Flying off the page

Aviation art moves from the brush to the iPad

There was a time when the term “aviation art” conjured the names of a few famed specialists. The likes of Robert Taylor would craft a piece of world war two history featuring a Spitfire over the white cliffs of Dover, or a crippled bomber limping home with English farmers in the foreground. A limited print run would ensue, which would in turn be signed by veterans, before finally being framed and gracing walls around the world.

Of course, there were a good many working beneath the radar creating illustrations for books, both artistic and technical in nature. Some works, such as those by acclaimed Australia artist Norman Clifford, even found their way onto postage stamps. Still, few were known in the broader aviation community.