define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true); define('DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true); illustration career – Gary Whitley Illustration https://www.gary-whitley.com Creating art that swims, soars and roars. Thu, 12 Sep 2019 17:57:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.3 https://i1.wp.com/www.gary-whitley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/whitleyWeb-logoT.gif?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 illustration career – Gary Whitley Illustration https://www.gary-whitley.com 32 32 141942431 https://www.gary-whitley.com/wp-content/plugins/squirrly-seo/view/css/feed.css
Golden Possibilities. https://www.gary-whitley.com/golden-possibilities/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/golden-possibilities/#comments Wed, 06 Mar 2019 18:52:22 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=1677
Golden possibilities. Art by Gary Whitley.
The possibilities are golden.

“My greatest gift is stupidity. I’m too stupid to recognize when something is impossible.” 

–Ken Robertson

About all those possibilities.

Here I am, watching it snow outside, hugging my warm coffee mug while I write. It’s March now but it still seems far away from Spring. 

I did this painting a while ago in airbrush on canvas. Looking at it today makes me feel warm inside and out. The golden light. The peaceful sound of the waterfall. The possibilities in that pan. The miner just knows what he is looking for and that he will find it. Maybe not in this pan, but the next one. Or the next. There’s something lofty about that sense of expectation. 

Some may scoff at the silly old fool for wasting his time and think the odds are low he will find anything at all. But they just don’t get it.

Author Mandy Hale wrote, “When nothing is certain, anything is possible.”

Never let your fear decide your fate. There’s gold out there whether it’s in head or heart or goals or dreams. Today I dream of Spring and all the possibilities.

“More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the earth.” 

–Napoleon Hill

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]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/golden-possibilities/feed/ 1 1677 Effort. A big little word. https://www.gary-whitley.com/effort-a-big-little-word/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/effort-a-big-little-word/#comments Wed, 03 Oct 2018 18:26:53 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=986  

Effort in art by Gary Whitley.
How it feels with some projects.

“Effort is a commitment to seeing a task through to the end, not just until you get tired of it.”

—Author unknown

“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”

—Napoleon Hill

“Put the uncommon effort into the common task… make it large by doing it in a great way.”

—Orison Swett Marden

I am fortunate to get paid for doing what I love. I learn something new on every piece of art I do. Sometimes it’s a joyful task, other times it’s a difficult grind. But I keep on learning.

I have to chuckle when people come to me and say “just do me a quick little drawing or painting. It won’t take you very long because you are so good.” I’m good at it because I have put in the effort most of my life to get there. The decades of continuous learning and sketching and painting may make it seem easy to most people but it hasn’t been. The words of my old friend Mike say it best:

“If people knew how hard I worked to achieve my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.”

—Michelangelo

Mike was always a sourpuss, maybe partly because he hated his full name—Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. He was a bit of a recluse, usually forgot to eat, and often slept in his clothes and boots, but I think he did pretty well for himself.

 

Effort becomes success.

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]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/effort-a-big-little-word/feed/ 1 986 Geeks, nerds and world domination illustrated. https://www.gary-whitley.com/geeks-nerds-and-world-domination-illustrated/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/geeks-nerds-and-world-domination-illustrated/#comments Wed, 05 Sep 2018 17:46:55 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=946 nerds and daredevils illustrated by Gary Whitley.

Dork, dweeb, poindexter, nimrod, geek, techie, nerd. We’ve all probably been called one of those names at some point in our lives. I know I have. I illustrated these geeky nerds for an ad a while ago–before the smart phone by the looks of it. But it still shows quintessential nerdiness. The promotion was for Mentor Graphics and their physical verification system. (only a computer nerd would know what that is.) Some of the text inside read: “It’s an industry filled with technology hellcats, software stunt pilots, silicon soldiers of fortune. The real superheros need to work faster and smarter.” That’s some nerdy nerd stuff alright.

But nerds and geeks run the world. Here is an excerpt from a great article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette entitled Geeks and nerds have taken over the world:

“Bwaahahahaha! That is my sinister world domination laugh. I have been practicing it for over 40 years just waiting for this moment.

