Light Fighters – 14×11″ Graphite on Bristol

Prints available here.

Light is a relative term in the world of ‘Light Infantry’.  They live and die by what they carry.  Every ounce is considered.  Every meal, change of socks, and baby wipe a measured dance between comfort, longevity, and necessity.  Mission dictates, but sometimes the mission can change.  The troops on the ground having to make due with what they have, or what can be dropped in for them.

I’m really excited to have this piece finished at last.  It’s been on the back burner for a long time and it was just great to have a little time to continue to explore this series further.

Sinners and Saints

‘Saint: A dead sinner revised and edited’

Sometimes you get to try some new thoughts out with a new shirt. This new one for Ranger Up was a different approach for me. Taking a type driven design based around a saying and building it into a design is always tough. But sometimes you see the right inspiration here and there, find bits and pieces that make sense. And build something new with the parts. Sinners and Saints comes from the idea that you can be both in your lifetime. When you are military, you’re essentially both at the same time. A savior to some and a sinner while you perform the action necessary. There’s something nice and old school about this one. The typeface, the scroll work and small additions. I’m looking forward to rocking it.

Get yours at RangerUp.com.

Forward Observer

Forward Observer – Graphite and Digital

Prints Available

I know a lot of people stress their job selection and finding just the right job for them when they enlist.  I knew I wanted to join the Army, and while I didn’t know exactly what job I was going to go with, I knew it would be combat arms.  I had no desire to go in any of the admin/supply/etc. jobs.  When it came down to selecting the job I was going to pick, my recruiter and I simply went through a list of high bonus combat jobs.  When it came to 13F Fire Support Specialist, it just seemed right.  He was an old Mech Infantry guy and so knew FO’s I could talk with.  I had a quick chat with another recruiter who gave me a quick run down of the job and I was set.  I love what I did as an FO.  It was the best mix of small unit and large scale operations.  It allowed me to get into the mix with all combat unit types from Infantry to Armor to Scouts.  And it allowed me the chance to meet and befriend some of the greatest people I’ve ever known.

This drawing has been in my head for some time, and with all of the commission work I’ve been knocking out, I hadn’t had a chance to get at it.  I’m glad I was able to finally get around to working it up.  Though it wasn’t without issue.  I had a lot of trouble creating a believable sense of scale and background and I think that’s why it took me so long to work out an idea on how to color the background and fill in the scene.  I tried to let the color do most of the work with this one and I think it succeeds.

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