The Aviation Art of Michael Turner

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Summary: Dynamic Aviation Art in water based media.
Review: Most aviation enthusiast readers will have encountered Michael Turner's work often, probably without even knowing it. This book captures a very generous collection of his work in a handsome format. Since Turner's work is not typically found in the signed, numbered limited edition print market, this book affords a very practical way to enjoy his work and get to know something of the artist. Two thirds of the paintings in this collection are executed as "gouache on board" while the balance are "acrylic on canvas". This should provide some encouragement to those with a strong affinity for these water based media. Obviously, not all aviation art is painted in oil. These pages display Turner's fresh and vigorous style to very good effect. There is lots of variety--the subjects range from WWI through the 1991 Gulf War. Biplanes to jets. The introductory biography is colorfully written and the pencil sketches add substantial insight to how the artist works. The book contains a mix of large and small images, but they are never split across the page. One Quibble! One of my favorite paintings is found only on the dust jacket, A Hawker Tempest (JF-E) screams head on in a vertical climb, flashing past a mortally wounded Focke Wulf TA-152. I would like to have read more about this painting, and would like to have seen it included inside the book's covers for posterity. J. Campbell Martin