The moment when we, the geeks and nerds, would take over the world!

The moment is nigh, as in Bill Nye. At last, it’s the revenge of the … oh, you get the point.

I should point out there are differences between geeks and nerds. Geeks are fanboys and girls; they have a vast knowledge of pop culture and obscure facts related to their particular genres or areas of expertise. There are all kinds of geeks: movie geeks, technology geeks, even food and wine geeks.

Nerds are, well, nerds. The word “nerd” was first used in 1954 and was created by a geek doctor with the name of Seuss. They tend to be brilliant and focused on more academic pursuits, such as math and science, and less focused on social interactions. The word nerd often is described as a four-letter word with a six-figure income.

While geeks and nerds have many differences, they also share many traits and are of the same genus, if not species.

Geeks and nerds have long dominated technology. Nerds build it, and geeks use it. We all use it.

That cellphone you use every minute of every day, your TV, DVD player, computer, Facebook and Twitter, all were nerd-designed. These inventions have created nerd kings living in tech-filled houses built on top of mountains of cash. In each of these houses, a replica of Captain Kirk’s chair sits in the entertainment room, because that is the very first thing rich and powerful nerds do.

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg all likely survived the slings and arrows of outrageous wedgies only to rise up and crush the jocks who mocked and ridiculed them in high school! Because that is the second thing nerds do when they become rich and powerful.“

You can read the rest HERE.

And now to all you nerds out there:

“So you’re a little weird? Work it!

A little different? Own it!

Better to be a nerd than one of the herd!”    

—Mandy Hale

 

“If you like nerds, raise your hand. If you don’t, raise your standards.”     

—Violet Haberdasher

 

While you’re here, check out the rest of my nerdy website. Then please like, comment, follow and share this post!

 

]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/geeks-nerds-and-world-domination-illustrated/feed/ 2 946 Adventures in Portrait Art; John Wayne. https://www.gary-whitley.com/adventures-in-portrait-art-john-wayne/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/adventures-in-portrait-art-john-wayne/#respond Wed, 22 Aug 2018 19:35:22 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=926  

Portrait art of John Wayne. Pastels on board by Gary Whitley.
The Duke

 

“Life is tough, but it’s tougher if you’re stupid.”

― John Wayne

It’s hard for me to believe The Duke has been gone for almost forty years. He passed on June 11, 1979, but he lives on in his films and his words. I did this pastel portrait art of him a while ago and had forgotten about it until I found a scan of it in on my computer. John Wayne always spoke his mind and the resulting quotes were truly words to live by. These are just a few of them.

“A goal, a love and a dream give you total control over your body and your life.”

― John Wayne

And…

“I never trust a man that doesn’t drink.”

― John Wayne

When he was asked how he wanted to be remembered after such a remarkable career, he said:

“I would like to be remembered, well … the Mexicans have a phrase, “Feo fuerte y formal”. Which means he was ugly, strong and had dignity.”

― John Wayne

Click here for a great article about that phrase and more about John Wayne.

Various public locations are named in honor of Wayne, including the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, where a nine-foot bronze statue of him stands at the entrance; the John Wayne Marina for which Wayne bequeathed the land, near Sequim, Washington; John Wayne Elementary School in Brooklyn, New York, which boasts a 38-foot mosaic mural commission by New York artist Knox Martin entitled “John Wayne and the American Frontier”; and a 100-plus-mile trail named the “John Wayne Pioneer Trail” in Washington’s Iron Horse State Park. A larger than life-size bronze statue of Wayne atop a horse was erected at the corner of La Cienega Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California, at the former offices of the Great Western Savings and Loan Corporation, for which Wayne had made a number of commercials. In the city of Maricopa, Arizona, part of Arizona State Route 347 is named John Wayne Parkway, which runs through the center of town.

John Wayne was one of a kind; as an actor and as a man. He was larger than life and still is today almost 40 years after his death. I wish I still had the painting but I happen to know an artist who can do another one for me…!

Stay tuned. I will be posting more portrait art in future posts.

