A Group Chat

It is always a unique experience when different agencies get together with varying agendas work together to try to accomplish a similar overall goal. It seemed all too often we were just being fed stories that had been circulated a few times over already and it really was time to turn command over to the native forces.

I do enjoy the value patterns in this sketch and even with the complexity of having several figures in the painting I look forward to painting it. 

Training the few

I think this is what I planned on doing a lot more of, and this was the mental preparation that I did before going over to Iraq, especially in the 'closing down' period. I can't say we did very much of this, although it did happen. But to cover my bases, it was a very different experience than I would thought it was going to be. Lots of ups and downs, too many expectations and the build up did not match the actual event nearly enough to compensate for the varied experiences that have caused a traumatic return home. 

Road block

This was one of my favorites, it has a neat design, some better reference and more of a clean idea. 

Key Leaders

 

I am finally finished with the Battalion art project. I will admit that it did not have the grand ending I was hoping for with actual paintings happening. The framed artwork consisted of the preliminary value sketches for the paintings. I guess the 'Army' decided that the supplies needed to actually paint the project were not needed for training and are a hazard to the health of the soldiers so the funding for the project was not provided as agreed upon. I was not really surprised that the funding was pulled, even after good hearted XO tried all he could to make it happen. 

It is a little frustrating as this occurs in a long string of not so happy incidences that have befallen me at the hand of the Army. I will be continuing to pursue the completion of this project. It will not have the backing or support of my chain of command and will have to happen on a much tighter budget. I am have already purchased the backing upon which the paintings will be painted and with some gesso purchased for some personal projects I would like to begin preparing the boards for paint soon.

I like doing the full value drawings and paintings as they give me another idea of how things will look as a finished product and I can make needed changes to the project before it is too late. I don't always do this step so it has been a blessing in disguise to have been asked by the Battalion XO to put the full value on the sketches. I don't know if he realized that the full project would never be fully completed as he has a lot to do with the funding but he gets some credit for this step actually happening. 

I am afraid some of the detail that I enjoyed from the drawings were lost in adding the value. I tried to keep some by adding the line work on top as the value sketch came from a completed drawing yet it was a value sketch that was wanted to be framed. I have the other twelve sketches that will be coming on the blog throughout the month. It will be a great month for blog updates, now I just have to keep moving on the art work. There is a ton to do and so little time to do it. 

I think I see how easy it is for me to get distracted and not get projects completed. A new thing comes up and switch gears. The past few paintings I have completed, I had the capability to sit at a desk and paint in a way that the chance to get distracted couldn't come up. It was great. This project will require some effort to stay focused and see it through to completion. Due to the limited time available to dedicate to the project I will have to show some serious determination! Onward we go!