Sergeant

Dobell was a great draughtsman, and he incorporated these skills into his painting technique by using brush strokes and lines rather than blending colours. He was also able to adapt his technique to his subject, matching the effect he produced to the personality he was trying to capture. In this quick sketch the loose lines and languid expression on the Sergeant's face suggest a casual and friendly character. This is further suggested by the cigarette balanced in the Sergeant's left hand.

Returning to Australian in 1938 after studying in London and travelling around Europe, Dobell taught at the National Art School and East Sydney Technical College. He enlisted in a camouflage unit in 1942 and worked as a labourer for the Civil Construction Corps during the Second World War. In 1943, under the Directorship of Sir Frank Packer, the Allied Works Council appointed Dobell as a war artist, along with Herbert McClintock, to depict wartime construction activities. Dobell visited the aerodromes at Bankstown and Rathmines, Garden Island, Kalgoorlie and the Sydney Graving Dock during his commission and completed eight paintings, in addition to commercial art for Council publications. The drawing 'Sergeant' was most likely created during this time.