The Showcase

A True Artist

The Slot Bots | Issue #1 | Showcase

In this issue's showcase, we are featuring a true artist, whose automotive and aviation paintings are both widely admired and commercially succesful, having been featured by Esso, Shell, Goodyear, Castrol, Mobil, and most relevantly for us, by Airfix.

He has also been commissioned to create official posters for some of the world's greatest motorsport events, such as the 24 hours of Le Mans, Monaco Grand Prix, and the 12 hours of Sebring, to name but a few.

Racing drivers, teams, sponsors, pilots, manufacturers, museums, and private collections all feature on his client lists and he has hosted a number of solo shows all over the world.

A Brief Bio

Michael Turner was born in Harrow, Middlesex, in 1934, and during the Second World War, he became interested in aviation and the aeroplanes of the R.A.F. After the war, Turner developed an interest in motoring and motorsport after a holiday visit to the Isle of Man in 1947, where he witnessed the first post war revival of the British Empire Trophy Race.

After leaving school, Turner attended art college, followed by two years National Service with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Three years in London advertising studios provided valuable experience, and he turned freelance in 1957. In 1963, Turner started up his own company, Studio 88, to publish his aviation and motor racing prints, as well as his popular Christmas Cards.

With a strong belief that there is no substitute for first hand involvement in order to portray such demanding subjects with authority and feeling, Michael has travelled extensively to the world's major race tracks to satisfy his need for authenticity, and he continues to visit several Grand Prix each year.

Turner's body of work is one of the most well known, and well respected in the field of motor sports and aviation. He is also a founder member of The Guild of Aviation Artists, of which he is currently President, as well as being an Honorary Fellow of the Guild of Motoring Artists.

One of the Best

An Opinion | Jason B

For me, Michael Turner's work has three essential qualities that make his motor sports paintings some of the finest I've ever seen.

Firstly it has an authenticity and an accuracy that few other painters in the field can match. The cars are always accurately drawn, the liveries and sponsorship look correct, and the circuits look exactly as they should. I presume that this is because Turner was often present at the events he painted, meticulously taking photographs and making sketches, as well as soaking up the atmosphere.

But his work was by no means clinical, which brings me to my second point. Turner always managed to capture the speed and the danger, not to mention the excitement and atmosphere of each racing event. The stance of the car as it turned into a corner, or the blurring of the backround and the tyres were all managed with a genuine feel and authenticity.

Finally, there is a balance to Turner's work, which is rare. The two elements I've mentioned above are always in harmony. The basic accuracy of the cars is not diminished in an attempt to emphasise the speed, and you won't find any unrealistic speed swooshes trailing from the back of his cars. On the other hand, Turner does not allow the pursuit of accuracy to dominate his attempt to convey the speed and excitement of racing.

In short, his work manages to combine all the qualities of a fine artist, with the detail of a draughtsman, and the excitement of a true racing fan.