Here is the process of a new Orc painting I did for Magic Commander series. He is called: Sek´guar, Deathkeeper. Which incidentally was also the name I wanted for myself growing up.
The portrait asked for a orc shaman with trinkets and amulets that involved death. All taking place in an icy environment. I do not think I could have gone any more literal than I did. When doing this assignment I was set on fulfilling the description and not try to muddy the portrait up, by adding all kinds of personal emotions and story lines.
Instead I really tried to capture interest in the facial area and in all the details. I often think that green Orcs tend to look a little comical. So i focused on making his skin texture rough and scared to go along with his gorilla like features.
The other thing I focused on was texture. The clark I builded up with a lot of brush shoveling around, dotting and stabbing into the area until random texture shoved some shapes I could use for wrinkles and holes and bumps.
I think I got lost in the details. The image should have been much more monochromatic. I thought of rendering every details instead of thinking of the shape of his body and silhouette as a whole.
Lessons to keep in mind: Think of the whole picture, simplify the colors and light used for better focus. Actually I think “focus” is the second most important thing in and illustration. It comes right after “story”, being the first. ( I deliberately avoided my own most important aspect of a painting, and kind of lost focus on the ”focus”)
You cannot paint without having your minds teeth fully sunked into the neck of it.
I rly like this painting! There is plenty of storytelling in it if you ask me- all the orcish elements of shamanism like the body parts and bones and skulls, then those exquisite bells, talking of a culture skilled in metalworking etc. I rly like it, oh and the SCYTHE!!! It is bad ass
Great last sentence Jesper! I,ll remember that……..
The Scythe is soo awesome but more of all i love the way you dab the different hues around his fur cloak and the skull horn, the blue bounced light on the horn is great,
would love to get some prints of your work so hopefully i will contact you soon. Keep being Inspirational always love your posts