LIBERTY OR DEATH

Painting Process

"Liberty or Death" features my take on a Norse Valkyrie. In Norse Mythology, Valkyrie serve as Odin’s warrior women and the “Choosers of the Slain.” As with Odin there is a strong connection between the Valkyrie and the raven. The other main task of the Valkyrie is to hold the holy mead horn at the great hall in Asguard. The original painting was done in oils and measures 18"x24".

STEP ONE - Sketch & Drawing

I start with a digital sketch completely out of imagination. Then I shoot reference photos based on my sketch. Using the reference photos and sketch as a guide I do a drawing on gray tone paper with black and white colored pencils. I use warm gray Copic markers to add tone.

STEP TWO - Start Painting

I transfer the drawing to gessoed art board and then start painting with oils. The following video demonstrates this process:

STEP THREE - Oil Base Layer

Using oil paint I lay in a base layer of color. My goal is to be as accurate as possible to the final color, but I also recognize this is just the first layer of oil paint. The following video demonstrates this process:

STEP FOUR - Oil Detail

Once the base layer is dry I add another layer of oil paint to bring out the detail and correct as much of the painting as possible. Once again my goal is to bring each area to a finish, but I will repeat this step as many times as needed until I reach the level of finish I want for the painting. The following video demonstrates this process:

STEP FIVE - Glazing

Using oil paint thinned down with medium I glaze a final layer of color over the painting. The following video demonstrates this process: