More Work in Process!

Here is another painting, in process, oil on linen mounted on MDF panel.

The subject is a Marine patrol from Golf Company 2/8 departing Patrol Base Hassan Abad in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The scene is rather exotic, given the Hesco Barrier walls, the guard tower, and the comparably fertile landscape of the area. I also was drawn to the narrative, telling the story of a patrol heading out into the unknown.

I started with a sketch, laying out the basic composition:

Then, a wash of faint tones is applied:

I begin adding details with broad, simple strokes:

Beginning to refine some of the details, still aware of overall layout and color relationships:

The next step will be to go from area to area, adding detail and refining color, while trying to maintain the immediacy of brushstrokes obtained in the early stages of the painting.