I like to capture a day or special occasion on a spread, like this...things just kind of squeeze onto the page, one by one, tucking things in where there's room or where I have time. The little yellow Piper Cub came first--I'd found a comfortable place in the shade and out of the way! Then I added the helicopter in ink, because it was just taking off and that was my only chance.
Lunch beckoned...I knew they were planning to stop serving at two, and it smelled SO good...so I sketched the lunch patrons in the hangar as I ate. Then the little triplane, a 3/4 size model built by the owner, showed up and everyone was wowed by it...that's the distance shot with the guys gathered around, and the mom and her little girl watching from the hangar.
I REALLY needed a closer sketch, so walked out onto the field and did the triplane in the small spot left on that side...using my bent nib pen and splashing in quick color before the plane took off again.
Then since we still had time, I did the more careful sketch of the hangars, office, and air traffic control in upper left, just fitting it in as I could. Joseph had picked up the sticker from 3EX, people hoping to lease and rehab the airport, so I stuck in in place too!
I don't really design a page ahead of time, to begin with...they just kind of grow, organically. Sometimes I consciously add a touch of color here or there to unify, like the green you see here...
And oh yes, I added the pencil drawing of the WWI style helmet the triplane's pilot wore later, from the photo I shot of him as he was taking off!
So how do YOU work? Comments welcome!
