Rite of Bloodlet: Illustration process part 5

The completed image

A lot has been done since the last stage, dust has been added, blood has been added, colours have been tweaked and everything has been tidied up, along with various other things. The first thing after the last stage that I did was to paint in the chariot correctly. This would be a difficult task to get the perspective right without a reference picture of a chariot on it’s side. Sadly I didn’t have one, but I did have another trick up my sleeve. I modelled a very basic 3d chariot in google sketchup and turned it on its side. I then used that as reference for the proportions of the chariot in the picture. I didn’t include the fallen horse as it would probably have screwed up the composition slightly by intersecting with the edge of the painting. The next thing I did was properly paint the skewered gladiator in the middle ground. I had to sketch him a few times to get the posture and proportions right before I was ready to paint him in. Even then he took a lot of adjusting to look right. The plate armour he was wearing on the last WIP image has changed to leather as it’s flexibility allowed me to give him a more slumped and defeated posture, rather than the rigid torso that plate would have given him. I suppose he kind of looks like he’s had a bit too much to drink now. Once again the back walls of the arena have been lowered, cause I just thought It looks better. The colours have been tweaked to give the impression of the blazing desert sun bleaching everything white and to focus the composition on Gin. Gin himself has had a few retouches, with highlights being corrected and his tattoos being altered. His tusks have been enlarged at Mike’s request. You may notice he’s also covered in a fair amount of blood now. As if he’d severed a horse’s jugular artery, which he has. I wouldn’t say this was my most subtle or elegant work…