Art Friday : David Andro - Military/Police Illustrator (GIGN, GIPN, RAID, etc)

Friday, June 27th, 2008, 12:00 amRoys

A French artist specializing in military and police art (not unlike Dick Kramer), illustrating mainly the police and counter-terror units of his native country such as the famed Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN) and Recherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (RAID) as well as the special forces of several other European countries (Greek EKAM, Spanish GEI, etc).

Found his website several months back while looking for information on the exotic Matra-Maurhin MR-73 revolver after seeing it being equipped on a Hot Toys 1/6th GIGN figure at a day in the life of a BE@RBRICK. From David Miller’s Illustrated Directory of Special Forces, it appears that only the French counter-terror units are frequently equipped with revolvers (amongst other weapons of course), other contemporary units favouring (usually silenced) semi-automatic pistols for close-range work.

Also apparently for most enthusiasts, the 1/6th figures are the closest you can get to a special forces trooper and his weapons, but David has access to the real thing which also explains the realism and authenticity of his work.