Dark Mariner Cephalid Ethermancer - step by step

[AntiMatter]

Hi folks,

Here is an abbreviated step-by-step guide for the Dark Mariner Cephalid Ethermancer, a summoner of foul entities of the void. The model was painted with the glaze style, starting with a white primer coat. The first base layers were very light, doing using mainly thinned paint or inks.

The carapace was painted with Golden Fluid Acrylics Indian Yellow mixed with some Reaper Golden highlight, as was the front trim of the robes and the eye on the hand. The tentacles were glazed with Cerulean Blue ink (all inks used are by Liquitex). The ethereal eruption coming from the side was glazed with Magenta Ink + a touch of Cerulean blue and white paint. The inner robes were glazed with Dioxazene Purple ink + white, while the metal belt and buckle were painted with Bronze ink. The "shirt" was painted with thinned English Ivy Green (Americana acrylics) while the sleeves were painted with a grayish mixture of blue, purple green and black paint. The hands were done with a thinned blue-gray mixture (Cerulean Blue ink, white & black paint). The crystals hanging from the belt were painted with Deep Turquoise Ink. Finally, the staff was painted with Reaper Golden Highlight and the top statue was glazed with Sap Green ink + black paint + white paint to make a bit of a jade appearance.



The next step was to shade down everything. The blue tentacles were washed with Phthalo Blue ink mixed with some black paint.  When dry, the tentacles on the face were glazed with a bit of Magenta ink under the faceplate. The "sprouting" tentacles were washed with Phthalo Blue ink, then when dry, with some Dioxazene Purple ink. The carapace was given a thick, gloppy wash of Burnt Sienna ink + Matte Medium, then when dry, it was washed with Phthalo Blue ink and Matte Medium. The goal was to have t pool in all of the recesses smoothly. The staff was washed with Burnt Umber ink, as was the golden trim of the robes in front. The robes were washed with thinned black paint + Burnt Umber ink. The eye on the hand was washed with Burnt Sienna ink to make a the orange rim. The Metal was washed with Burnt Sienna ink + Black paint.




Now comes the long step. The washes and glazed needed to dry completely before starting the highlights. most highlights use opaque paint, or semi-opaque mixtures of paint and ink. The Carapace and front robe trim was highlighted with Reaper Golden Highlight + White paint, with final highlights of pure white on hotspots where the light would be striking from above. Some Sap Green ink was glazes on the patches of barnacles and algae on the carapace, then the edges of the barnacles were highlighted in white. The staff was drybrushed with Golden Highlight + white paint, then glazed down a bit with more Burnt Sienna ink and a bit of Sap Green here and there.

 Each blue tentacle was highlighted with white paint, mixed with a small amount of Magenta Ink. The tips of the blue tentacles also got a touch of Megenta to vary the color tone. To do the highlights, the tip of a small brush was used to paint lines along the tentacles, giving them more definition, then the suckers were highlighted. Small line reflections were painted from the tip to further back each tentacle also.

The "sprouting" tentacles were highlighted with White paint + Megenta Ink, up to pure white, with some blending done with multiple layers of thinned paint. The inside of the mouths were glazed with dark red paint (red + black) to add contrast. The skin on the hands was highlighted with blue-gray paint + more white on edges. They eye was painted like a gem with lighter yellow + white paint on the bottom and darker orange-red on the top. A small vertical pupil was added, the a large reflection hotspot near the top with pure white paint.

The robes were drybrushed with Golden Highlight + White paint, then glazed with Purple and Green ink to add some more color tone. Edge highlights on the robes were done with pure white to make them stand out. The metal was highlighted with a bit of silver + gold paint.

The crystals took a bit of blending to complete, using Turquoise Ink mixed with white to make the gradients. Edges were painted in pure white. To show that they are glowing crystals, the area around them was drybrushed with some the the Turquoise/white mixture (staff, robes, trim, belt, arm, fingers). The statue on the staff, which was highlighted Sap Green + Gray + white, up to pure white.

to finish it off, the Base was done with a quick method. The rocky parts (no coral) was given a wash of Pthalo Blue ink and allowed to dry. The coral was washed with Burnt Sienna Ink and allowed to dry. The rock and coral were drybrushed with Golden Highlight + White paint. When dry, the coral was glazed with a touch more Burnt Sienna ink while the rock was glazed with Sap Green, Burnt Umber and Dioxazene Purple inks. Some white dots were added as final highlights on the rock.

[Glitterwolf]

Amazing!!!!

[AntiMatter]

thanks!

[Chaoswolf]

That's fantastic!!

[hiddenone32]

Simply amazing!  I love that eye on his hand!

[malefactus]

The Guide is a well written, enlightening set of instructions. If following them leads to a WONDROUS creation like your BEAUTIFULLY painted & based treasure, they should be regarded as a precious resource. VERY WELL DONE all around!

[vulture]

Love it! These bob Olley sculpts have so many neat details - the cephalids are truly lovecraftian and spectacularly horrific. Even as a more experienced painter I find your step by steps for glaze style painting very informative.

Thanks for sharing!

Edited July 25, 2016 by vulture

[kar]

Beautifully done!

[CashWiley]

Somehow I missed Bob was sculpting these. No wonder I love them!

 

Your glaze technique is on point as usual, nice work!