A Military Sketch

So a close high-school friend gave me a call one night recently and asked me for a favor.

Turns out she was looking through her college stuff and found a sketch I did for her way back when. It's crazy that she still even has it! :)  But a thought popped into her head and she asked if I could sketch a portrait for her and her fiance of someone near and dear to them.

My friend's fiance and this solider were very close friends. They lived together before they all got deployed, and served together overseas briefly until my friend's fiance got transferred to the same location as where my friend was. 

My friend and her fiance got word as they were overseas, that his camp got hit by rockets and there were several dead and wounded. Unfortunately my friend found out that he was one of the ones that had been killed and was the one that had to tell her fiance. She says it was one of the hardest things she ever had to do.

This solider is buried in Arlington and they got to see his grave when they finally came back, since they were unable to make the funeral. Someone had given a sketch to the solider's wife, and my friend's fiance wanted an actual sketch in remembrance as well.

I haven't sketched in so long, but I knew I definitely had to give it the best try I could. I spent one night on my couch from start to finish (about 4 hours total) and am so pleased with the outcome. I hope that this sketch will honor him and the greatest sacrifice he has given to our country.

Thank you to all the brave men and women in our United States Military, who each and every day, lay their life on the line for us. Words can not thank you all enough.