Panto Season-The Tutorial

Over the years on DA I’ve been asked by several watchers to do a tutorial on my work and how I create the paintings I submit here. I’d given it much thought but never really got round to it. This is usually because I paint so quickly I like to be always working on my paintings and don’t really pause long enough for the work to dry. Plus also I was never to sure at which point in the process I should stop so people could see how the piece develops. And also I’m lazy!!!
Well I decided that I would do a small piece with the sole purpose of it being created purely as a tutorial and this is the resulting effort. Or probably “insulting” effort!!

I hope you’re paying attention at the back there!!!

Then I shall begin……..

Dimensions
Most of my paintings are around A4 size. Or roughly 8” x 12” or in Roman Catholic 20cm x 30cm.

Timescale

Most probably take around 2 hours or just over. A bit difficult to gauge as things like work, cups of tea, the occasional snack, a few hours of stolen shut eye and arse scratching interrupt most painting sessions!

Colours Used

Yellow Ochre
Titanium White
Ultramarine Blue
Burnt Umber

Materials Used

Old piece of packing card.
Pencil
Black biro pen
Flat twist grip brush, size 10.
Small brush, size 0 (Oh my god that’s so tiny!!)
Pastels

Step 1
Preparation of the card involves applying a background colour. I tend to use washes of dirty paint brush water. Sometimes I use a spray bottle filled with dirty water or use left over paint from a previous painting. I some times distress the card before hand with sand paper to give it a rough texture or scratches with a knife. I really don’t plan what colour the background will be so any colour applied any old how will do!!

Step 2
Mark out the drawing in pencil and normal black biro pen and then fill in shading to create the form. This probably takes the longest to do, once I’m happy with it the painting process just flies by!!

Step 3
Applying white on the background. Sometimes I create the background first and sometimes I do it last it depends if the background has any relevance to the subject such as scenery or objects. I often just leave the original dribbly mess as the background. The white was applied with copious amounts of water and I just slap it on and let it run where ever it wants.

Step 4
Using washes of Ultramarine Blue (sometimes I use dark dirty water left over from washing brushes) apply darkened areas to the figure. This is usually done in several coats if there are particular areas that are required to be very dark. Again dribbles are not a problem unless they are coming from your mouth, which if that’s the case it could be a good indication you’re having a seizure of some kind and should really seek some medical attention!!

Step 5
Using a mix of white and a dab or two of yellow ochre that is applied in different quantities creates the flesh tones. This is again done in several coats adding more white for the lighter areas and also water to thin it out over the shaded areas.

Step 6
White highlights are added. This is applied neat from the tube without diluting it with water. Then washes of Ultramarine mixed with a little Burnt Umber are added to any shadowy areas that may have been lightened too much from previous applications. Burnt Umber mixed with a little Ultramarine Blue is used to create the hair.

Step 7
The final stage involves going back over any details such as the facial features with the black biro pen. Sometimes as in this case I add pastel, not always, but sometimes I feel it needs it. Two pastel colours were used, a flesh tone colour and white. I add small touches of pastel in various places and then blend it in with my fingers.

Step 8
Submit it to DA with a pretentious title and a web link to a dodgy song of tenuous connection, whilst writing a tutorial to bore you with in the process and praying for a DD which will be un-likely as it doesn’t feature blood or vampire’s teeth or is a bouncing emoticon!!!

I hope that helps!!
Any questions??

NB. No crayons were harmed in the making of this tutorial!!!