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Sid

20" x 16", oil on panel, 2016, private collection

This painting is a commission I recently completed of Sid Atkinson, who was a tail gunner in World War Two. He survived 30 missions but then died after the war of a heart attack at age 44 (my present age).

When his granddaughter asked me to do this and sent me a photo, I knew it would be fun to paint because it had a bit of mystery to it (probably taken before a mission, standing beside his plane in the early morning mist –at least, that's the story I used in my head while painting this!). It was a black and white photo, naturally, and I wanted to only slightly colourize it, maintaining a limited palette while still creating a foreboding-yet-respectful mood. The commissioner and I are both quite happy with it.

Sid in pencil stage.



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