While you’re here, check out the rest of my website and my art on the homepage. Then please like, comment, follow and share this post!

#TheDuke

#PortraitArt

]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/adventures-in-portrait-art-john-wayne/feed/ 0 926 Illustration explained. https://www.gary-whitley.com/illustration-explained/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/illustration-explained/#comments Wed, 15 Aug 2018 18:00:09 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=905
My old shoes. Photo illustration by Gary Whitley
My old shoes

“Illustrators are word people who happen to draw. We work with one foot in a book, the other stuck in a paint pot. Our shoes are a disgrace.”

—Wallace Tripp

Illustration is art. An illustrator is an artist but not all artists are illustrators. Technically, an illustrator specializes in enhancing writing or illuminating concepts by providing a visual image that corresponds to the content of the related text or idea. Illustrations are used in advertisements, greeting cards, posters, books, storyboards, manuals, architectural rendering, business, magazines, shirts, video games, newspapers and billboards.

But in a blog post on Illustration Art there is another well stated opinion I share:

“In my view, there is no inherent difference between art and illustration except the way in which payment to the artist is processed.”

Why did I turn to illustration? I like to get paid. Those art supplies can get expensive! And I need some new shoes…

 

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]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/illustration-explained/feed/ 1 905 Serendipity. When the magic happens. https://www.gary-whitley.com/serendipity-when-the-magic-happens/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/serendipity-when-the-magic-happens/#respond Wed, 01 Aug 2018 17:17:59 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=893 Serendipity. Being creative.

“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.”

—Bob Ross

This statement could apply to things as varied as cooking or science or pregnancy.

What Bob is referring to is serendipity. I love that word.

Here’s the Merriam Webster definition of the word:

The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

According to Wikipedia:

Serendipity means an unplanned, fortuitous discovery.

Where did such a great word come from? Wikipedia states:

The term was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. In a letter he wrote to his friend Horace Mann, Walpole explained an unexpected discovery he had made about a (lost) painting of Bianca Cappello by Giorgio Vasari by reference to a Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip. The princes, he told his correspondent, were “always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of”.

The notion of serendipity is a common occurrence throughout the history of scientific innovation. Examples are Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of penicillin in 1928, the invention of the microwave oven by Percy Spencer in 1945, and the invention of the Post-it note by Spencer Silver in 1968.

 

i notice you have cheese. Being creative.

Now think about this: Who was the first person curious enough about the solidified yellow mass left in that cow’s stomach bota bag to take a bite and discover cheese?  That’s Serendipity! What would the world be like today without cheese? No cheeseburgers. No pizza. No grilled cheese sandwiches. No mac and cheese. No Brie, or Cheddar or Provolone. It would be a darker world indeed.

 

It shows up in art too.

“The more I draw and write, the more I realize that accidents are a necessary part of any creative act, much more so than logic or wisdom. Sometimes a mistake is the only way of arriving at an original concept, and the history of successful inventions is full of mishaps, serendipity and unintended results.”

—Shaun Tan

Sometimes you have to loosen up, take chances with your work and allow those fantastic boo-boos to happen. I appreciate when some error in a painting turns out to be a brilliant addition to it. The colors blend in a different way; the brush strokes work a special magic; the paint dries in an unexpected texture. There is that moment of wonder with wide eyes and open mouth, thinking “wow, how did that happen?” That’s serendipity.

Serendipity doesn’t show up very often, but if we wait patiently and allow for it to happen we will see it around us in our lives.

“In reality, serendipity accounts for one percent of the blessings we receive in life, work and love. The other 99 percent is due to our efforts.”

—Peter McWilliams

That just makes serendipity more remarkable. Watch it show up for you when you least expect it.

(Bob Ross Fun Fact: Ross spent 20 years in the Air Force and rose to the rank of master sergeant. He held military positions that required him to be, in his own words, “tough” and “mean”, “the guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you”. Ross decided that if he ever left the military, he would never yell or raise his voice again.)

Please like, share, comment and forward this post to anyone who might enjoy it. Thanks!

