Both from rural areas in Southern Illinois, Jon and Chuck have made the outdoors their way of life. From a very young age, each started hunting and fishing in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest and that carried on into young adulthood where they first met working at the same “day job” where a shared love of the outdoors made them friends right away.
Hunting most of the year exposed the both of them to different seasons of the year along with all the types of camouflage that nature had to offer.
Since hunting demanded the need to go unseen, the two were always looking for ways to make their guns and bows invisible to whatever they might be hunting.
Some things that they tried took a long time to apply, were not permanent and could at times damage part of the weapon itself.
In 2005, after a long time of trial and error they came upon an established method called “hydro-graphics” to apply different patterned films to the surface of their guns and bows. This method was a way to transfer camouflage patterns (or any other pattern) to the surface of a weapon that wouldn’t damage it and would hold up to a lot of wear and tear.
January 2006 started the creation of their company H2O Imaging. With Chuck’s many years of experience of working with guns added to Jon’s over 25 years of being a wildlife artist, the two of them came up with making new innovative ways to conceal an otherwise obvious weapon out in the field.
Jon and Chuck mainly started H2O Imaging for camouflaging weapons for hunting but they have also branched out into other areas in the world of high -tech firearms and automotive parts with the use of carbon fiber film and other modern prints. With this branch of the company lies endless combinations for customers who want specific designs that fit their own unique choices.
When Chuck and Jon are not in the shop coming up with new ideas for their next gun or automotive project, they are spending time with their families; Chuck with his wife and daughter and Jon with his wife and two daughters.
With H2O on the heels of some of the biggest pioneers in outdoor hunting equipment, they plan to keep up with the ever changing world of outdoor products and add another layer of originality to guns and bows to be one step closer to nature itself.
