Character 12

Character 11

Character 10

Character 9

Quite a basic design for this character - just in basic British fatigues, like in the photo.

But I thought I'd give him an American belt-kit, that maybe he's pilfered off a G.I.

He's a plucky, sparky Lieutenant.Another fella who loves what he's doing - he's a thrill seeker, loves adrenaline, speed and gunfire. If he was played by an actor, he'd be played by Steve McQueen. (Except he's an English Steve McQueen!) Keen on fast vehicles & guns etc. A bit of a man's man, but never in a way that he needs to 'prove' himself. Seemingly very chilled and relaxed in all that he does, even if he is a ball of adrenaline. Often un-hitches one of the dispatch motorcyles, and heads off into the dunes on a recce.

Character 8

I'm pleased that I got the look of this character straight away. Basically, he's a mixture of a young Fidel Castro, and other sources - ammo bandolier, and US web pouches, and a British Army woolen jumper.

I need to sort his eyes out a bit though. I wanted them to gently arc towards the centre of his face, rather than lying flat, but this presents problems when he's looking to the side!I also need to practice drawing his hat from straight-on.

This character is another Captain. He's a bit of an idealist. He gets quite upset by the poverty of the locals - not the conditions that they're used to living in, but the extra effects brought about by the years of fighting in the area. He spends a fair amount of his ill-gotten gains on the poorer locals, but never gets preachy about it. When the group's not on the move, he often goes off on his own exploration of the desert, or to visit the locals. He loves where he is & what he's doing. Thinks that maybe when he's got the loot he wants, he'll settle down in North Africa.

Character 7

I decided this guy would be a bit more prim & proper.Based on this chap, even though the photo is from the First World War.

He'd be prim & proper to a fault. Can't really understand why he's doing this, but always remembers when money is mentioned. I suppose he must be a bit of a cad, really. But not a caricature of Terry Thomas. He hates the sand, hates the heat, hates the locals, hates fighting, hates the Germans, hates the food, the dirtiness, the squalor, the petrol fumes, the smell of cordite, hates cleaning his rifle. He would really rather be in Cairo, thank you very much, in the mess with a cold Pink Gin and a copy of the Times. But, he's been cut out of Papa's Will, and needs to get a little Nazi loot to see him through for a little while. Despite all this, for all his primness and pomposity, he can act with the air of a fiery Brigadier when he needs to blag equipment petrol and ammo from wherever the group needs it.

Character 6

I thought I'd better put a lady in for good measure, although I didn't want any kind of notion of love-interests here. Because it's a 'Boy's Own Adventure'! Can't be doing with all that girly nonsense, old chap. Fair enough, she is the 'token female' in the piece, but I wanted a girl in the story in a sensible, non-condescending way, just like Sister Diana Murdoch in 'Ice Cold In Alex' - a character in her own right, but also someone who can press the characteristics of the others involved. I thought that she should be terribly English, especially when I found these 1930's photos of girls having fun in aircraft and fast cars, but upon finding the Amelia Earhart photos, I thought that that would be an interesting character to include - a thrill seeker, and risk taker. I thought that fit in much more neatly with the idea of deserting from the army.



But I've got to learn how to draw women. All the women I draw turn out looking rather manly, with big manly hands, big chunky shoulders, and all in all, totally the wrong shape - like a Renaissance painter trying to paint the baby Jesus, and actually painting a short fat man. (Take a look at Renaissance paintings, and you'll see that, in many cases, I'm right!)

Character 5

I saw this photo of an archaeologist, and was caught between the ideas of "what a ponce", and "what a wicked look he has there". I couldn't leave him there digging in the sands, so thought he should join the group. But I wanted to harden him up a little (just a little), and make a soldier of him.First thing that had to go was the pith helmet, because at such a rakish angle, it really does take the pith (hardy har har). Then I found this aviator, also with his hat at a jaunty angle, and decided to combine them.Here's the result!I carried on trawling through old photos, until I came across this one. I decided to maybe give the character a pipe (which is how I found this picture), but what struck me most was this guy's privately purchased shoulder-holster. I thought it would go well with the character's double-collars. I also decided to beardify him, not just because of the whole deserty thing, but because beards and pipes just seem like a good combination.Here's how he would have looked before deserting. A young Captain, with an interest in history and archaeology. A pipe smoker. He's a bit dapper, and rather well-off, but not precious about it. He enjoys his luxuries, but thinks it's jolly spiffing to be out in the desert all the same don't you think old chap? He reads a lot, and writes a bit too. Very friendly, and very very English. A bit of a dreamer really, reminiscing about cricket on the village green, strawberries at Wimbledon, and quieter, more civillised times. A dab-hand with a rifle, however. Bayonets fixed and all that.
He'd probably have his own privately-purchased rifle though... It's somewhere amongst his little collection of artifacts and books and watercolours that he refuses to jettison

Character 4

I saw this photo, and thought he looked like a real-life Indiana Jones! For some reason, I decided to combine this fella with the pilot in the photo below...
And here's the result. Although he looks more like a pilot that anything else, I liked the look.

I rather messed the face up on the second attempt though. He looks like a weasel on PCP.
Here he is again, looking much better again.Here he is in his army days. I thought I'd make him a Major, as he looks rather no-nonsense & as if he knows what he's doing. He's a good bloke, and a good soldier, although he doesn't take fools gladly, and can be a bit harsh tempered. He's second in command of the group. A good military mind, a good strategist, and close friend of the group leader.And here he is in his full kit. (Although he won't look so surprised all the time! I have to work on some character sheets.)