OT- Artwork of Harry Dempsey

[legalbeagle10 0]

Does anyone know where I can purchase prints of Harry Dempsey's artwork? I see his artwork in many Osprey Publishing books on WWI aviation, but I can't find a site that sells Dempsey's work. If nothing is available, does anyone have other WWI aviation artist recommendations that are available?

 

Thanks in advance for the responses.

[Hauksbee 103]

You're right. Harry Dempsey has a very small footprint on the web. So far, all I could find is a brief write-up and this pic. Checked out many print and poster sites, but nothing of his turns up for sale.

[legalbeagle10 0]

Thanks Hauksbee. I thought it was extremely puzzling too since his artwork is very good. So I thought it should be available for sale somewhere. However, I have a theory. It looks like Osprey Publishing (which features many Dempsey works in its WWI books) offers "memberships" where you pay $175 a year, and you are given "access" to aviation artwork. I don't exactly know what "access" means. I suspect it doesn't include the ability to reproduce any artwork for your own display. Instead, it is simly a right to view the artwork. So to funnel people into these memberships, Osprey (I suspect) isn't allowing you to purchase Dempsey's work individually or through another website. I suspect Osprey has this power to keep Dempsey's artwork from the rest of us because it has an exclusivity provision in it's contract with Dempsey. Again, this is all an educated guess. So I could be completely wrong. I hope someone does prove me wrong. I wouldn't mind a few colored prints of his work on my walls.

 

Also, I've seen alot of great artwork in "Over the Front" magazine, so if someone can recommend another artist (whose works are available without costing an arm and a leg), I would be grateful.

[JFM 18]

I can't speak for HD, but I draw my own profiles for my Osprey books. The contracts I sign state that I assign Osprey "...the entire copyright, in all media, including digital or electronic re-use, re-versioning or re-formatiing..." It's not that Osprey is "keeping" artwork from people, as if part of some art-denying-consipracy; it's in the contract. Nobody is forced to sign this contract.

 

Osprey books present one-tenth of one-percent of the airplanes flown in WW1, so there are thousands of planes that aren't in their books that HD could draw for you, if so commisioned.

 

Bob Pearson has hundreds of profiles available for sale. A guy named Dave Douglass draws outstanding profiles, too. You can find him in various sim fora, or over at the Aerodrome. I've drawn some profiles for OTF, etc., that have been done gratis. You have any requests?

 

Here are some samples of things I've done (last Alb is speculative, based on descriptions). Photobucket shrinks these, but the actual sizes are ca. 4000-6000 pixels wide.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2012 by JFM

[Olham 164]

Jim, you beat me by 20 minutes - I was just going to search for your Fokker Dr.1 profile

over at "The Aerodrome", and post it here.

 

But well, for all who didn't know this link - "The Aerodrome" is one of the best places to

go to when you are interested in WW1 aircraft, combat and pilots.

Here is the link to their galleries - click on an artist's name to get to his department:

 

http://www.theaerodr...eimages.php?c=2

 

 

James Dietz, Jerry Boucher, Dave 'Blowhard' Douglass

Edited October 11, 2012 by Olham

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Love those pics JFM... Bloody marvelous

[legalbeagle10 0]

Incredible work, and thanks to everyone for the information. I don't think I was clear in my last post. I'm not criticizing Osprey for their contracts. It only makes sense. However, I do wish Osprey would sell its artwork as prints. I believe it does offer some artwork for sale, but a substantial number of great artwork is only available in these all-or-nothing memberships which I don't believe actually offer the artwork for purchase- just for viewing. Of course, it may just be a case of supply and demand (Osprey thinks no demand so no supply), but I think a print-after-order arrangment would mean no hardcopy inventory to keep around (which means little upfront costs too). So even if demand was low, Osprey could still sale the artwork it already owns, and make a few extra bucks. Oh well...

[JFM 18]

I understand, LB10. But since Osprey sells artwork in a manner that disinterests you, barking up that tree is not productive and your walls retain their empty spaces.

 

HD's work is great but he's not the only guy who draws profiles:

 

http://www.facebook....es/166538664131

 

http://www.thebutter...filesIndex.html

 

http://www.facebook....171168422959139

 

I'd be more than happy to draw you something, if you have any requests. If interested, send me a PM and I'll email you a full size profile as a preview. I have an artist/printer in Oregon who creates the prints. And, this artist/printer, Michael Backus, is fantastic in his own right: http://www.backusstudio.com/aviation/ Look at his "profiles" of pilots. Incredible.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Thanks for those two Facebook ones JFM...fabulous!

[JFM 18]

Yes, those two do outstanding work!

[legalbeagle10 0]

Thanks JFM. Perhaps you're right, but maybe there is an Osprey employee out there who is surfing the net right now, looking for ways to increase company revenues. Perhaps he or she will come across this thread, take credit for the idea of selling more artwork, and sell the idea to the higher-ups. Highly unlikely, but I can hope.

 

In all seriousness, thank you for offer. I will certainly keep it in mind. Incredible profiles!

[Olham 164]

Making a profile like these must take many, many hours I guess?

I have started one, but at least the first basic template, when you have to build everything new,

easily takes several days - if not weeks - to get it all right.

[HumanDrone 4]

My brother in law is looking for a Fokker trplane that had yellow on the back half of the fuselage. I seem to recall that Lothar von Richtoven's plane was painted that way. he'd like to do a model and is looking for a paint scheme.

 

Thanks to any who can help! But don't knock yourself out, I just found Lothar's Dr.1!

 

Tom

Edited October 22, 2012 by HumanDrone

[shredward 12]

Hi Jim,

Do you know the proprietor of the Ja 18 Alb ? There is a photo of a DVII belonging to Hans Muller in GvW's Jasta 18 book, but the diagonals slope the other way.

Cheers,

shredward

[JFM 18]

I don't remember. I drew that for Greg VanWyngarden, for a Jasta 18 presentation he did at last year's League of WW1 Aviation Historians seminar in CA. I do remember that it's a speculative depiction based on description only. I'll ask Greg and report back.

[shredward 12]

Thanks Jim,

I'm working on Ja 18 right now, and we will hold off on the Tros skins til we hear from you.

Cheers,

Ted

[JFM 18]

Sure thing, Ted. Sorry I can't remember the details! I've written Greg and will get back to you once he answers.

[shredward 12]

Thanks Jim !

[JFM 18]

Okay, Ltn d R Hans Müller. Greg pointed out he used that banded marking on J15 Alb DIII, Pfalz DIII, Fokker Dr, and J18 Fokker DVII. Then he added, "don't you have my Jasta 18 book?" I have it, of course, but I overthunk the ownership and thought it was something outside of the book and not associated with Müller. As I told him, perhaps I should have gotten off my arse, opened his book, and looked for myself! I just did now and it took me three seconds to find it.