Eddie Collins
 

I'm kind of partial to this snapshot I bought from Dan Bretta. Eddie Collins with Mr. Mack in the background. Don't those unifroms look a little warm?

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...ST/collins.jpg

There were two photos in the most recent addition of sports illustrated that would make very nice paintings. One is of Honus Wagner and an amazing image of Satchel Paige. If I get the time I will try to scan in the photos.

Kessinger and Monday are correct. The funny thing is I ran across DOn Kessinger on Facebook and "friended" him. Very nice man and I try not to stalk him. LOL

I bet he would love this photo

Jeff, that Collins photo is KILLER. I would LOVE to paint it.

Oh, and Randall, did you win that photo? I remember seeing it in Henry's auction (I think) about a year ago, and was blown away.

Ruth Photo
 

Hi Graig, no I didn't bid. I just took the scan offline. I collect scans that I like. I think it was one of the big catalog auctions within the last two years. Here is another Ruth you don't see often that would make a great artwork...

Graig did one of the Bambino's backside a few years ago. I'm looking at it right now as it displays on my wall together with my TYPE I photo by Paul Thompson.:)

Attachment 22074Attachment 22075

VERY much agreed, Randall. I think that Ruth shot was from one of the Legendary auctions of the past half-year. I'm pretty sure it's from the Detroit News negative collection and the like. The majority of those images were absolutely killer.

And Jimmy, I still think the photo's better than the painting. Thompson had quite the eye.

#3
 

Yeah I like that one a lot. but I love seein that #3 for some reason. Here is a pic of me wearing the #3 standing over right field at the last game ever at Yankee Stadium. I thought #3 should be there one last time.

Blocking the plate like that, Bench looks like the dominant predator, ready to devour his prey (Kessinger). I wonder if he was safe or out?

Either way, that is a great shot, and would make for a tremendous Kreindler work of art!

Now that would make a killer painting Randall! With those cops there and the other fans wearing jerseys, and you standing out with that huge #3 on your back with the stadium backdrop! :)

LOl
 

I'd buy one!

Christy Mathewson, 1911
 

Question for Greg--

What is it about Conlon's portrait of Christy Mathewson in 1911 that you found so compelling?

It is one of my favorite images.

Sphere and Ash,

They're plenty of reasons that I went for that Mathewson image. They are, however, a little hard to explain, so please bear with me.

When I opened up the Conlon book for the first time, I was amazed at the images of these deadball era players who I'd never seen, and in some cases, never heard of. At the time, Matty was one of those players.

Now, the first image of him you see in the book is that posed shot with his arms over his head, outside the Polo Grounds in the early 1900s. It didn't really register as anything special at first, just a pitcher who at the time, I'd never heard of. But then, when I saw the 1911 shot further along, I absolutely flipped.

The gaze that he has into the camera lens is just so striking. I felt like it was one of those photographs whose eyes would probably follow me around the room if I walked away. And that half smirk that he seems to have in all of his photos - the fact that he seems to know something that you don't, well that's the kind of stuff that made me wonder who this guy was. These simple aspects inspired me to read up on the man. Learning that he was maybe the first superstar in baseball probably helped a bit. His Frank Merriwell image did too, I'm sure. But in the end, it all just came back to the aesthetics of the image itself.

I fell in love with the uniform for one, as you have those beautiful bluish pinstripes undulating with the form of his body. It was the first time I had ever seen a jersey from that era look like that. Heck, it was one of the first times I had ever been captivated by a pinstriped uniform that wasn't worn by a Yankee. The interlocking 'NY' on his sleeve didn't hurt either. And heck, I even had an idea of a narrative, seeing that the sleeve on his pitching arm had been cut for practical purposes.

Then, you have his skin. I mean, when I saw it in the photo, it looked just like that. Skin. It wasn't a photograph of skin, it was the texture and color itself. Being that the image was taken on an overcast day, I could almost see the sky reflecting into the plains on his face. The oils and sweat worked up from practice probably heightened this. But, it was Conlon who captured it. And this was before Conlon was Conlon for me.

It seemed like almost every image that he produced was a window into the past. It sounds corny, but it's true. Though in black and white, in my head, these photographs were in color. And not as a color photograph or a painting, but as if I was right there in person. I could hear the chatter amongst the players on the field, the sound of the balls hitting the gloves.

