Joker - Arkham: Painting--UCing I

With his dapper alter-ego hell-bent on the finish line, it was time to begin addressing the needs of the psychotic inmate.

Given the relative largeness of this piece, I thought I'd begin with the straitjacket. This could have been a rather daunting undertaking, but fortunately I had an unopened bottle of Polly-S Fantasy's Yellow Gray. This is one of my all-time favourite acrylic colours: the acrylic version of Liquitex Parchment with a slightly green-ish bias. 

Next, I touched-up the face which I had lightly over-primed with Tamiya Fine Surface Primer-White.

More to follow. . .  

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: Oils--Home Stretch

In spite of the amount of work remaining, the piece exudes an all-but-finished aura about it. And, personally, I am delighted with what is before me. In fact, even at this relatively premature stage, it vastly exceeds any expectations I might have had!

Tonight will largely be an "off" night. That is not to say I may not tweak things here and there, but for the most part, I will let things settle and cure. . .

Oh, one final thing. You might recall that in the first posting of this thread I mentioned that I had revised the title of the project to accommodate the absence of Harley. Henceforth, this piece will be known as. . . Dressed to Kill.

FOLLOW-UP. . . Phase I of the eyebrows is DONE!

03.08.2018. . . The right eye is done. All that remains on the eyes is distressing and glazing. Phase I of the boutonnière is done. 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: Oils--Intermezzo (II)

With the tailcoat done, I decided to take this project into the 'home stretch' and mount it on 

its display base. This could have gone "south" very easily; but it just felt right; and thankfully 

it worked out beautifully!

Assuming I have an hour or two to paint each night, this project may be completed over the weekend!

Stay tuned!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: Oils (III)--The Tailcoat

The tailcoat was a very simple process, much simpler than anticipated. I decided early-on that I would use Ivory Black with a touch of Liquin for the silk/satin lapels. The collar and the minute portions of the coat itself were primarily executed in Lampblack. 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: Oils--Intermezzo (I)

I did a little more work following yesterday's update, namely shading the neck and the neck cavi- ty/shirt collar. This was in anticipation of what I have just finished: the Joker "TwE" is now com- pletely assembled, with the head permanently attached to the torso.

That will be the extent of the work today. I will continue working on the face in the days to come, but the next major painting session will be the black tailcoat. Once that is done, I can then trans- fer the bust to its display base.

Getting closer. . .   

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: Oils (II)--The Flesh

As with the white garments, Mister J's flesh will be executed as a series of mixed-media stains/ grisailles over the white primer-undercoat. I have just completed Phase I, including the staining of the teeth and basecoating of the lips. 

At this stage of the process, the surface looks admittedly "rough"; however, the promise of what is to come is as plainly evident. 

Stay tuned!

UPDATE 30.07.2018. . . The left side of the face, save for glazing the eye, is essentially done! [NOTE: The greens (hair) will be tackled as a separate item.] And I am delighted!! Methodically staining a stark acrylic undercoat has definitely earned a place in the gamebook!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: UCing (III)

With the torso uc'ed, all that remained was the head. Whereas the one color to be applied below the neck was black, the only acrylic hue to be applied above it was green. [NOTE: the red of the lips will be applied in oils.]

And that is now done and curing in the oven. Save for the black of the tailcoat (100% oils), the remainder of the project will be a multi-media exercise. 

More to follow!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: Oils (I)--White Garments

With the torso uc'ed/"blocked-in", it was time to start playing with the oils. . . 

On this project, the whites are more of a stain/grisaille over the white primer-undercoat. This is more of an illustrative approach to maximize depth and volume vs. textile textures in the relatively small surface area provided by the scale. 

As of this writing, Phase I of the waistcoat is done. Stark highlights remain to be done: these will be done in acrylics once the oils are "dry". 

More to follow. . .  

FOLLOW-UP. . . Phase II of the waistcoat is DONE! The waistcoat has been effectively complet- ed, but now comes the multi-media tweaking that will maximize contrast and tonal variance on the achromatic canvas. . . The tweaking will be executed over the remaining duration of the pro- ject. 
 
“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: UCing (I)

The bust was primed in its entirety in Tamiya Fine Surface Primer-White. Using this superb pri- mer allowed me to kill two sub-steps with one spray session: the flesh and the non-jacket gar- ments were also undercoated as well as primed!

Thus uc'ing is largely limited to the black of the dress tailcoat. Which, given the opacity of black acrylic, is something to be undertaken with caution. I have just completed Phase I, which means 85-90% of the coat is undercoated--the remaining 10% (Phase II) will be the harrowing "cutting-in" of the coat to the white underlying garments. 

Stay tuned!

FOLLOW-UP. . . Phase II is DONE!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Joker - Arkham: Painting--Priming

The "Clown Prince of Arkham" is primed. Let the madness begin!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Joker - Arkham: Prep IV--Finishing

All the major work has been completed--the scrub "collar" is ideal! I am now down to final finish- ing and assembly. There will be some tweaking to be done to the fit and details on the straitjack- et straps prior to attachment, but this is little more than fine detailing. The only piece that will not be attached before priming will be the hand.

Almost done. . .

UPDATE 23.07.2018. . . The straps have been permanently attached. All that remains to be done on the straps are minor spot fills and seam integration. . . DONE

UPDATE 25.07.2018. . . Save for some minor tweaking about the hair and the dentition, the bust is ready to be primed. Priming is scheduled over the weekend. . . DONE

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Joker - Arkham: Prep III--The Collar

Some of you might recall that a significant aspect of my 'redesign' included sculpting the open collar of an Arkham jumpsuit. 

This is a bit of a tricky undertaking without a separate head. Initially, I decided to execute it in two lateral halves, which would afford me the most flexibility in when to attach it, with the least amount of complexity. 

And I had effectively completed the collar, but somethings were not right, not the least of which was the fact that visible areas on the collar and flesh would be unattainable to paint. So I care- fully removed the collar, and reassessed. . .

I have all but decided to go with an institutional scrub top--collarless. This will satisfy the thema- tic and chromatic requirements, as well as eliminate any of the painting "traps".  

Stay tuned! 

UPDATE 21.07.2018. . . The scrub "collar" has been roughed-in and finishing has begun. This is a much more suitable garment--practically and aesthetically! Should progress continue at this pace, Mista' J might be on the painting bench by the end of next weekend!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Kilowog -- Painting: Intermezzo I

With the figure undercoated, I strongly considered breaking out the oils, but I have yet to finalize the painting strategy given the size and weight of the subject. So, I returned to the workbench to work on the power ring.

The source of everything Green is given laughable short-shrift in the figure. If one wants to "con- vert" this to a "collectible figurine" (as opposed to a collectible pre-paint) then the matter of the power ring is a non-negotiable aspect of the restoration.

I roughed-in the emblem of the ring with MS, and then proceeded to carve it to shape. Once the emblem was a-b-d, I then finished the edges, and carefully restored the band. The gauntlet unit is now curing in the oven. 

Once cured, all that remains is final finishing; a final once over, and priming. . . 

Stay tuned! 

UPDATE 22.07.2018. . . The power ring and gauntlet unit have been finished and primed.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003