Jasmine Huber

The Standard

This drawing is based on an archival photograph of my grandfather during his mandatory military service in Vienna, Austria shortly after it became a neutral state. This picture was taken when he had just earned the rank of Gefreiter, and reflects his own sense of discipline and reliability associated with earning that rank. There is a steadiness in the way he carries himself. His expression is composed and self-assured, with a quiet sense of pride that reads as settled rather than performed.The original photograph was black and white. I began with a greyscale base layer, then slowly introduced soft layers of colour, drawing from what his uniform would have looked like to guide those choices. This allows the image to move closer to a lived, realistic moment. The palette is kept clean and simple, helping to create a focused, spotlight effect that reinforces his stillness and composure.For me, working from this photograph became a way of thinking about how qualities like discipline and pride take shape over time. They are not always obvious, but can be observed in posture, stance, and the control of his expression. That quieter sense of strength is something I’ve come to recognize and respect in him, and this piece focuses on making that presence more visible.