 

P.S: I’m once again calling on all Grammar Police and Spelling Wizards to comment on any errors or omissions you may find in any of my posts. It will help make me a better writer, give me a thicker skin and bring a bright smile to your face knowing you have once again rescued the english language from certain annihilation.

]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/serendipity-when-the-magic-happens/feed/ 0 893 Fear, panic and deadlines. The creative life. https://www.gary-whitley.com/fear-panic-and-deadlines-the-creative-life/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/fear-panic-and-deadlines-the-creative-life/#comments Wed, 25 Jul 2018 17:27:40 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=876 Putting out fires. The creative life. Gary Whitley

Ah, the creative life! What would it be without deadlines, a little fear and some panic? Here are some quotes:

My normal routine is pretty much putting out fires all day.

–Vera Wang

Really, most of us just focus on what’s in front of us. We’re too busy putting out the fires of everyday life.

–Aidan Quinn

Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.

–W. Clement Stone

Fear is stupid. So are regrets.

–Marilyn Monroe

I work best after the deadline has passed, when I’m in a panic.

–Tony Kushner

I don’t like to get too complacent. I like to give myself five panic attacks per project.

–Jessie Buckley

I almost always meet project deadlines. Sometimes the client throws in last minute changes, but that isn’t my fault. I usually ask for more time when that happens so I can do it right and not get sloppy just to meet a deadline. (Where did the term deadline originate? According to Wikipedia: “There is only indirect evidence that the term deadline in the sense of “due date” may be connected with the use of the term in prison camps during the American Civil War, when it referred to a physical line or boundary beyond which prisoners were shot. In fact, the term is no longer found in print by the end of the 19th century, but it soon resurfaces in writing in 1917 as a printing term for “a guideline on the bed of a printing press beyond which text will not print”.  Three years later, the term is found in print in the sense of “time limit” in the closely connected publishing industry, indicating the time after which material would not make it into a newspaper or periodical.”)

I have panicked on a few jobs through the years but I lived to tell about it. Now I have Mister Fire Mouse to do it for me.

And finally:

There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.

–Henry Kissinger

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P.S. I’m calling on all Grammar Police and Spelling Wizards to comment on any errors or omissions you may find in any of my posts. It will help make me a better writer, give me a thicker skin and bring a bright smile to your face knowing you have once again rescued the english language from certain annihilation.

]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/fear-panic-and-deadlines-the-creative-life/feed/ 2 876 What does this have to do with art? About being creative. https://www.gary-whitley.com/what-does-this-have-to-do-with-art-about-being-creative/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/what-does-this-have-to-do-with-art-about-being-creative/#respond Wed, 11 Jul 2018 16:27:41 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=862
Trouble. Gary Whitley. # OhCrap
I should have been painting

“Anytime you see a turtle up on top of a fence post, you know he had some help.”

–Alex Haley

“I not only use all the brains I have, but all that I can borrow.”

–Woodrow Wilson

While on the farm throughout the 1990’s we had cattle, horses and about 40 acres of timber to take care of. We built fences, mowed fields, thinned trees and cut firewood. I also cleared land to make more pasture for rotation. My tractor could do some of it but not all of it. Oftentimes when I needed some extra muscle, my neighbors would loan me some of their heavy equipment. Larger tractors, dozers, backhoes and loaders–Big Boy Toys. I loved running them and seeing the quick results.

Then I was loaned an excavator.

From Wikipedia:

“Excavators (hydraulic) are heavy construction equipment consisting of a boom, dipper (or stick), bucket and cab on a rotating platform known as the “house”. The house sits atop an undercarriage with tracks or wheels. All movement and functions of a hydraulic excavator are accomplished through the use of hydraulic fluid, with hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic motors. Excavators are also called diggers, mechanical shovels, or 360-degree excavators (sometimes abbreviated simply to “360”). Tracked excavators are sometimes called “trackhoes” by analogy to the backhoe.”

However they do not perform well while under water.

 

Track hoe. Gary Whitley
What It should look like in the upright position

It was a Summer Sunday and I was working near a creek filling in a dip from where it used to run before it changed course years before. There were some old downed trees and brush to clear as well.

