Step by Step - Mephisto

Jello people! 

These days are pretty busy with preparing and shipping the Artbooks. So not much time is left to work on figures these days, but during the last private practice some paintwork has been done on a wonderful bust, sculpted by Romain van de Bogeart, distributed by Wonderlands Project. All I did here is so far the explanation work of the private practice we had a week ago with Lisa, Oli and Andi. Thanks for the beautiful time. So alittle step by step on the weird way the bust went through to look like it looks in the end ...

I started with a dark green basecoat via Airbrush ...

Followed I worked my way with the airbrush to some light areas, also added different colours like skintone and brown to the facial area ...

Next, I switched to the brush and started intensifying the light areas and also used dark and colourful glazes (for example red mixed with black or dark sea blue) to work out the wrinkles. Started on some contrast on the horns and skin coloured areas. Also prepared the eye colours ...

Next step was working on the eyes and intensifying the contrast between dark and light colours again. I also used the airbrush again in this step, to bring in a dark purple shadow to the volumes of the figure. So far that is how far the project went during the 2 days. I will definatly for sure have to work more on the bust but not right now ...

Next steps will include working out more contrast in the overall skin to get it all to the level of the face. Then final detail work on the contrasts will be on schedule, so called detail lights. So far my thoughts on the upcoming steps, but it all went a different direction when the muse kissed me, madly.


First, I intensyfied the lights and went much stronger into the highlights, even did final ones with several glazes of pure white. Way too bright right now ...

Now the muse visited me ... for my idea of this demon bust the skin was way too similiar overall. I was thinking  about the big areas of skin that I want to split up with something. Demon trbial tattoos? No. Blood Splatters? No. Demon bird poo? Maybe ... no!

After reading a great article from Serafin about working with Forged Monkey dayglow pigments and black Crackle Paint I decided to give that a try on that bust

 ... and now the muse hit me!

 

First I took some Pigments from Forged Monkey, Lazer Red and mixed them into a Citadel's Trollslayer Orange to recieve a powerful colour. I applied about three layers of this colour to the places I wanted glowing. Three, because only one did not cover properly. At this point I was more than confused on what I am doing there right now. After this I took some Crackle paint and threw it on the areas like you can see on the following photos. I was never unsure now, started with a big brush and worked my way with the toothbrush to detailed applyment of the black crackle paint.

As the skin was still very "white" from the lights I have worked on I used some tourqouise glazes to bring it all together.

Right now, the next step was focusing on detail work. After the tourqouise glazes, the skin misses some final lights again. The lava areas needed some attention too. Working on some brighter and darker areas here too. Going to the lights by painting thin white lines to some areas and edges, glazed with orange again. Using some darker red glazes to intense the heat in the darker areas. The black crackle paint did recieve some attention with some area and edge highlights too. Also the fiery areas recieved some detail work with black to intensify the look of lava that just cracks open.

 A view on Raffa's table ...

Next step was cleaning up final areas and intenyfing a little light or shadow here and there. Also that guy wears now earrings that are made from silver balls, painted a little bit. I do love them so much ...

Mephisto, the Pimp

 

So far, read you next time with the final photos of the bust. I hope this article brought some insight in my way of working for those interested in. Take care of the Muse!
Keep on happy painting!
Best Wishes
Roman