics of planes. But they just provided the seats for the fliers.]]> http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry090531-140803 Rob Chapman Sun, 31 May 2009 13:08:03 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=09&m=05&entry=entry090531-140803 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry090206-105652
I have started on a series of Napoleonic figures for a long standing client who delights in setting me problems. Which I enjoy to varying degrees. The interesting parts are challenging poses and, sometimes, less common uniforms combined with a willingness to indulge me in uniform depredation. I do need to explore some more dramatic poses but I don’t want to lose the day to day view of the soldier’s life. War being 90% boredom and only 10% action (fear).

I am planning a painting of an R.A.F. ground crew figure. It is based on the late father of a friend who’s diary relates his central involvement in the supply of Spitfires from HMS Eagle to Malta in 1942. There is a general tendency to concentrate on military figures and I think that we should give more credit to the other services. Has anyone got any information on the R.A.F. overalls/work wear worn in the Mediterranean theatre?

Skirmish has produced prints of several of my figures, most of which have appeared in the magazine. They are larger than the originals but have come up well and the details have held.
]]> http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry090206-105652 Rob Chapman Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:56:52 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=09&m=02&entry=entry090206-105652 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080814-165940 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080814-165940 Rob Chapman Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:59:40 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=08&m=08&entry=entry080814-165940 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080803-204948
One of Jan van Eyck’s paintings has inscribed on it “Not as I would but as I could.” Which just about says it all for me.

So now, more work on the Napoleonic figures. These are of a more ‘Romantic’ nature than the majority of my work and perhaps this is what is giving me additional problems in thinking them through. They are still about experience and response so should not give me any more stress than others in the past. I’ll let you know.

]]> http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080803-204948 Rob Chapman Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:49:48 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=08&m=08&entry=entry080803-204948 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080727-160524
Not being any sort of expert on the ACW I was nervous about getting the uniform right but the howardlanham.tripod.com site is really useful for the intricacies of shoulder straps, buttons, coats etc using only contemporary photos, photos of original items or reproductions of contemporary artwork. I’m always dubious about the authority of a web site but this one, supported by other sites and publications, is very good. Not that having the information makes it any easier to paint – which is why I am writing this and not painting. Sometimes it is just very difficult to get into a piece and you wander off to shout at the dog or make another cup of tea. So I will stop this and get on with it.

The Napoleonic pieces mentioned previously are still at the planning stage. My client is sending some excellent reference material and coming up with ideas which are challenging me to look at different approaches and different subjects. Time spent at this planning stage will be well worth it when work begins.

And with that I’ll get back to Gettysburg…

]]> http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080727-160524 Rob Chapman Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:05:24 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=08&m=07&entry=entry080727-160524 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080714-102801
It has been a very heavy and stressful few weeks recently and this side of things has suffered. However, I have finished teaching for good and now will have time to concentrate on the artwork and, apparently, decorating… I have been able to produce a couple of pieces for Skirmish. One was a group of figures (ECW) rather than the increasingly predictable single pieces. Not that I want to move entirely away from that approach but I do need to broaden what I look at and how I look at things. Now I’ve got more time I will hopefully start looking at things afresh. I do have the outstanding Napoleonic commission which, along with another Skirmish piece, I must get on with.

Will keep you informed. Promise.

]]> http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080714-102801 Rob Chapman Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:28:01 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=08&m=07&entry=entry080714-102801 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080605-220516
I had an enquiry about the medium and process I use to make my artwork. I made a brief reply but I’ll do it again properly. I work in gouache, a water based body colour the opposite of watercolour – the former is opaque and uses it’s solidity to coat the surface whereas watercolour (which I do use sometimes) uses it’s transparency to enable the white of the surface to enhance the colour and overlays of colour to create subtle depths. With gouache it is easier to cover the mistakes – I do admire people who can slap the watercolour on. Gouache is better, at least it is for me, for fine detail. That and an 00 Winsor and Newton Series 7 sable brush. My surface of choice is strippable watercolour board of which I have a diminishing supply as the manufacturers – Oram and Robinson – folded some years ago. I bought as much of their stock as I could afford and store and am as frugal as I can be with it. The nature of the hot pressed surface is ideal for the way I work – enough tooth to take the paint easily but not enough to make a texture. If any one has got any out there…

The paintings I am doing for Skirmish Magazine are produced same size – for speed as much as anything – but I prefer to work a third up, as I have done for Osprey, for example. The detail can be much finer and the third reduction tightens the image nicely. More about techniques another time – if you’re interested.

To bring you up to present with work in progress: the Old Garde went well and was completed in reasonable time. The two paintings made quite a good pair. I then made a painting for the Skirmish special issue on the Battle of Naseby – trying out a different approach in the form of a vignette of a group pikemen rather than the single figures I have been doing (and will carry on doing) for them. I’ll know better how I feel about it when I see it on the page. I am now in the early stages of looking at what could be a long and challenging series of commissions from a client – it will be good to be pushed out of the comfort zone. I’ll keep you in touch. It’s Napoleonic again.

]]> http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080605-220516 Rob Chapman Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:05:16 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=08&m=06&entry=entry080605-220516 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080511-100059 http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/index.php?entry=entry080511-100059 Rob Chapman Sun, 11 May 2008 09:00:59 GMT http://www.robchapmanillustrator.co.uk/blog/comments.php?y=08&m=05&entry=entry080511-100059