Young Dracula

[Mongo Mel]

Hello all,
While I'm trying to figure out just how to do the Rising Sun flag on my kamikaze, I started work on another one.
It's another bust of Dracula from the Francis Ford Coppola movie. This one is of him from the beginning of the movie before he becomes a vampire (if I remember correctly).
It's a beautifully sculpted piece from United Empire Miniatures that I picked up at MFCA last May.
I've had a couple of false starts on it but I think this one is going to stick :lol: .
I'm trying a little different approach to the flesh to give him a more pale complexion. I'd really appreciate hearing what you think of it. Please don't hold back.
Thanks,
Craig

 

[Mongo Mel]

Another view...

 

[Anders Heintz]

Hey Craig!

I think it is excellent!! Very well balanced skin tones. I really think you have done a super job with it.

 

[kidney stone kid]

I think I'll just put mine away(which I also bought at MFCA) and take up stamp collecting....

No, but seriously, it looks great! While I am not a meteorologist, I think you have a good handle on the compexion. Transylvania may be like Cleveland or Pittsburgh in winter, lots of pasty face folks milling about....

 

[Hardy]

Looks great

 

[frank h]

Hi Craig,
Nice start on the skin tones, looking really good.


Frank

 

[Guy]

Have to agree.......Looks great Craig

 

[KeithP]

Craig -

agree with the others... looks great so far!

So, what did you change in your basic flesh mix to give him the paler appearance?

Keith

 

[johnnyboy]

craig that is awsome man please do more i want to see this guy finished great job.thanks for sharing johnnyboy

 

[Rob Brown]

Craig
As usual, great start on flesh tones. You do such a great job on them.
Rob

 

[Mongo Mel]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the nice compliments.
I did a couple of things to get the paler skintone.
First, I didn't airbrush my usual undercoat of Liquitex Deep Portrait Pink.
Then instead of mixing my Burnt Sienna directly into my flesh mix, I applied it directly to the face and wiped most of it off. The I started adding the Flesh/Titanium White/Yellow Ochre mix to this and blended them on directly on the face. While still wet I highlighted with Naples Yellow and Titanium White. Then I shadowed with Burnt Sienna instead of m usual Brown Madder Aliziran, keeping the shadows very subtle. After it dried I did the secondary shadows and highlights with the same colors.
To keep it looking pale, I kept the paint to a real minimum. The worst thing about this method for me is that the resulting paint job is very thin and is easy to damage during the secondary shading and highlighting. To help protect it after that was done, I sprayed it with 2 coats of Floquil clear figure flat. I'm hoping this helps.
Thanks again to you all for the feedback.
Craig

 

[Brad S]

Craig,

What a sweet looking bust. I love what you have done with the flesh tones so far. Can't wait to see this one finished. Keep up the great work!

Brad Spelts