This is my stab at a Presidential portrait for Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America. I wasn’t such a big fan of the recently publicized one with the flowery background, as I thought it looked too quaint and that Obama needed something more imposing and heroic. With this one, I wanted to channel illustrations of the Carthaginian Hannibal crossing the Alps on an elephant, except Obama and his elephant would be crossing the hills of Oahu, Hawaii (near where he was born). The shield Obama is carrying on his left hand is based on Luo designs, since his dad was of Kenyan Luo heritage.
By the way, I know an elephant might seem an ironic choice of mount for a Democratic politician like Obama. On the other hand, donkeys are not nearly as impressive in my opinion (Jesus got away with it because he wanted to make a point about his humbleness).