The vibration of the excavator started to liquify the ground under it. By the time I noticed the earth shaking like a bowl of jello, it was too late. I tried to maneuver my way out and it just made it worse. I reached the bucket out several times and buried it in the still good dirt 30 feet away to pull myself out but that didn’t work either. When I looked down behind me I saw I was now in water. #OhCrap.

I thought I might soon become the reluctant owner of a drowned 20 ton $150,000 paper weight.

By this time some of my friends that had shown up at the house drove out to check on me. I didn’t have to say anything about my dilemma; it was obvious.

They hauled out all the railroad ties and beams and unused fence posts that were in the barn to throw under the tracks as I would rock the machine up. We thought we could build a sort of platform to get it level enough to drive out. When I rocked back it sank right back where it was before. #SinkingFeeling.

I turned the excavator off. We had no more ideas. None except to call King Crane Company on Monday and see if they could lift it out. From the road 200 feet away. I didn’t want to know how much that would cost.

Then someone heard a rumbling up on the hill above us. I knew some neighbors who happened to be loggers had been working up there. But it was Sunday. One of my friends hopped on a quad and drove up to investigate. A half hour went by before he came racing down the hill. About that time I could hear the noise getting louder and louder. Just as he drove up there was a beautiful sight–a D7 Cat crawling through the trees toward us.

They pulled up and sized up the situation. I had to dig out the part of the undercarriage that had a tow loop so they could attach a cable to it. If you look at the first picture you can see a green shirt sleeve, a hand and a shovel handle on the right. That’s me digging it out.

Rescued. D7When we went to pull it out I still had to use the bucket clawing into the ground for more power, but we did it. Thanks to all those friends and that D7 Cat.

I drove the excavator straight up near the barn yard where I could get a water hose to it and washed and scrubbed and hosed it as clean as I could. I never borrowed that excavator again.

I think I should have been painting instead of digging that day.

What does this have to do with being creative or illustration or art again?

As artists (or life in general) we can get stuck on a painting or project or assignment but if we do we can call on our friends to help pull us out of it. They may lend a fresh eye, a new perspective, a creative idea or even a D7 Cat. You just never know.

“I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.”

–Plutarch

Please like and share this post. Thanks!

P.S. I’m calling on all Grammar Police and Spelling Wizards to comment on any errors or omissions you may find in any of my posts. It will help make me a better writer, give me a thicker skin and bring a bright smile to your face knowing you have once again rescued the english language from certain annihilation.

]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/what-does-this-have-to-do-with-art-about-being-creative/feed/ 0 862 Why We Fly. https://www.gary-whitley.com/why-we-fly-an-illustration/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/why-we-fly-an-illustration/#respond Tue, 26 Jun 2018 16:23:53 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=853 “Sometimes, flying feels too godlike to be attained by man.

Sometimes, the world from above seems

too beautiful, too wonderful, too distant for human eyes to see . . .”

Charles A. Lindbergh

Of course, these days there are lots of crazy people on planes, with “service peacocks” trying to get on too, but it is still seems like a miracle that we can fly. Thanks to the Wright brothers. I just want to know who invented those tiny bags of peanuts and what they were thinking…do peacocks like peanuts?

Wright brothers monument Illustration. By Gary WhitleyHere is the main illustration. I’m not sure if has even been installed yet. 92″ by 146″. It will be behind the welcome desk at the Wright Brothers Memorial and National Park. A lot of revisions and versions to get to this one. It’s a very good thing it was done on the computer or I would have run out of paint. And brushes. And hair to pull out.

Here is more about the monument:

https://www.atlanticrealty-nc.com/blog/outer-banks-information/10-fun-facts-about-wright-brothers-monument

Have you ever been to the Wright Brothers Memorial?  This National Park and Monument recognizes the land where the first official flight by the Wright Brothers took place.  Here are a few little known facts about the park located right here on the Outer Banks!   If you’ve never been there, plan to check it out on your next visit.  It’s fun and history for visitors of all ages!

