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First I start with a good reference, in this case the customer wanted this picture exactly.
I put down some transfer paper (sticky paper used to apply vinyl lettering) and draw out the basic outline of everything, don't get lost in detail here, just the basic outline is fine.
I remove the basic shape and do a rough in in base coat white of the shapes, this picture reminds me of an evil Big Bird coming out of the darkness after you.
Notice how I have the background flag covered? After the flag is painted, I will use dagger strokes to blend the two parts of the image together.
II am building up tones here, I add brown/yellow to the white to add dept to the feathers. This is very important Now I take some yellow and thin it down about 150% and dust on some color. You want the white under painting to show through. While you weren't looking, I painted the flag in the background. See how rough it looks? That's ok, we will put some highlights in it to make it three dimensional. I have a little bit of over spray here on the eagle but it will be covered up when I blend the hard line of its head into the flag.
I use some red scotch brite to remove the over spray, make sure any scratching you do follows the flow of the feathers. Here I take white and add highlights to the eyes, beak, and blend in the feathers on the head. I also take some orange to add shadows to the eyes and beak.
Now I cover the eagle and flag up and start working on the rips and talons.
Using a new exacto knife, I cut the rips out.
I sprayed white / silver in the rips and pulled the masking off. Now I take a weak mixture of black/blue and start doing drop shadows on the rips/eagle/flag. I then take white and do the same thing, working back and fourth between light and shadow until I am happy with it.
There that is the basic how to. Later on that week I put on blue real fire and pulled some more detail out of the talons and beak. The custom was very happy with the result!
Da Dahh! |
