I wanted this piece to feel busy from the first glance. Instead of showing one aircraft, I imagined a whole dogfight breaking out over a battlefield that had already been torn apart. The red Fokker triplane became the centre of the drawing because it naturally catches your eye. Around it, I added Allied aircraft to make it feel like the fight continues beyond the edge of the page.
The battlefield tells its own story. Burnt out tanks, ruined buildings and scattered fires hint that the fighting below has gone on for a long time. I kept the ground rough instead of drawing every little detail. That gave me more freedom and helped the scene feel messy and chaotic.
The planes gave me the biggest challenge. Getting the angles right while making them look like they were moving took a lot of trial and error. I also pushed myself with the lighting. The warm sunset colours contrast with the destruction below and make the smoke stand out a bit more.
This drawing was mostly about telling a story. I wanted it to feel like one frozen moment in a much bigger battle. It’s more ambitious than what I usually draw, and I learned a lot while working on it.
Liked my red Fokker sketch? See more of them here.