1.  The First Flight Actually Took Place in Kill Devil Hills, Not Kitty Hawk.

When the Wright Brothers sent word that they made their first official flight, it came from the telegraph office located inside the Kitty Hawk Lifesaving Station a few miles away.    Kill Devil Hills was not established as an official town until the 1950s, so Kitty Hawk was given the credit as the location of the first flight in 1903.

2.  The Hill Had To Be Stabilized

The original ‘hill’ where the flight trials took place was originally nothing but a sand dune, like hundreds of other dunes in the area at that time. When the government decided to erect a granite monument on that spot, they realized they needed something more stable than just sand to prevent it from shifting.  They added dirt and more sand to the hill, building it up to the height it is today. The whole community got involved with the stabilization process. Children were even paid a penny for each bucket of dirt they brought to the hill.  Once the hill was the right soil consistancy, they planted grass, anchoring it to the spot. Today, this hill is officially known as the “Kill Devil Hill,” named after the town that surrounds it.

3.  The Welcome Center Is Done In Art Deco Style    

The visitor center (which is currently undergoing restoration this year) was considered an ultra-modern design when originally built in the 1920’s. It was part of the Park Service’s “Mission 66” program dedicated to modernization and expansion. The architectural firm of Rogers & Poor were the ones behind it’s unique art deco style. In 1966, it was inducted into the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

4.  It Was The First Federal Park To Have A Permanent Public Structure

Prior to the Wright Memorial’s Visitor Center, National Parks didn’t have public structures on them. Instead, they had ranger stations, entrances, and other similar outcroppings, but no buildings for the public to enjoy. When they created Wright Memorial, they realized that nature and the boulder markers alone weren’t going to be enough to tell the Wright’s story, so they commissioned a museum to tell the rest.

5.  The Inside Of The Monument Is Hollow

The 60 foot granite monument was built in 1932 and dedicated to the Wright Brothers while brother Orville was still living. Though it looks solid, it’s actually hollow with a black granite floor. When it was originally built, it was intended to be open to the public as an extension of the museum. Two alcoves inside originally held the busts of the brothers that now appear outside.  Narrow stairs lead upward, letting you see the entire park from the top of the monument.  With the combined height of both the hill and the structure itself, it’s the single highest point on the Outer Banks.   You can see the entire park as well as the markers on the ground, helping you realize just how important, yet how small everything really is.  This part of the Memorial is closed to the public but opens occasionally for special days and events.

6.  The Memorial Was The Original Selfie Spot.

In the 1940s and 50s the popular thing to do was to get dressed up in your Sunday best and take pictures in front of the commemorative boulders. Though this might seem strange to us today, it has to do with pride. Outer Bankers have always been a proud people, and for their home to be chosen as the best spot in the entire country to have the very first heavier than air flight, it made sense that they would go the most special spot in the world to have their pictures taken in their finest clothes.

7.  The Access Used To Be From Colington Road 

The entrance we use today from the main road, Route 158 was not always the entrance to the park.  The original access was from Colington Road. You can still find the original access flanked by cold war columns. However, there is a fence there now preventing entry from any route other than the main gate.

8.  At One Time The Inscription Was Highly Controversial

If you’ve ever been to the top of hill, you’ll notice there’s an inscription at the base. It says “In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright, conceived by genius, achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith.”

The reason it was controversial was because it doesn’t actually say that the Wright Brother’s invented heavier than air flight. This was a constant problem in the years following the famous ‘first flight’. Though the brother’s gained fame and were given many awards for their achievements, none of the early awards acknowledged them as the creators of heavier than air flight. It wasn’t until 1940 that people (and honors) first started  to recognize the brothers as aeronautics’ true inventors.   There is still much controversy as to whether the states of North Carolina or Ohio (the Wright Brothers’ birthplace) can claim to be the “First in Flight”. 

