Slow, slow days on the run-in to Christmas, so ... painting to pass the time, and having loads of fun seeing how much I can squeeze out of the old software! I call this one "The Mercenary," and it really is just begging for a story. You might not believe it, but this is the same face I created for the Falconstone book cover a month or two ago! I used a different hairstyle, put beard shadow on him, but that's the same face --
In the background, I used a photo of a fantastic sunrise from February 2017. I just can't remember which of three amazing dawns it was in Feb that year. One, I photographed from the backyard, one from the top of the hill. Now, which is this?!
I have a feeling it's the one from the backyard! In fact, I'm certain of it ... because I recognize those trees in the foreground. Anyway, it provides a very moody and spectacular backdrop for the character here. He looks like he's on an assignment, and the "fun" is about to begin!
Quite a bit of painting went into this shot (chest hair and beard shadow, for one thing ... or is it two?), but the original render is pretty good, too. Just a raytrace, Michael 4 ... not Lux and Genesis or any of that new stuff. Finished off in Photoshop.
But this one, below, was done about 50% in Photoshop and 50% in Krita:
I call this one Summertime. It's a painting from a photo captured at Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens a few years ago. Not a bad photo, in fact, but the painting is better. I'll give you a detail shot, too --
...you really need to see the whole thing at full size -- I uploaded it at 1600 pixels wide, so ... do give it a click and see it big! (Also, the mercenary was uploaded l-a-r-g-e too, so ... enjoy, nudge, wink.
