Belleau, Helmand and the Mojave-- Sketches about Marines

Sketch of a Marine at Belleau Wood.

Sketch of Afghan Farmers in Helmand Province Afghanistan.

Sketch of Marine M2 gunners in training during "Javelin Thrust."

Great Show at the Corcoran Gallery

I had the privelege of being able to go see the current exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in D.C. last Tuesday with some colleagues: "WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath."
It's a powerful show, and I recommend you see it, if you're able to. NOTE: IT'S ENDING THIS WEEKEND, SEPTEMBER 29th! SEE IT WHILE YOU CAN!

It is also a great overview of how we see war (and in some ways how we don't see it-- there were some very graphic images I'd never seen before, of casualties, military and civilian, which were probably originally withheld from the public). Click Here for the website about the exhibit.

Rapid Fire Daily Drawing

Today's Daily Sketch-- hopefully on target...

Daily Sketches

Another several WWI sketches from this week, wherein I'm trying to practice the fine art of drawing relatively quickly from reference, rendering as loosely as possible while maintaining a certain level of realism. I also did a couple sketches of Marines from the Vietnam era:

Sketch of the Day

This is Daily Sketch #23 (from yesterday, 17 September 2013), a Belleau Wood Marine sighting in...

Sgt Reckless

This portrait drawing is of the famous Marine horse, "Sgt Reckless" from the Korean War era.
She was a beloved war horse, a pack animal for the 5th Marines who saw action with them in Korea.

Here is the oil portrait of Sgt Reckless, in process-- the underpainting stage now complete.   

Sketches of the Day



Daily Sketches numbers 21 and 22.

#21: "Heavy Laden," a Marine of 2nd Bn 8th Marines waits to board the helos to begin Operation River Liberty, July 2009.

#22: a World War I Marine, yelling at the enemy, ready to show "the Hun" what they're about to face!

A Lioness at Al Asad

The Weighty Theme Continues- Daily Sketch #19

Today's Sketches-- Variations on a Weighty Theme

Today's Scribble

This sketch is of a Marine putting on his pack and adjusting his gear--looking more like a pack animal than an infantryman! It was early in the morning, just before his unit, Echo Company, 2/8, boarded the helos and began Operation River Liberty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, July 2009.

I was struck by how weighed down the Marine infantry were, and wondered how on earth these men could move with what looked like their entire issue of gear on their backs, including probably something called,  "field sink, kitchen!"

Sketch for today

I drew this today from a photo I'd taken while out on a patrol through an Afghan town (Garmsir, I believe). The man, who seemed like a very important part of the community, was dressed impeccably in a radiant white dishdasha, and had an entourage with him. When he spoke to the Marine patrol leader, people gathered around to hear.

Daily Sketches

I've begun the discipline of making sure I draw a little each day, no matter what other larger, more extended project I'm working on. This not only sharpens the eye and the touch, but also ensures that at the end of the day, I've got at least one completed thing to show.

Here's Today's Daily Sketch:

 Other recent daily sketches:

Of Binocs, Bottles, and Flypaper...

Marines on post.

Tedium.

Eternal Vigilance at constant odds with Gruelling Monotony.

These Marines were on post at FOB Delhi, Afghanistan in 2009. I got to visit them, sketch their post and take photos of them as they stood guard over the perimeter. This is the latest small oil I've done from that encounter.

"Standing Post"  was the first oil sketch I did of that guard post, which I posted and discussed in a blog entry on August 14, 2009.