To paraphrase Vane Jones, "Knowledge is of little value until shared with others."

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Mitch Markovitz, Artist & Illustrator

You may or may not have noticed the addition of Mitch Markovitz to the area on the right side of this page titled "Related Web Sites". Mitch is one of those individuals this hobby needs. His talents are in the areas of being able to draw and paint pictures of prototype trains.


It's difficult to state everything Mitch has done. His work appears in the book "Moonlight in Duneland" edited by Ronald D. Cohen and Stephen G. McShane. As you page through the book you'll recognize many of Mitch's works. There are 10 pieces of Mitch's work in the book. He also wrote one of the chapters of the book. 

Mitch wrote a book on drawing and painting pictures of trains. The title is "How to Draw and Paint Trains Like a Pro" The book is a gem. Mitch takes you though the steps needed to make a drawing of a train. The "Forward", "Acknowledgements", and "Introduction" explain Mitch's credentials to draw beautiful illustrations of trains.


Mitch starts with the tools needed then how to get an inspiration. Once you have the inspiration, then perspective, drawing unusual shapes, and proportion come into play.



Sketching, light source, colors, terrain, people, items unique to trains, lettering, plus other topics finish off the information needed. I once had a chance to watch Mitch "make a drawing from scratch". Wow! He made it look so easy.
 

Western terminal of the proposed extension of the Blue Line to Utopia.


Even if you have no ambition to produce illustrations of trains on a commercial basis, there are 3 solid reasons for obtaining this book. If you have any intentions of painting a model, you must have some thing to copy the paint scheme from. It can be a picture, painting, another model, or a drawing you  made of the prototype

Having a drawing you made yourself is particularly true if you are painting the model with your own paint scheme and colors. Once you have the original drawing, photocopies can be made for multiple attempts at designing different paint schemes.

If you are planning on making a layout, the 2nd reason for having Mitch's book is for you to be able to make drawings of what different scenes on your layout will look like. This may mean the difference between having  a toy like  vs. a more prototypical looking layout. Making a drawing of the scene is the step between having a mental idea with a visual in your head and  the physical construction of the scene. Making the drawing in perspective with an actual disappearing point is the physical activity which takes a mental activity to tangible item(s). The more detail you can put into the drawing the better. Mitch's booklet will help you do this particularly where the scene involves train related activity.

The final reason to obtain Mitch's book is to see and enjoy the many illustrations Mitch has placed in the book. Some of them will stretch your imagination almost beyond belief.

Click on this link http://www.mitchmarkovitz.com/ and enjoy what you see.
You may want to buy what Mitch as for sale or commission Mitch to make an illustration just for you.

My wife and I commissioned Mitch to make a watercolor for us. The scene is a Chicago and West Towns lightweight street car at the intersection of Lake St. and Harlem Ave. The CWT car is in front of the Oak Park Marshall Field store circa 1947, the year the line was abandoned in favor of buses.


Cheers,
Ed

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