Update on "Young Warriors"

Here is the latest update on "Young Warriors".  The push is on to complete this series.  5 paintings in the works.  

Once I get the details and expressions into this painting it will show exactly why "Young Warriors" is such an important painting to me.  What I want you to see is their passion for life, their hands are dirty, they are worn and weary, but determined and surprisingly happy (in the midst of all that strife).  They are survivors.  On this day, they were in and out of canals, facing fire fights and IED's; they are brothers; their youthful smiles alone will disarm you and yet they are battle hardened!  These are  the youngest Warriors to go into battle since the Vietnam war.  Twenty of them bore that distinction in his battalion last year, bearing ages starting 18 to 21.  Doesn't that just amaze you?   

Until last week I had not worked on this oil pastel for some time.  I got some motivation from a certain Staff Sergeant Izzel Sanchez.  He is participating in a very special program at Syracuse University that teaches photo journalism to our troops.  We met at the Veteran's Expo and Izzel asked if he could do an interview. 

On a very typical Tuesday, Izzel and his camera man followed me to a Syracuse Marine Parents meeting at the VFW in Mattydale where he wound up being quite the guest of honor by cutting the Marine Birthday cake.  After our meeting they came over to my studio to finish the interview.  He asked if he could film a piece that working on with marines.  I picked young warriors.  At this point, I am 2/3's of the way into the finished piece.  I am using oil pastels with oil bars and oil pencils on BFK Reeves Paper.