::Carlzon WIP combo::

Digital painting based on a wonderful photograph by *carlzon

This is my most technical, and hence ambitious, painting yet. The ref photo has a number of light sources so the colour graduations are subtle and varied which is really testing my eye for colour.

And I'm working directly with colour too. Although I recently discovered the B&W first, then adding colour process, this piece demanded colour from the very beginning.

WIP 1 - 2 hours
This is the point at which it stopped being a quick experiment and turned into a full-blown 'I'm going for it' thing. It was the eye that sold it to me.

WIP 2 - 5 hours
The addition of a shimmer of aquamarine was a turning point which I definitely needed! I was still focussing my attention on the eye and cheek but viewing the WIPs side by side, it's clear that I was jumping around all over the place.

WIP 3 - 8 hours
The highlight work on the forehead and the wrinkles around the eye are starting to come together. All were produced with a combination of Dodge & Burn at a low opacity but sharp-edged brush and paint applied with Brush set to 'Colour'.

Click Download to view full size and you'll be able to appreciate even more of the details.