Who Is Nick Trudgian? An introduction by the artist himself

Have you got any RAF connections?

My father and uncle both served in the RAF during World War 2 so my love of aviation goes back as far as I can remember. In my childhood, if I wasn't building Airfix kits then I was drawing aeroplane pictures. I never dreamt I could make a living out of it but, amazingly, I have been doing just that for more than 40 years.

What pleasure do you get from painting aircraft?

For the most part World War Two was recorded in black and white because colour film was too 'slow' to capture action. A major part of the pleasure for me is creating images that don't exist anywhere else. I can depict what it's like to be in the midst of a dogfight over London, a moonlit bombing raid in the Ruhr Valley, or taking off from an aircraft carrier in the Pacific.  Quite apart from the joy of painting there's a feeling that, in my small way, I'm recording history. 

So, have you met many pilots and air crew?

Yes, I've been so fortunate that I've met many veteran, and serving pilots and aircrew...even a First World War pilot. I've had many in-depth conversations with pilots and aircrew in order to get things right. Despite so many of the veterans now being no longer with us, I am still mindful of their desire that an artist should paint things the way they truly were.

What about veterans of foreign air forces?

Yes, certainly - many Americans but also Luftwaffe aircrew.  I grew up in Plymouth, a city heavily bombed during 1941 and I've met pilots who dropped those bombs. Discovering what good people the majority of Luftwaffe men were, brings home the true price of combat. These sentiments were beautifully expressed by RAF Group Captain Dennis David and former Luftwaffe ace, General Gunther Rall, when they stood arm in arm at Duxford to speak on the occasion of my first book launch. They believed that the cream of their generation had been lost in that conflict. A cost we should never forget. 

Do you prefer drawing jets or prop aircraft?

Jets have the advantage of not having propellers which can be very tricky to draw, but there's a lot more variety of shapes with 'prop' aircraft. But all types are a pleasure to draw.

What are the most difficult parts of a drawing to draw?

German aircraft can be awkward. Many had what I call a 'mackerel' camouflage colouring - dark along the top but pale on the sides and underneath. That's the exact opposite of the shading you need to draw in order to make something look like it's lit from above...as most things are.  Otherwise, Luftwaffe planes are very shapely with often fancy badges and markings and they are universally popular with collectors. I do also have a problem with tailwheels. I keep forgetting to add them. I stare so long at a drawing I often don't notice the obvious, like that missing wheel. It's become something of a running joke with collectors.

Have you flown in a fast jet fighter?

No, and it would probably be wise if I never did. As much as I love mechanical things, I don't have much luck with them. In Canada I flew in a B25 Mitchell bomber which broke a connecting rod just after we left the ground. The pilot did a great job getting us safely back to the airfield where we were sprayed with foam as we exited through the bomb bay doors. Just 20 minutes later I was upside down in a Stearman biplane over Lake Ontario. I assumed the pilot intended to do that but it crossed my mind that I might have broken that one as well.

Have you flown in a Lancaster?

No, not flown but I've sat in the pilot's seat of both flying Lancasters; the Canadian one in Ontario and I had a grandstand view of much of a Northweald airshow from the pilot's seat of our BBMF Lanc'. I'd done a fund-raising pencil print for the BBMF and they were most kind to me.

Do you do commissions?

Yes, virtually all of my work is commissioned and is mostly of aviation subjects ranging from the Great War to the latest aircraft. I have even been commissioned to depict an aircraft not built yet. Back in the 1980s I was asked to paint what later became known as the Lockheed F-117 Stealth Fighter. I asked for reference material but was told  'We can't do that, it's still secret'.  So I had to make it up. My version was more like the SR-71 Blackbird and, if I say so myself, better looking than the F-117!

How did you get involved with the April Fools Club and 617 squadron?

Well, this is all down to Scott Hill. We have a mutual friend who invited a group of us to celebrate his 60th birthday on a yacht in Turkey. This was a real treat, something quite out of the ordinary for me. Long story short, Scott is a lovely chap, not unlike the Duracell Bunny except that he has twice the recommended voltage.  It was Scott who came up with this idea of paying tribute to today's 617 Squadron. I've had a fondness for the F35 since I saw one being flown by a test pilot in the United States. I've portrayed 617's Lancasters many times, so what a pleasure to do the F35. And, it's a charity fundraiser for the April Fools Club.  Perfect. As I write this today, I am putting aside an oil painting of a Stuka to sharpen my pencils and get cracking.

How do you prepare for a drawing?

I sharpen my pencils. 

OK, so how do you engage with the customer during the drawing process?

Every collector is different. Some leave me to make all the decisions (very unwise, as I can never make up my mind) while others would steer the pencil if they could. But I always remember that nobody needs a drawing in the way we need food or clothes, so I take all as they come and am grateful. Most collectors are very knowledgeable and provide me with every detail. That saves time - time that I can then spend on the drawing itself.

When have you had a painting go wrong?

Some paintings seem to paint themselves - so easy, with no problems. Others are a real pain where nothing goes right. But the great thing about oil paint is that you can wipe it off the canvas with a rag or, if it's already dried, simply paint over the top. It's very forgiving. Not since I was at art school have I had to abandon a canvas completely. However, when facing a new white canvas, I always feel a mixture of excitement and anxiety about how it'll turn out.

What do you charge for your drawings?

Well, the A4 ones are between £175 and £575 depending on complexity with A3 size drawings being between £700 and £1,200. It really comes down to time. Collectors like to see detail and there's no quick way of doing that. Most of my drawings are on paper that has been signed by veteran pilots. That paper alone can be worth a great deal so it's rather nerve-racking. For instance, I've drawn on paper signed by Richthofen - the 'Red Baron'; and Royal Flying Corps pilots and, from later conflicts, the RAF's top ace, Johnnie Johnson, Chuck Yeager, Robin Olds, Adolf Galland, and the all time top ace, Erich Hartmann - and hundreds of others who flew on all sides in aerial combat during the past 100 years. Sometimes old paper can be difficult to draw on but it's so heartwarming to have that close physical connection with history.

Paintings are the same. The price is based as much on complexity as size. But the aviation scenes often, but not always, have lots of background detail. From 40 years ago when I was first published, I decided that my 'USP' would be "landscapes with aeroplanes", giving collectors tons to see beyond the aircraft. Sometimes I've felt like I'd made a rod for my own back but, overall, that USP has served me well. I love painting the landscapes as much as the aircraft. Most of my canvases are 36 to 42 inches wide, priced at £9,000 to £12,000. I also paint smaller canvases starting from £3,000.