The Washington Post is a paper that I've unfortunately had to turn down for work on a few occasions due to a full schedule. It was always a bummer, and I always felt guilty doing so since I the topics were always of interest to me. So I was very happy when Kristin the AD called with a project just as I was wrapping up a few projects! The assignment was perfect for me as it was a great opportunity to draw some soldiers which I was hoping to do after recently watching the documentary Restrepo. I have mad respect for soldiers, and I always take great pride in creating artwork depicting these everyday heroes.
The subject of the article is about how the U.S. can remain a superpower while retaining a smaller wallet. With Congress looking to make drastic budget cuts, the article analyzes how military cuts would be beneficial to our economy as well as how the military could continue to operate at a high performance without unnecessary excess.
Sketches:
Kristin liked idea #1 with a sight revision of adding in an arm pulling the belt tight. And while not literally a heroic soldier, I like how that message comes through despite the limitation being imposed on the figure. So it was a win-win decision for both of us:
Final art:
Creating this piece was a great experience as I was able to work with an iconic hero-figure as well as to with colors outside my typical palettes; I also really tried to takes the concepts for this assignment to another level; this is a personal challenge I take on when I feel my work is getting stale or I feel I'm getting lazy :) It usually results in a piece that I really enjoy!
Enjoy the Day,
Chris