9.  The Flyer At The Monument Is Not The Original

The original plane that actually performed the first flight in Kill Devil Hills is now located inside the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.  However, it almost never made it there due to the fact that the Smithsonian originally refused to recognize the Wrights accomplishment as the creators of heavier than air flight.  Orville Wright (the only surviving brother at the time) sent the plane to England where he felt it would be displayed properly.  Upon learning that they would lose the opportunity to the aircraft to a museum overseas, the Smithsonian pleaded and agreed for the Wright Flyer to be displayed alongside Langley’s flyer. Orville refused and threatened to burn the plane rather than ever let the Smithsonian have it after showing so much disrespect. It wasn’t until 1947, after two subsequent curators and a purging of Langley’s work from the ‘practical’ side of aviation did Orville agree to finally send his flyer to the DC museum.  Though many said he would have preferred to have the original flyer at his monument in North Carolina, Orville’s premature death ended the debate. The last wishes in his will said the flyer was to go to the Smithsonian. The flyer displayed at the Wright Memorial here on the Outer Banks is a replica.

10.  Many Famous People Have Visited The Monument

Thousands of visitors tour the monument and grounds every year. Each year on December 17th a special celebration is held that marks the anniversary of the Wrights’ first flight.   This celebration brings in aviation fans, military personnel and even a few celebrities.   Actors such as John Travolta and President George W. Bush have made appearances there. As have astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Chuck Yeager. American aviation pioneers, Ruth Nichols and Amelia Earhart also visited the monument during their lifetime. All wanted to see where it all began.

Bonus Fact: The Wright’s Patent Made Them Rich And Famous Men

People think the Wrights invented the airplane. That’s only partially true.  Airplanes with similarities of configuration to the ones the Wrights flew were already in existence. However, they simply didn’t work. They lacked both a way to lift off from level ground and a way to control them once they were in the air.

The Wrights invented a system that helped the plane not only lift off, but remain in control once airborne. This was the true turning point for both aviation and the Brothers. To this day, there is no better system for controlling flight than the one the Wrights invented in 1903. Even in modern aircraft, the systems are all just updated variations of the Wrights original system. Thanks to their patent, the Wrights received 20% on the sale of every new aircraft regardless if the buyer was commercial, private, or even the government.

And one final thought:

“Flying is hours and hours of boredom sprinkled with a few seconds of sheer terror.”

Gregory ”Pappy” Boyington

OK, one more:

“That’s the thing about flying: You could talk to someone for hours and never even know his name, share your deepest secrets and then never see them again.”

Jennifer E. Smith

]]> https://www.gary-whitley.com/why-we-fly-an-illustration/feed/ 0 853 Billboard illustration. Yes, I did it. https://www.gary-whitley.com/billboard-illustration-yes-i-did-it/ https://www.gary-whitley.com/billboard-illustration-yes-i-did-it/#respond Tue, 19 Jun 2018 15:27:51 +0000 http://www.gary-whitley.com/?p=824 “I think that I shall never see

a billboard lovely as a tree.

Perhaps, unless the billboards fall,

I’ll never see a tree at all.”

                                                                                          –Ogden Nash

That’s a good one, but billboards are still big these days. You can blame the circuses in the last 150 years for starting it all. And then the automobile and highways. Don’t blame me; I was just a child back then.

I’ve done artwork for several through the years. Here is the illustration that went on a billboard for the radio station KUPL “morning waking crew” in Portland in the 90’s. You know, the news, traffic, sports and weather goofy crew during drive time.

morning crew billboard illustration in color. By Gary Whitley

 

Here is the billboard illustration before color was added:

morning crew billboard before color was added. By Gary Whitley

There were several installed around Portland along main highways and high traffic areas. The one I saw was along I-5 Northbound at Delta Park and was 14’x48′. That’s pretty big to me. When you see your illustration on your first billboard it’s exhilarating. The second, third and the rest not so much. My name wasn’t on it, so I wasn’t instantly famous or anything–  and this says it best:

“I’m on a billboard in Times Square, but my bathroom is still dirty, and I have toothpaste on my face.”

                                                           –Betty Gilpin

 

P.S: I’m again calling on all Grammar Police and Spelling Wizards to comment on any errors or omissions you may find in any of my posts. It will help make me a better writer, give me a thicker skin and bring a bright smile to your face knowing you have once again rescued the english language from certain annihilation.

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