Later, when I started doing my baseball paintings, I wanted to be able to recreate that. I wanted the air to be breathable. I wanted the light in the stadium to coincide with what light was on a particular player. When someone sees a painting I make, I want them to see and feel that. If they can hear the chatter of the crowd, smell the popcorn, and feel as if they're baking in the centerfield bleachers, then I feel like I've done a good painting.

So, I had always had that image of Matty in mind. It was one of those inspirational things, something that created a feeling in me that was what true art was all about (to me, that is). So, when I finally had the time and was at a level where I thought I could reproduce it, that's when I picked up the brush.

I hope this answers your question!

Graig

Thanks, Greg
 

What a thoughtful response. Thank you!

By the way, I think you achieved what you set out to do.

Graig,

AMEN!
Art is about feelings. You paint with words almost as well as with oils.

Mark

Thanks, guys. You make me blush.

:o

And one day, I'll find the proper emoticon for it.

They are coming onto the field from the centerfield clubhouse at the Polo Grounds, walking toward their dugout.

john thorn

I am loving this thread. Some of those photos are fantastic! ...and only surpassed by Graig's paintings.

This would look spectacular in "Kreindlercolor"*

Attachment 22681

* coined by the omniscient David McDonald.

Here's another in the same vein, Jimmy. I'll be sure to tackle it on day, too.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...y001lowres.jpg

I've always thought this was a fantastic image (from a 1948 book cover).

http://s915.photobucket.com/albums/a...BERUTHBOOK.jpg

Not really vintage but have loved this image for a long time.

Joshua

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...ySavesFlag.jpg

That's a great call Joshua!

I've always loved that photo too, Joshua. It's got a wonderful narrative to it. Maybe that's something to consider for the Rockwell people at some point...

Saving the flag...
 

I think I saw an artwork of that already. I don't remember who did it but it wasn't of great quality like Graigs...

That image of Rick Monday saving the flag still gives me chills. After that, he could do no wrong in my book!

Always loved this one of Combs slashing a single, Graig.

Have a poster of it in my basement and I feel like I'm sitting in the dugout.

Reminds me a bit of the Wagner painting you did from a similar angle.

I've always LOVED that image, jacksons. I've had plans to do a painting of it for a while now. That wonderful light in the middle ground illuminating Combs is glorious. And the combination of the foreground shadow of the triple-deck facade, and the shadow across the stands on the third base line just makes it one hell of a sandwich.

I'd probably bump the contrast a tiny bit and crop the bottom a little, and make it something like this:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...U448698INP.jpg

And, here are two shots of a couple of other Yanks from the same era, and similar vantage points. The light isn't as dynamic, but these are still incredible.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1.../U35210INP.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...U48523ACME.jpg

Man, how incredible it must have been to see a Yankee game in the 1920s.

Graig

I just got this TYPE 1 of Teddy Ballgame making the last out...
 

in Allie Reynolds second no-no of the season. On Sept 28, 1951 "The Superchief" actually had to retire Williams TWICE in order to get the win AND the no-hitter as Yogi dropped a pop foul off the bat of the Thumper. So Reynolds reached back and threw the same pitch in the same spot, and got the same result except this time Berra hung on to it.

As if all of this wasn't enough pressure on the Yankees 6 Time All Star Pitcher, the victory was also a pennant clincher!

This would make a tremendous painting once it was Kreindlercolored. Note: Check out the ball just above his bat. What an image.

Attachment 26566

This one wouldn't hurt to have on the wall...

http://www.nydailynewspix.com/sales/...52&size=medium

Combs
 

Graig,

I love the Combs picture best of all. Would love to see you paint that one. However I wouldn't crop it. The dark portion on the bottom helps center the figures and gives it a magical quality of the players shining under the lights. Fabulous image! Thanks for 'Jacksons' for sharing.

Ron,

I agree with you on that, though I guess it depends on what I would try to go for in the end. Personally, though I do like how Combs is perfectly placed in the composition, the foreground would seem a bit too empty to me, even if I would have variegated brush strokes and temperature shifts within. Because of how big that large shape is I just think my eye would end up going there first, and not to Combs. But that's just a personal preference. Honestly, I love 'em both!!

Here are some of the big four I'm definitely tackling at some point...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ler/Ruth-2.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...r/Gehrig-2.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...DiMaggio-3.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...r/Mantle-1.jpg

Now, I just need to figure out when that 'some point' is!!