MR. WIZARD

Layout and White

The first step is to layout the design.

In this case its is layed out on the dark blue basecoat with a white stabilo pencil. The marks are light so that they don't get erased when the image is periodically degreased with Spies-Hecker water born degreaser. 

This stuff is the bomb! With it you can airbrush through your lunch hour without worrying. You will be able to get rid of the pizza smudges without removing any of the delicate work you sprayed while eating. Of course, it helps to wash you hands after that greasy pizza.  But the point is, this stuff works great.

The process I use in most of my airbrush work is very similar to that of a photographic effect. 

We start by building the values of light and dark with the white.  The shapes are rendered for fullness and the illusion of depth.  At this point it is critical to get the composition if the mural down.

Try to focus on making the image as full as possible. 

You should spend most of your time developing the image in this stage of the process (using white).

Have patience! And resist the urge to start blasting out a bunch of color.

This is what the design looks like after the white stage is complete.

Notice the intensity of the white on the highlighted areas already - especially in the background  behind the wizard. 

It is imperative that you get the volume and shapes worked out before the color goes into it.

The Color

OK..... Here we go, it's color time.  

Once again we start with the lighter tones. I use a Yellow wash to start. I create the under lighting on the beast in the background.

The yellow will also also produce the effect of a slight "glow" surrounding image due to the intensity of the light source.

Working loosely with the red, we begin with the background where the beast will take on some of the red tones. 

Also a very light application of red to the white in the fleshy areas of the wizard to create flesh tones. 

The bike is a dark candy purple so I wanted the image to work out of the background. 

In order to get this effect I used a deep transparent purple on the shadowed sides of the beast. This creates an indirect light source glowing in the background.

Here a light wash of yellow and transparent azure blue are used to create the greenish color in the cape surrounding the wizard.

Most of the shape here was defined in the first steps by the white - the color just washes over the white.

Black and Highlights

Here I have taken a mixture of oxide and black to create a wash that is a little thicker than the previous colors - but it is not complete black.

In this stage, I define and detail each area to create the final image.

Here is a close up of the details added to the face of the wizard and the beast.

The contrast is crucial to developing the lighting effect.

Core shadowing is essential to get the technique right.

Notice here how the image is much more defined. 

Except for some final highlights, the figures are complete.

Continue to just use a wash of black and oxide; do not use the straight black yet. It will be too strong against the subtle transition of colors.

At the end of this "stage", the images have been shaped, defined, colored and detailed.

All we have left is to bring back some of the white and yellow that we lost while coloring. the image.

Layout and Composition

Now I have gone back into the image with the yellows and whites to enhance the details that got washed out from the color and black steps. 

For example, the beard the vein like details on the arms of the beast and also the lightning.

Here is a close up of the highlights in the face.

You can see the eyes and the facial features here.

Here is the final product before the clear is applied.

Remeber to degrease the mural as you go. I usually try to degrease between bottle changes.

Sorry about the bad flash glare